Roads of Stowupland
Over the years changes have been made to our village thoroughfares. Footpaths that were once simply dirt tracks have been tarmacked over becoming more permanent road surfaces and new roads have been created for access to housing estates
The main thoroughfares that form the roughly rectilinear shape of Stowupland have remained unchanged for centuries but as the volume and type of traffic has changed and increased there have been some changes to the roadways that link us to neighbouring towns and villages. ( Sketch map found in Ena Carter’s documents on which she noted many of the properties recorded in the 1840 tithe apportionements.)
Saxham Street, at the North Easterly extremity of the road layout is still linked to Mill Street by the historic route of the Main Road (or Church Road) though now known as the A1120. In the 20th century the Saxham Street junction with Bells Lane (the continuation of the A1120 from Stowupland down to Earl Stonham ) was changed. Previously a T-junction with a sign pointing along Bells Lane indicating @To the Coast’ the A1120 is a now sweeping curve with a turnoff to Mendlesham.
Rendall Lane (occasionally known as Randall Lane) is little more than a single lane track linking Saxham Street in a north easterly direction up to Gipping Road.
Mill Street, still exists as shown in the lower section of this map. It linked the southern extremity of Stowupland to Stowmarket and the River Gipping. With the coming of the A14 Mill street became a cul-de-sac, and traffic to Stowmarekt has to find an alternative route.
Running westerly from the Elm Farm end of Mill Street is the Stowmarket Road (B1115). As shown on this sketch map at the junction with the road to Thorney Green, traffic heading to Stowmarket used to make a sharp left hand turn, In the 20th century this junction was changed and a new road built taking traffic straight across over and over a bridge across the A14 before traveling down Preston’s Hill into Stowmarket.
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In 1970 the East Suffolk County Council published plans for a new road linking the A45 to the ‘planned Gipping bypass’, although the road as planned would bypass the village it would have gone through these gentlemen’s back gardens and come out near the school. Mr R. Wright, headmaster of the school said, ‘ it will be very dangerous for the children. it is incredible that someone could think of such a ridiculous plan.’
‘An alternative route recommended by the Ministry of Transport cuts through an apple orchard and joins the A1120 near the village housing estate’. (Broomspath Estate) {EADT August 28th 1970:housing}
