The Domesday book records manors and smallholdings farmed by groups of freemen; and it is interesting that the Cistercian monks founded their Abbey at close‑by Sibton, continuing their tradition of building in beautiful landscapes, and diverting the Yox to flow through their buildings. These very skilful farmers and providers of food to the local poor and needy would build where the ground was fertile and easy to till, thus providing greater rewards with their efforts. So along the valley the pretty village of Yoxford built up from the original settlements ‑ with its big houses providing work for gardeners and farm workers, each housed in the village along with the tradesmen. All cottages had gardens, and after paid work was done for the day they would turn to their own gardens and allotments not only to feed their families but also a certain amount of competitive spirit would be found amongst the villagers, often culminating in a produce and flower show.

 

Yoxford High Street today still is the central feature of the parish, broad and lined with a delightful variety of houses, cottages and small business premises, all beautifully kept with gardens to be proud of. A small park, and almost in the middle, the Church of St Peter, kept and cared for with love over the centuries by its parishioners. Bounded on all sides by well‑farmed land, from the greens and bright yellow of springtime, golden harvests and rich brown furrows Yoxford rightly still holds the title of 'Garden of Suffolk'.

 

Situated in the heart of Suffolk, with the A12 trunk road from Great Yarmouth to London (the old coaching route) running through one side of the village, roads to Stowmarket to the west, and Aldeburgh, Leiston, Dunwich, Walberswick and Southwold to the east, Yoxford is well placed to be a base for exploration of the Suffolk Heritage Coast.

 

Yoxford is surrounded by parkland. Towards Peasenhall is Sibton Park, with a large well‑stocked fishing lake. In the village is Grove Park, once the home of the Davy family ‑ the noted historian David Elisha Davy has his memorial in the Church; Rookery Park on the Leiston road, the home of the Hambling family; and Cockfield Hall manor house of Yoxford Manor since medieval times.

In 1785 the main Ipswich to Great Yarmouth turnpike was opened, and this in turn opened up Yoxford for passing trade. The previous small village grew to a population of 1272 in the busy times of 1851, with trades in the village including farriers, coach builders, a fishmonger, a corn miller, a dyer, five academies, three bakers, a basket maker, two blacksmiths, a bookseller, nine shoemakers, three butchers, a cooper, a druggist, a carrier, fourteen farmers, three grocers and drapers, a hairdresser, four builders, four milliners, a saddler, three surgeons, six tailors, four watchmakers, a gunsmith, four wheelwrights and a stay maker.

Many men were employed on the land on the large estates. There were several alehouses in the village at various times; the Maid's Head now a private house, the Fife and Drum, originally a manor house of Murriells Manor, now the site of a private house, the New Inn, now the Blois Arms, the King's Head, the Griffin, and the biggest and most impressive, the Three Tuns . This large Coaching Inn was situated opposite the Church, and had a large assembly room, dining and sitting rooms, bars and 20 letting beds, extensive cellars, stalls for 40 horses, coach houses and granaries. The Magistrates held court here. Tragically it burnt to the ground in 1925; part of the site is now occupied by a private house and the Garage.

The railway came to Yoxford in 1858 with the station at Darsham, and communications and travel became easier. Gradually the road and coaching trade waned, the farm work on the big estates became mechanised; people moved away to find work elsewhere, and today Yoxford has a population of about 1000, with two public houses and the trades described in “Our Businesses”

Walking through the village from the A12 towards Peasenhall, there are several styles of architecture and points of interest to note. Amongst them, firstly we have the long low Pine trees, now one house from the original three early 1700's cottages. The Old Schoolroom was the original Wesleyan Chapel, but when the congregation outgrew the building, land was purchased next door and a new chapel was built in white brick and in the gothic style. This, together with the Primitive Methodist Chapel, further along the High Street, is now a private dwelling.

