BECCLES, a market-town and parish in the
hundred of WANGFORD,
county of SUFFOLK, 44
miles (E. N. E.) from Bury
St. Edmund's, and 110
(N. E. by N.) from London,
containing 3493 inhabitants.
This town, which'
suffered greatly from fire in
1586, is pleasantly situated
on the river Waveney, by
which it is bounded on the Corporate Seal,
north and west. It consists of several spacious streets,
diverging from the market-place, well paved and
lighted: the houses in general are handsome and well
built, and the inhabitants are amply supplied with
water. The environs, which abound with pleasing
scenery, afford agreeable walks; and the theatre and
assembly-rooms form two handsome ornamental buildings.
Races are held annually, on a fine course near
the town, on which there are two commodious stands.
The trade is principally in corn and malt, which is
carried on to a considerable extent: the river Waveney
is navigable from Yarmouth, and a design is now in
progress for connecting it, by means of Leething lake,
with the sea atLowestoft. The market is on Saturday:
the fairs" are on Whit-Monday for cattle, and October
2nd for horses and pedlary; there are also statute
fairs. Adjoining the town is a common, upwards of
one thousand four hundred acres in extent, affording,
under certain regulations, free pasturage for cattle.
Under a charter of incorporation, granted by Queen
Elizabeth in 1584, a portreeve, steward, twelve principal,
and twenty-four inferior, burgesses are elected)
the portreeve is appointed annually, by rotation, from
among the principal burgesses. None of the members
of the corporation exercise magisterial authority, the
town being wholly within the jurisdiction of the county
magistrates, who hold a quarterly court of session for
the district. The town hall is a commodious building,
and the gaol has recently been enlarged and improved.
The living is a rectory, with the vicarage of St. Mary
Endgate (the church of which is in ruins), in the archdeaconry
of Suffolk, and diocese of Norwich, and in the
patronage of the Earl of Gosford; the rectory is rated
in the king's books at £21. 12. 3., and the vicarage
at £7. 6. 8. The church, dedicated to St. Michael, is a
spacious and elegant structure, in the later style of English
architecture; the porch is a fine specimen of beautiful
design and elaborate execution, and the interior is
appropriately ornamented. The tower, which is detached
from the main building, is highly enriched with sculpture;
it was built by subscription, and upon it are
sculptured the arms of the donors, among which are
those of Yallop, Rede (Thomas Rede having been at
that time rector of the parish, and a principal contributor
towards its erection), Letnan, and Garneys:
the churchyard commands an interesting and extensive
view. There are places of worship for Baptists, Independents,
and Methodists. A grammar school was
founded, in 1774, and endowed by the Rev. Dr. Fauconberge,
a native of the town, with an estate in the parish
of Corton, producing about £200 per annum; it is under
the control of the Bishop of Norwich, the Archdeacon
of Suffolk, and the Rector of Beccles, who
appoint the master: there are at present no scholars
on the foundation, nor is there any place appropriated
as a school-room for gratuitous instruction. Dr. Routh,
the learned President of Magdalene College, Oxford,
received the rudiments of his education at this place.
A free school was founded, in 1631, and endowed with
one hundred acres of land, by Sir John Leman, Knt.,
alderman of London, for the instruction of forty-eight
boys in reading, writing, and arithmetic; and a National
school, in which one hundred and twenty children of
both sexes are instructed, is supported by subscription.
An ancient hospital for lepers, of uncertain foundation,
with a chapel dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene, was
granted, in 1676, to the corporation of Beccles, for the
benefit of the poor. The corporation also hold in trust
for the poor a large tract of land, which was originally
granted by Henry VIII., in 1540, after the dissolution
of the abbey of Bury St. Edmund's (to which the manor
formerly belonged), to William Rede and his heirs,
in trust for the benefit of himself and other inhabitants
of the town. Beccles was the birth and burial
place of William de Roos, of Roos Hall, a man of considerable
note; he attended Edward I. in the war with
the Scots, and was present with that prince at the siege
of Kaerlevrock, where he displayed great bravery.