Ixworth#History

Ixworth was settled by the Romans and was the site of a 1st-century fort.[http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/catalogue/adsdata/arch-481-1/dissemination/pdf/archaeol7-107549_1.pdf The Willows, Stow Road, Ixworth, Suffolk – Archaeological monitoring and recording], Archaeological Solutions Ltd. June 2011. Retrieved 23 January 2013.[http://www.pastscape.org.uk/hob.aspx?hob_id=385184 Ixworth Roman Fort], English Heritage. Retrieved 22 January 2013. The fort is believed to have been built as a response to Boudicca's revolt and appears to have been in use only until the end of the 1st century. The site measures {{convert|193|m|ft}} by {{convert|205|m|ft}} and was surrounded by three ditches.

After the fort went out of use a civilian settlement was established at the site, possibly with a pottery industry. Ixworth became an important junction in the Roman road system of East Anglia[http://ixworthandixworththorpe.onesuffolk.net/about-us/history/ History]{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}. Ixworth and Ixworth Thorpe parish council. Retrieved 23 January 2013.[http://www.suffolkchurches.co.uk/ixworth.htm St Mary, Ixworth], The Suffolk Churches Site. and the Peddars Way ran {{convert|48|mi|km|0}} from Ixworth to Holme next the Sea on the north coast of Norfolk.[http://www.pastscape.org.uk/hob.aspx?hob_id=1043858 Peddars Way], English Heritage. Retrieved 22 January 2013. The foundations of a Roman building with hypocaust were discovered in 1834 and are believed to be a villa and bath house complex.[http://www.pastscape.org.uk/hob.aspx?hob_id=385206 Ixowth Roman villa], English Heritage. Retrieved 22 January 2013.{{Cite web|url=http://www.suffolkchurches.co.uk/ixworth.htm|title = Ixworth}}

An early pagan cemetery with Anglo-Saxon burial urns was discovered south-west of the church some time before 1849,[http://www.pastscape.org.uk/hob.aspx?hob_id=385465 Monument No. 385465], English Heritage. Retrieved 22 January 2013. and a number of other post-Roman archaeological finds have been discovered in the area. In 1856, the Ixworth Cross, a gold pectoral cross covered in garnets dating from the 7th century, was discovered in what is believed to be another Anglo-Saxon cemetery.[http://www.pastscape.org.uk/hob.aspx?hob_id=385467 Monument No. 385467], English Heritage. Retrieved 22 January 2013.[http://johnevans.ashmolean.org/british/1909-453.html Anglo-Saxon Ixworth Cross], Sir John Evans's collections of artefacts – British, Ashmolean Museum. Retrieved 22 January 2013.[http://anglosaxondiscovery.ashmolean.org/Death/ixworth_more.html Ixworth Cross], Anglo-Saxon Discovery, Ashmolean Museum. Retrieved 22 March 2013. The cross is decorated using cloisonné work and was donated to the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford in 1909. It was discovered in a rare bed burial.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-17378845 Anglo-Saxon Christian grave find near Cambridge 'extremely rare'], BBC Cambridgeshire news website, 12 March 2012. Retrieved 2013-01-22.

The first recorded name for Ixworth is from 1025 as Gyxeweorde meaning "Enclosure of a man called Gisca". It was mentioned again as Gyxeweor∂e in the [https://esawyer.lib.cam.ac.uk/charter/1225.html S1225] charter of 1040 where Thurketel grants the lands to Bury St Edmunds Abbey. The settlement was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Icsewrda" or "Giswortha".[http://www.domesdaybook.co.uk/suffolk4.html#ixworth Ixworth], Domesday Book online. Retrieved 22 January 2013. The village, which was in the Hundred of Blackbourn, was relatively very large at this time with 51 households.[http://www.domesdaymap.co.uk/place/TL9370/ixworth/ Ixworth], Open Domesday. Retrieved 22 January 2013. It was held by Robert Blunt or Blount in 1086, having formed part of the lands controlled by the Abbey of Bury St Edmunds in 1066.

Ixworth Priory was founded as an Augustinian priory in about 1170 and dissolved in 1537.[http://www.pastscape.org.uk/hob.aspx?hob_id=385477 Ixworth Priory], English Heritage. Retrieved 22 January 2013. Remains of the priory include the almost complete east range whilst some of the west range can be found incorporated into a house, known as Ixworth Abbey.[http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-283579-ixworth-abbey-ixworth-suffolk Ixworth Abbey, Ixworth], British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 23 January 2013. These remains are a Grade I listed building and include elements from the early 13th century.

Ixworth is the site the earliest rural council housing built in England.[http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-470680-1-2-stow-road-ixworth-suffolk 1–2, Stow Road, Ixworth], British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 23 January 2013. Four pairs of houses were built in 1893–94 for Thingoe Rural District Council, encouraged by the Ixworth Labourers' Association. These were built under the Housing of the Working Classes Act 1890, the first to allow rural councils to build their own housing. The act was only adopted by eight councils. The houses exist today in a largely unaltered condition. Two of them, on Stow Road, are Grade II listed buildings.

