Chelsworth Houses - Past

The history of some are known in great detail (Weavers particularly). Many have had their names changed over the centuries. Bridge House was once Pylcrekes, Weavers was once Clovers, Woodstock was Mary Webb’s cottage for many years, Ivy House was Haywards, the Old Manor was known as Bonds. Both the Grange and more recently Princhett's have served as the Rectory.

Buildings and other houses at the Western end of the village were freehold properties which means that little is know of their former occupants and owners. The Eastern half of the village was mostly Copyhold, so all changes of ownership / occupation appear in the Manor Court Rolls which with over documents cover the period 1441 to 1904!

Over the next pages we will discover a sample of the history of the 'fabric of Chelsworth', compiled principally from Bernard Quinlan's edition of Geoffrey Pocklington's "Story of a Little Suffolk Village" and Bernard Quinlan's "A Social History of Chelsworth".