The Victorian period in Framlingham, Suffolk

The Victorians in Framlingham
Framlingham really reached its zenith as the centre for the locality in the Victorian period. Before the railway reached Framlingham in 1859, the town was relatively self-sufficient and self-contained. The town in Queen Victoria's reign boasted a theatre, and a tradition of Framlingham surgeons. One of them, Sir Henry Thompson (1820-1904), rose to become Surgeon to Queen Victoria. Sir Henry was also founder of the Cremation Society in London 1874. The clock on St. Michael's church tower was placed by Sir Henry in memory of his father.
Framlingham in Victorian times was even more bustling than it is today; it was a centre for people's lives at a time when most did not travel far on an ordinary basis. The coming of the railways changed things. Ipswich and even a large town near Chelmsford became accessible. The railway connection to Framlingham closed in 1952.
Framlingham is dominated by its Conservation Area; the historic core of the town is recognised as such by the Civic Amenities Act (1967), and protected by law from unwelcome development. The Conservation Area of the town consists of the Castle, which is an A1 listed building, Market Hill, the Church of St. Michael's and the surrounding streets.
The town's position is such that it is far enough from the other main centres to maintain its identity intact. It is a local centre for at least 15 villages, with a total catchment area population of about 7,500 people. Its population has varied over the years. At the time of the first National Census in 1801, Framlingham numbered about 1,800 people. Today the population is about 2,700 having been only 1,900 in 1951.


Thanks to Tony Martin for his help with these pages.

Home Page

Bulletin Board		site managers Near The Coast What's On • Visit Fram • Eat In Fram
		Drink In Fram • Shop In Fram
		Staying In Fram • Community
		Town Council • Cops In Fram • About Us
More Fram at NearTheCoast.com		Framlingham Town Council owns, and with additional sponsorship, funds framlingham.com but does not necessarily share the views expressed or accept any responsibility for external site content.