A small attractive lodge cottage with decorative neo‑Jacobean brickwork borders the High Street Entrance to Cockfield Hall. The Hall, set back from the road (but viewable from the footpath leading from the lodge out to the AI 2) was the moated manor house for Yoxford Manor, and has been owned by the families of Norwich, Brooke, Hopton and Blois. Each family has been influential in their patronage of the church, St Peter's, situated opposite the High Street entrance to Cockfield Hall. In 1567 Lady Katherine Grey, younger sister of Lady Jane Grey, was imprisoned in Cockfield Hall after being banished from Court by Queen Elizabeth. She died here and was first buried in Yoxford Church, but later reburied in Salisbury Cathedral.

Past the Bookshop lies Mulberry Park, with picnic area and children's amenities. The Old Vicarage was for 200 years the home of the tannery; it was for a time an academy, and the present art gallery was the schoolroom. The Church acquired the property in 1841 when it became the Vicarage. Continuing along High Street next is Yoxholm, between Merrivale and Barnsdale, which belonged to James Bird, the poet, in 1820. His trade was bookseller and stationer, and the shop later became a library and reading room. We come to the Blois Arms, and then the Coal Yard, formerly Payne’s, with its distinctive Flemish gable, pargetting and high wall braces in the letters 'T U’ after Thomas London, a former occupier.

A walker continuing along the pathway will arrive at Little Street, a smaller part of the village which housed the Blacksmith, a rat catcher, a sweet shop and a small brewery, and at the end of the lane a footpath which leads to the corner where stood the Yoxford gibbet, just off the Sibton Road, known as Dead Man's Corner.

Turning back, and following the path along Little Street and High Street, the large house on the corner of Strickland Manor Hill is Yoxford Place, formerly Elmsley. This impressive building was once owned by Charles Wade, later of Snowshill Manor in the Cotswolds. A good description of Elmsley is given in Wade's book 'Days Far Away'.

The Old Beer House once called Caxtons; named from a previous owner, was at one time the Maid's Head. Next is the attractive Hope House, at one time an orphan’s home, and then comes Wisbech Cottage, delightfully bent, built in the 16th century and largely unaltered structurally since that time. Note the pargetting on Starlings; the 17th century front of Minsmere House; spot the tromp L’oeil on Stanhope; the industrious ‑looking Cotton's Yard; the Trafalgar balcony and milestone at Milestone House, and walk round and view the cottage tucked behind Milestone House.

Passing the Griffin public house, the wall to your right hides the old bowling green once belonging to the Three Tuns, now a private house and garden. The finger post in the corner of the Churchyard was erected in 1831 with its arms pointing to London, Great Yarmouth and Framlingham, the routes of the coaches.

St Peter's Church on its imposing elevated position in the centre of the village was mentioned in the Domesday Book. The present building dates from about 1400, with later alterations and additions in the 16th and 19th centuries. There are some impressive brasses and hatchments to be seen, and the Church guidebook is available for further reading.

Continuing along High Street, Church Lane leads to the right of the Churchyard with a number of attractive cottages. The Old Bakery stands on the corner. Along Church Lane is Cleghorns , previously the site of the mineral water factory. Yoxford Primary School further along High Street celebrated its centenary in 1997; the previous National School built originally in 1837, is to be found on the A12 Saxmundham side. At the A12 junction is the Prince of Wales Oak and the Jubilee Seat.

Several attractive properties lie on this main road, Satis House, a classically styled large house once a private residence, is now a hotel and restaurant; the little lodge house to Rookery Park, the White House, with the gothic arched windows; the Georgian Crossways looking across to Bank Corner, with its unusual mix of house styles and thatched roofs. Further along the main road going towards Saxmundham on the left are the Old Mill and Old Mill House standing high on the hill to catch the wind, with its row of Mill Cottages fronting the road to house the mill workers.

 

The Old High Road skirts the Church from the Three Tuns corner to the A12; this was indeed the original coaching route. On the corner, in front of Grove Cottage was the cattle pound, and it was also where the stocks stood. The Village Hall and Playgroup have their entrance in Old High Road, as do the Bowls Club with the new green and the Cricket Club and the Cricket pitch. Two Tennis Courts are incorporated in the grounds of the Village Hall, with free visitor car parking.