Framlingham
Framlingham is a market town and civil parish in Suffolk, England. Of Anglo-Saxon origin, it appears in the 1086 Domesday Book. The parish had a population of 3,342 at the 2011 Census and an estimated 4,016 in 2019. Nearby villages include Earl Soham, Kettleburgh, Parham, Saxtead and Sweffling. Governance. An electoral ward of the same name exists. The parish stretches north-east to Brundish with a total ward population taken at the 2011 Census of 4,744. Features. Framlingham's history can be traced to an entry in the Domesday Book (1086) when it then consisted of several manors . The medieval Framlingham Castle is a major feature and tourist attraction for the area, managed by English Heritage. Mary Tudor (daughter of Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon) was proclaimed Queen of England there in 1553. It is referred to in Ed Sheeran's 2017 single "Castle on the Hill", Sheeran having grown up in Framlingham. There is a large lake or mere next to it which used to supply the castle with fish. It is managed by the Suffolk Wildlife Trust. A nature walk in woodland can be made around the mere.There is also a  large meadow adjacent to the Castle which holds various outdoor events and productions in the summer and where people can picnic . The town is home to the comprehensive secondary Thomas Mills High School, the independent school Framlingham College, the Church of St Michael the Archangel, which dates from the 12th century (the main rebuilding dates from the late 15th and 16th centuries), and Framlingham Town F.C. The town has the two oldest functioning Post Office pillar boxes in the UK, dating from 1856, located in Double Street and in College Road. The pillar boxes are marked V. R. Victoria Regina , after Queen Victoria. Framlingham also has one of the smallest houses in Britain, known as the "Check House". Converted into a two-storey residence of under 29 square metres, the former bookmakers office is in the Mauldens Mill Estate in the town centre. The ground floor measures by . There is a traditional English market in the town square, Market Hill, every Tuesday and Saturday mornings offering fruit and vegetables, artisan bread and cakes, fresh fish, coffee, cheese and pies, and other occasional stalls. Framlingham is surrounded by agricultural land. It lies some 14 miles from the coastal town of Aldeburgh  and 20 miles from Southwold. It is also 10 miles from the renowned music centre of Snape Maltings. In 2006 "Country Life" magazine voted Framlingham the best place to live in the country. Framlingham has a conservation area. An oak tree planted in 1911 in honour of the Coronation of King George V survives outside the old railway station, now a pub named "The Station" in Station Road. Framlingham was the main location for the 2014 BBC4 television comedy series "Detectorists", starring Mackenzie Crook, Toby Jones and Rachael Stirling. It has also appeared in other TV programmes. A famous family  orientated sausage festival is held in October. This event has butchers from Framlingham and the surrounding villages competing for the trophy of best sausage in the area. The town is closed to traffic on the day and people follow a map around the town sampling the different flavoured sausages and voting for their favourite. There is also market stalls and entertainment held on market hill on the day. Education. Framlingham College is an independent, co-educational secondary school for boarders and day students, opened as Albert Memorial College in 1865 in memory of Albert, Prince Consort. Its associated preparatory school  is at Brandeston Hall. Thomas Mills High School, dating from 1751, is considerably older than Framlingham College. It is a mixed secondary state school for pupils aged 11–18, which gained academy status in 2011. The singer Ed Sheeran attended this school. Of the town's three primary schools, the oldest is Sir Robert Hitcham's Church of England Voluntary Primary School, dating back to at least 1654. It now has 350 pupils and another 26 in its nursery. Transport. The Framlingham Branch connected Framlingham by rail with the main Ipswich to Lowestoft East Suffolk line at Wickham Market. The railway  station building stands adjacent to the "Station Hotel". The branch closed to passenger traffic in the 1950s and to goods in the 1960s. The nearest stations today are Wickham Market () at Campsea Ashe and Saxmundham (), both on the East Suffolk Line. The town is at the junction of the B1116, B1119 and B1120 roads, four miles (6.4 km) west of the A12. The local bus services are detailed on the Suffolk On Board site. Sport and leisure. Framlingham has a Non-League football club, Framlingham Town F.C., which plays at Badingham Road, where there is a sports club offering tennis , archery, badminton, hockey and croquet. It is also where the cycling club meets. The town has a rambling club and an active Scout and Cubs group. The modern St John Ambulance Centre is in Fairfield Road. Framlingham College, an Independent School has a swimming pool and gymnasium open to the public in pre-booked slots. Membership fees are required. Notable people. In order of birth: