Medieval Stowupland Saxham Street Stories, to the Victorian era.

1364 is the first recorded use of the name Saxton associated with the area of modern Saxham Street and in 1508 we find mention of Saxstonstrete. In 1657 there is a reference to ‘a common way called Saxton Street.’

From medieval times land in Stowupland has been distributed between diverse manors. One manor in particular that maybe more associated with the area around Saxham Street is Thorney Saxton.

1468 we have mention of a shop ‘Cowperes’ in the will of John Bylls and land and a tenement called Coes in Saxton. The land and tenement had been sold to William Bakstete’s son John but William’s wife, Maria,  was to live at Cowperes for life, although the land was sold off. This maybe Bakstete or Baskette).

In 1657 further mention of Cowperes puts it abutting on to Saxton Street.

In the 1487 will of John Kebyll of Stowmarket there is mention of a shop ‘formerly John Fenkel’s afterwards Geoffrey Goddard’.

In deeds from 1488 (found in Stowmarket church) there is a reference to Townlands in Saxtom Thorney, a hamlet of Stowmarket.

The 1505 will of John Umfrey mentions his House and land in hamlet of Saxton

From 1550 we know of a Wm Birde from Saxton Hamlet de Stowmarket, and from 1568 Saxon Hamlet otherwise known as Stowe Uplands.

In 1657 we have reference to a common way called Saxton Street.

See Saxham Street Stories for more information about Badygrimi Woods, Thorney Croft and Hatchcroft.