Takers Lane

Takers Lane still exists as a residential street in Stowmarket. In the 1800s, according to Steve Williams it had been ‘the main route to Stowupland, running from the Ipswich Road near the Combs Ford (Boulters)  Bridge and crossing the River Gipping at Crosse’s Mill (now the entrance to the PPG (ex ICI) factory). From there it climbed the hill to Sheepcote Hall, then joined up with Mill Lane into Stowupland.

The coming of the railway in 1840 did not hamper people walking to Stowupland, as a footpath was maintained with a crossing as well as a route through the factories that were developing along the railway line. This original railway crossing was closed in 2012 when the Navigation Approach Bridge was opened to link the town with the Cedars Park developments.’

Taker’s Lane seems to have had a sinister reputation that was immortalised in a poem by H.E Wilkes {details from Steve Williams (2015), Stowmarket Street Names (p.74) and Harry Double (1991) Stowmarket -The March of Time (p.30)}

poem

Possibly previously known as Clementes Lane:

The area of Clements manor and the location of the water mill is defined in a document from the Manor of Haughley dated 1554 –
“John Tyrrell: of Collombin Hall esquier holdethe att the Southend of Stowe Strete one close nowe divided into foure partes with one medowe or marisshe lienge in length on the Southe syde therof & one marisshe & aldercarre also in th’estend therof conteyning in the hoole 40 acres as ytt liethe in Stowe aforseid betwine the common Rever Runnynge from the Forthe mille [Alwynes later Ford Mill then Boulters Mill] unto the mylle of the seid John called Taylors Mylle on the Southe parte / And the wey called Clementes Lane [Takers Lane?] in parte ……on the Northe parte / And ytt abbuttethe uppon the Common Rever runnynge from Thorneye Bredge unto Taylours Mylle aforseid agenste th’este / And uppon the Kinges Highe Weye ledinge from Jppeswiche to Stowe agenst the weste:”