A Q Type bombing decoy was operated in the north-east of the parish to deflect enemy bombing from RAF Honington.[http://www.pastscape.org.uk/hob.aspx?hob_id=1464534 Airfield bombing decoy Q28B], English Heritage. Retrieved 22 January 2013

A former pumping station at Bailypool Lane off Stow Lane was given planning permission in 2012 for conversion to a residential dwelling.{{cite web|title=Properties that would be perfect renovation projects|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/renovatinganddiy/9851037/Properties-that-would-be-perfect-renovation-projects.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130206213047/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/renovatinganddiy/9851037/Properties-that-would-be-perfect-renovation-projects.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2013-02-06|publisher=Daily Telegraph}}

File:Entering Ixworth High Street from the south - geograph.org.uk - 745149.jpg

St Mary's Church lies just west of High Street. The church dates from the late 14th century with a late 15th-century tower.[http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-283610-church-of-st-mary-ixworth-suffolk Church of St Mary, Ixworth], British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 23 January 2013. It contains memorials to Richard Coddington, who was granted the land owned by the priory following the dissolution. The church is a Grade I Listed Building.

The village contains a number of other listed buildings, many on the High Street, some of which have medieval elements.[http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/england/suffolk/ixworth Listed Buildings in Ixworth, Suffolk, England], British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 23 January 2013. A variety of local services remain in the village, including shops and public houses as well as a village hall, doctor's surgery, a retained fire station and police station sharing the same building.[http://ixworthandixworththorpe.onesuffolk.net/about-us/ About us]{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, Ixworth and Ixworth Thorpe parish council. Retrieved 23 January 2013.[http://www.suffolk.gov.uk/your-council/about-suffolk-county-council/news/emergency-services-join-forces-in-ixworth/ Emergency services join force in Ixworth] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130423210437/http://www.suffolk.gov.uk/your-council/about-suffolk-county-council/news/emergency-services-join-forces-in-ixworth/ |date=23 April 2013 }}, Suffolk County Council, 9 January 2013. Retrieved 2013-01-23.

Ixworth is served by rural bus routes[http://www.suffolkonboard.com/timetables_leaflets/timetables_by_area/bury_st_edmunds_east Bury St Edmunds East] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111118055305/http://www.suffolkonboard.com/timetables_leaflets/timetables_by_area/bury_st_edmunds_east |date=18 November 2011 }}, Suffolk County Council. Retrieved 22 January 2013. and is on the National Express London to Great Yarmouth coach route. The village was bypassed in 1986 when the A143 was diverted to run to the south-east of the village.

Ixworth is in the West Suffolk district and until April 2019 the St Edmundsbury district and elected one borough councillor.[http://www.stedmundsbury.gov.uk/council_and_democracy/elections_and_voting/Councillors-MPs-MEPs/borough-election-results-2011.cfm Election results 2011], St Edmundsbury Borough Council. Retrieved 23 January 2013. It lies in the Blackbourn division of Suffolk County Council[http://www.suffolk.gov.uk/your-council/councillors/joanna-spicer/ Joanna Spicer] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130423202527/http://www.suffolk.gov.uk/your-council/councillors/joanna-spicer/ |date=23 April 2013 }}, Suffolk County Council. Retrieved 23 January 2013. and the West Suffolk parliamentary constituency. The parish council jointly administers Ixworth and Ixworth Thorpe.[http://ixworthandixworththorpe.onesuffolk.net/parish-council/ Parish Council], Ixworth and Ixworth Thorpe. Retrieved 23 January 2013.

Ixworth Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School[https://www.bing.com/search?q=Ixworth+Church+of+England+Voluntary+Controlled+Primary+School+-+GOV.UK+(get-information-schools.service.gov.uk)&src=IE-SearchBox&FORM=IESR3A&pc=EUPP_UE00 ], run by the Tilian Partnership,[https://www.tilian.org.uk/] educates children aged 5 to 11 and its maintained nursery school/class offers places to three to five year olds. At the end of year 6, children can transfer to SET Ixworth [https://www.seckfordeducation.org.uk/] run by Seckford Education Trust, [https://www.seckfordeducation.org.uk] which educates students aged 11 to 16, or Thurston Community College,[https://www.get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/Establishments/Establishment/Details/124802] which educates students aged 11 to 18.

Bangrove Wood, around {{convert|1|mi|km|1}} north of the village, is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). This is an area of ancient woodland of {{convert|18.2|ha|acres}}.[http://www.sssi.naturalengland.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1002285.pdf Bangrove Wood] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219032108/http://www.sssi.naturalengland.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1002285.pdf |date=19 December 2013 }}, SSSI citation, Natural England. Retrieved 22 January 2013. The wood contains species such as ash, field maple, oak and hazel as well as wild cherry and a range of ground vegetation species.

• Thomas Norton
• John Griffiths
• John Lamb
• Joy Marshall
• Guy Simonds
• Bertie Stevens
• Frederick Nunn

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^Ixworth Roman villa, English Heritage. Retrieved 22 January 2013.

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{{West Suffolk|state=expanded}}

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Category:Villages in Suffolk

Category:Civil parishes in Suffolk

Category:Borough of St Edmundsbury