Nowton

{{short description|Village in Suffolk, England}}

File:Nowton village sign.webp

{{Use British English|date=July 2016}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}}

{{infobox UK place

|country = England

|official_name= Nowton

|coordinates = {{coord|52.215|0.733|display=inline,title}}

| population = 163

| population_ref =(2005)
163 (2011){{cite web|url=http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=11127157&c=Nowton&d=16&e=62&g=6466747&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&o=362&m=0&r=1&s=1472146750565&enc=1|title=Civil Parish population 2011|access-date=25 August 2016|publisher=Office for National Statistics|work=Neighbourhood Statistics}}

|shire_district= West Suffolk

|shire_county = Suffolk

|region= East of England

|area_total_km2=4.71

|constituency_westminster= Bury St Edmunds

|post_town= Bury St Edmunds

|postcode_district = IP29

|postcode_area= IP

|dial_code= 01284

|os_grid_reference= TL8660

|static_image= Church of St Peter - geograph.org.uk - 830696.jpg

|static_image_caption= St Peter's church

}}

Nowton is a small village and civil parish in the West Suffolk district of Suffolk in eastern England. Located on the southern edge of Bury St Edmunds, in 2005 its population was estimated to be 140.[http://www.suffolk.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/38314C3E-02A0-4515-92FE-8909C6FDB3A3/0/Parishestimates01to05.pdf Estimates of Total Population of Areas in Suffolk] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081219023551/http://www.suffolk.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/38314C3E-02A0-4515-92FE-8909C6FDB3A3/0/Parishestimates01to05.pdf |date=19 December 2008 }} Suffolk County Council At the 2011 census 163 people were recorded as living in the village.

The village is situated to the south of the vast Nowton Park. The park is almost 200 acres in size and is landscaped in typical Victorian style. It is owned by West Suffolk district council and managed for recreation, leisure and nature conservation. It was once part of the Oakes family estate, and contains wild flower meadows, mixed woodland, wildlife ponds and an arboretum featuring trees from around the world. It is renowned for The Lime Avenue with its 100,000 daffodils that emerge in spring.{{Cite web|title = Nowton Park, Bury St Edmunds|url = http://www.visit-burystedmunds.co.uk/nowton-park.html#visitor|website = www.visit-burystedmunds.co.uk|access-date = 16 February 2016}}

St Peter's church, is the parish church of the village and dates from the 12th century. It was enlarged and repewed in 1843, at the cost of H.J. Oakes, Esq and J.H Porteus Oakes, Esq{{Cite web|title = History of Suffolk – Nowton 1865|url = http://historyofsuffolk.co.uk/Nowton/index1865.shtml|website = historyofsuffolk.co.uk|access-date = 16 February 2016}} and is a Grade II* listed building.{{NHLE | num = 1194745| desc= CHURCH OF ST PETER |access-date = 19 April 2014}} The church is a neat building that contains a nave and chancel and a good collection of late medieval Flemish glass windows.{{NHLE|desc = CHURCH OF ST PETER |num = 1194745|access-date = 16 February 2016}} The bell tower contains 6 bells.{{Cite web|title = History of Suffolk – Nowton 1865|url = http://historyofsuffolk.co.uk/Nowton/index1865.shtml|website = historyofsuffolk.co.uk|access-date = 16 February 2016}}

To the south of the park lies Nowton Court which was built in 1837 and was owned by the Oakes family. For several years it was run as a boarding prep school until it closed and pupils and staff moved to Old Buckenham Hall School in Brettenham. Its most famous alumnus is Nigel Havers.{{Cite news|title = Nigel Havers visits his old school at Nowton Court for TV filming|url = http://www.buryfreepress.co.uk/news/local/latest-news/nigel-havers-visits-his-old-school-at-nowton-court-for-tv-filming-1-6847556|newspaper = Suffolk News|access-date = 16 February 2016}} Nowton Court is now a retirement home called 'Nowton Court Village'.{{Cite web|title = Luxury retirement, respite, convalescence and residential care in Bury st Edmunds – Nowton Court Village – Luxury Retirement Centre Bury St Edmunds|url = http://www.nowtonvillage.co.uk/|website = www.nowtonvillage.co.uk|access-date = 16 February 2016}}

The village is also the location of Grade II listed Nowton Hall. The former farmhouse is dated 1595 on the chimney-stack, with the initials A.P. for Anthony Payne (d.1606). The house stands on the remains of a roughly E-shaped moated site. Prior to the Dissolution, the manor belonged to the Benedictine Abbey of St. Edmundsbury.{{Cite web|title = Nowton Hall – Nowton – Suffolk – England {{!}} British Listed Buildings|url = http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-284443-nowton-hall-nowton-suffolk#.VsN91CCLTnA|website = www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk|access-date = 16 February 2016|first = Good|last = Stuff}}