This brief history is not intended to
cover the whole history of the town, rather it is hoped it will
whet the appetite and lead to further study of the town in which we
live.
The name Needham Market,
according to the gazetteer in a reputable Atlas of the British
Isles, means "needy homestead with a market". Today that name
would appear to be inaccurate on both counts. As far as it is
known, no mention of Needham Market was made in the Domesday Book,
but we should remember that originally Needham was only a hamlet of
Barking and did not become a separate parish until the early part
of the 20th century. In old notes relating to the town it is
spelt 'Nedeham', 'Nedham' or Neidham' and the first mention of the
town under its present name is in 1245.
It is likely that a hamlet
existed before the time the Domesday Book was written, due to its
position on the main road to Bury St Edmunds, a very important road
at that time, and situated as it is on the river. History
shows that Roger Bigot held a portion of the Parish of Barking
which included a church. As he did not hold Barking church
and as Darmsden was not part of Barking at the time, it is likely
that the church mentioned was at Needham. The church is
mentioned in the Index Eliensis, a survey of property belonging to
the See of Ely in 1277, although this church predates the present
building which was probably built in 1460.
Although there were weaving and
wool combing sheds in the town in Church Street and Hawks Mill
Street, weaving was not a staple trade in Needham as it was in
other towns in Suffolk. The principal trade was wool combing,
which was a method of preparing wool for the weavers. This
was an important industry before 1660 but the trade was lost
and never to return, when Needham was isolated due to the
plague in 1663 to 1665. During the plague money was left at
Chainhouse and Chainbridge and food was left in return. Rumor
has it that the town was deserted and grass grew in the streets and
that the dead were buried in fields near the Lion Inn and near to
Chainbridge at Stowmarket Road. There are no records of the
plague in the town and it is not known how many
died. What is known is that the houses at the bottom of
Bridge Street were 'sick' houses and 'Airing houses' were provided
on high ground at Darmsden for those lucky enough to
survive.
In 1245 King Henry III granted a
market charter for Needham to Hugh, Bishop of Ely. This
market flourished for many years and it is likely that the plague
brought it to an end when trade moved to Ipswich and
Stowmarket. An attempt was made to revive the market in
1776 but failed. The Annual Fair was held in the main street
on the 28th October, the feast of Saints Simon and Jude,
this appears to have carried on to some extent until around
1900.
Samuel Read, the well-known
artist, was born in a cottage on the site of the old Town
Hall. He was the first artist ever sent out as a War Artist
when he was despatched to the Crimea by the Illustrated London
News. Edmund Pole of Needham Market was burned at the stake
for his religious beliefs in 1558 during the reign of Queen
Mary. Mr James Day, a blacksmith in the town, built the
Needham Two-Man Safety Cycle from a design by George Scopes, also
of Needham Market. This is now in the Moyes Museum in Bury St
Edmunds. It is believed to be the only one in
existence. Uvedale Hall is named after the great botanist
Samuel Uvedale who built Bosmere Hall and whose son and grandson
were both rectors of Barking. Joseph Priestley, the
scientist, was the minister at the church, now Christchurch, and he
discovered oxygen and invented soda water. It is almost
certain there are many more residents of note scattered throughout
the history of this town. Clark's history of Ipswich mentions
one; William Alexander, who resided in Needham. He was
committed to the County Gaol for promulgating the tenets of the
Quakers. Another claim to fame, perhaps best
forgotten!
Manufacturing in the town has
included a glue works, a patent manure works, a paper mill, brick
making and a mouse trap factory, but the chief employment after the
decline of the wool trade was agriculture.
The modern buildings on both
sides of the High Street around the car park bear witness to the
bombing of the town by German aircraft during the Second World
War in 1942; causing the deaths of seven residents, the
destruction of several properties including the telephone
exchange. There was also considerable damage to both
Christchurch (formerly the Congregational Church) and the Modern
School.
The town has its own coat of
arms, the Arms of the Earls of Ashburnham, who graciously gave
permission for their use. The heraldic description is as
follows:
Gules a fess betweens six mullets
argent; crest out of a ducal coronet, or, an ash tree proper;
Supporters, to greyhounds sable, their faces, breasts and feat
argent, collared and lined.
The connection between the ash
tree, the crest and the names of the Earls is
obvious.