Population 521 (2011) Country England Post town Saxmundham Shire county Suffolk District Suffolk Coastal | Region East Sovereign state United Kingdom Postcode district IP17 Local time Thursday 11:35 PM | |
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Weather 4°C, Wind S at 13 km/h, 84% Humidity | ||
Benhall is a village and civil parish in the Suffolk Coastal district of Suffolk, England. Located to the south of Saxmundham, in 2007 its population was estimated to be 560, reducing to 521 at the 2011 Census.
Map of Benhall, Saxmundham, UK
Benhall is split into two; one side of the A12 road is Benhall Low Street, whereas the other is Benhall Green. Benhall Green has a small primary school and a playgroup. The 15th century church of St Mary is a grade II* listed building.
The manor of Benhall was granted in 1086 to Robert de Malet, and has since had a long and complicated history, having been owned by many of the most powerful people of their time, including the De La Poles, the Howards and King Henry VIII.
The great house of the area is Benhall Lodge. A manor house had existed on the Benhall estate since at least 1225, when it was fortified by Ralph de Sunderland. Long known as Benhall Lodge, the house has been rebuilt by various Lords of the Manor - including Sir Edward Duke in 1638, in 1790 by William Beaumaris Rush, and then by Edward Hollond esq, in 1810. The mansion house has suffered serious fires in 1885 and in 1967, and was restored and slightly remodelled after each.
The walled kitchen garden of the country house is now a separate business concern, but the house itself and the surrounding gardens and parkland remains private residential property.
Benhall St Mary Football Club recently won SIL Division 2 2013/14 season. This means there will be a vastly improved football facility built in place of the old changing rooms. The Badgers, as the club has been nicknamed due to their kit colour, will now progress into Division 1 for the 2014/15 season.