I live in the beautiful Suffolk town of Hadleigh, and take a keen interest in its past history.
The town of Hadleigh was mentioned in the Domesday Book, and then in the 1400's it was a major East Anglian wool town.
In 890 AD the manor of Hadleigh was left to the monks of Canterbury Cathedral. At the reformation this passed to the Archbishop of Canterbury who is to this day the Patron of St Mary's Hadleigh.
This link has resulted in a number of distinguished priests serving in Hadleigh. In 1555 Rowland Taylor was burnt at the stake just outside of Hadleigh. In 1833 Hugh James Rose convened a meeting in the Deanery Tower which was the start of the Oxford Movement for the reform of the Church of England.
Nowadays Hadleigh is distinguished by its unique historic centre, with 3 buildings grouped around the Churchyard all dating in their present form from the late 1400's. They are :-
There are further interesting buildings all the way along the High St, and on George St, Angel St, and Benton St.
The central part of Hadleigh is a Conservation Area.
The " Hadleigh Society ", of which I am member organises study groups and talks on the history of Hadleigh, and has its own website.
Link to Hadleigh Society Web Site
Last Revised 29 January 2015