Blything Hundred

BLYTHING, a district and a hundred in the NE of Suffolk. The district comprehends the subdistrict of Westleton, containing the parishes of Carlton, Kelsale, Knodishall, Aldringham, Leiston, Theberton, Middleton, Oxford, Darsham, Westleton, Dunwich, Walberswick, Blythburgh, Thorington, and Bramfield; the subdistrict of Halesworth, containing the parishes of Sibton, Peasenhall, Ubbeston, Heveningham, Huntingfield, Cratfield, Linstead-Magna, Linstead-Parva, Chediston, Cookley, Walpole, Halesworth, Wissett, Rumburgh, and Spexhall; and the subdistrict of Wenhaston, containing the parishes of Holton, Wenhaston, Blythford, Westhall, Brampton, Stoven, Uggeshall, Sotherton, Wangford, Reydon, Southwold, Easton-Bavents, South Cove, Frostenden, Wrentham, Covehithe, Benacre, and Henstead.

Acres, 92,097. Poor-rates in 1866, £10,746. Pop. in 1861, 26,848. Houses, 5,915. Marriages in 1866, 170; births, 841,-of which 59 were illegitimate; deaths, 480, -of which 172 were at ages under 5 years, and 18 at ages above 85 years. Marriages in the ten years 1851-60, 1,951; births, 9,180; deaths, 5,530. The places of worship in 1851 were 47 of the Church of England, with 14,908 sittings; 9 of Independents, with 2,149 s.; 4 of Baptists, with 440 s.; 1 of Quakers, with 200 s.; 11 of Wesleyan Methodists, with 2,228 s.; and 16 of Primitive Methodists, with 2,109 s. The schools were 26 public day schools, with 2,313 scholars; 64 private day schools, with 1,512 s.; 50 Sunday schools, with 3,640 s.; and 5 evening schools for adults, with 78 s. The workhouse is in Blythburgh parish.-The hundred is mainly identical with the district, but not so extensive. Acres, 87,941. Pop., 23,343. Houses, 5,080.

(From John Marius Wilson, Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales (1870-72).)

Civil Registration

In 1836, White's Description of the Poor Law Unions and Registration Districts shows this Hundred to be served by the Registration Districts of Blything and Hoxne.

BLYTHING RD in 1836 - 49 parishes comprising all the 47 parishes of Blything Hundred and Carlton and Kelsale parishes, two detached members of Hoxne Hundred. Blything Hundred is divided into 3 districts, Cratfield, Blythburgh and Wenhaston.

HOXNE RD in 1836 - comprises 24 of the 26 parishes of Hoxne Hundred, the exception being Carlton and Kelsale which, being detached members of Hoxne Hundred are in Blything Union. Hoxne is divided into 2 sub-districts:- Stradbroke and Dennington. Mendham parish is partly in Norfolk (800 acres).

See also Suffolk Registration Districts.

Historical Geography

Historical information about boundaries and administrative areas for Blything Hundred is available from A Vision of Britain.

Poor Houses, Poor Law

The Workhouse site has an interesting description of Blything Workhouse.