Polstead

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Coordinates: 52°00′25″N 0°54′07″E / 52.007°N 0.902°E / 52.007; 0.902

Polstead
Church of St Mary, Polstead
Polstead  Polstead shown within Suffolk
OS grid reference	TL991374
District	Babergh
Shire county	Suffolk
Region	East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Sudbury
Postcode district	CO6
Dialling code	01206
Police	Suffolk
Fire	Suffolk
Ambulance	East of England
EU Parliament	East of England
UK Parliament	South Suffolk
List of places: UK • England • Suffolk

Memorial to Maria Marten

Polstead is a small village and civil parish in the South of Suffolk, England. The village lies three miles north-east of Nayland, nine miles north of Colchester and five miles south-west of Hadleigh. It is situated on a small tributary stream of the River Stour.

History

The name Polstead derives from "place of pools", possibly due to the two large ponds in the village.^{[citation needed]}

The village is noted for being the site of the Red Barn Murder in 1827. The victim Maria Marten, once found, was re-buried in the churchyard of St Mary's Church, but her gravestone was eventually chipped away to nothing by souvenir hunters. Only a sign on the shed wall now marks the approximate place where it stood,^[1] although her name is given to Marten's Lane which adjoins Water Lane and Mill Steet.

The Church, situated at the bottom of Polstead Hill, close to Polstead Pond, dates from the 12th century and contains some of what may be the earliest bricks made in England. The tower, which is 14th century, is the only one in Suffolk which still has its original spire. The tower at one time contained six bells. The interior of the church contains two brasses, one of which is of a priest and bears a date of 1460.^[2]

Next to the churchyard is Polstead Hall, rebuilt in the Georgian style in about 1819. In the grounds of the Hall are the remains of "The Gospel Oak", which collapsed in 1953, but which was said to have been more than 1,000 years old. A small oak tree now grows next to the place it once stood.^[1]

Features

The main village is situated around Polstead Green and The Hill, although Polstead also comprises several hamlets including Polstead Heath, Hadleigh Heath, Bower House Tye, Bell's Corner, Mill Street and White Street Green.

The village has one remaining pub, the 17th century Cock Inn, a community shop and post office and a playing field. The playing field, known locally as the pitch, hosts an annual music festival around the summer solstice called "Polstice", with local punk, folk and rock bands playing. In the 19th century a fair, lasting for two days, was held on Polstead Green on the Wednesday following 16th July.^[2]

Polstead is famous for its cherries and lends its name to a variety, the Polstead Black.^[1] Several Polstead Black cherry trees were planted in and around the village to commemorate the year 2000, as these trees had declined in numbers.^{[citation needed]}

The Cock Inn, scene of the inquest after the 1827 Red Barn Murder

See also

• Polstead Road, Oxford, England

References

External links

• Polstead at genuki

• Polstead website

Media related to Polstead at Wikimedia Commons

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