Stowmarket

infobox UK place

country = England
latitude= 52.19
longitude= 1.00
official_name= Stowmarket
population = 15,059 (2001 Census)
shire_district= Mid Suffolk
region= East of England

shire_county = Suffolk
constituency_westminster= Bury St Edmunds
post_town= STOWMARKET
postcode_district = IP14
postcode_area= IP
dial_code= 01449
os_grid_reference= TM048588
london_distance= 89.1mi

Stowmarket is a small market town situated in Suffolk, England, on the busy A14 trunk road between Bury St Edmunds to the West and Ipswich to the South-East. The town is on the main rail line between London and Norwich, and has an approximate population of 16,000. It is the largest town in the Mid Suffolk district and is represented in parliament by the MP for Bury St Edmunds, currently David Ruffley.

Stowmarket lies on the River Gipping, which is joined by its tributary, the River Rat, to the South of the town. In the 18th century the Gipping was made navigable between Stowmarket and Ipswich by a series of locks. The newly created canal was known as the Ipswich and Stowmarket Navigation.

The town takes its name from the Anglo-Saxon word ‘Stow’ meaning ‘principal place’, and was granted a market charter in 1347 by Edward III. A bi-weekly market is still held there today on Thursday and Saturday.

The church of St Peter and St Mary is in the ‘Decorated’ style and dates to the 14th century. The 16th century vicarage has associations with the poet John Milton through his tutor, Dr Thomas Young who became vicar of Stowmarket in 1628. Milton made regular visits to the town, and ‘Milton’s Tree’ in the grounds of a former vicarage is believed to be an offshoot of one of the many trees he planted there.

Other notable residents included political writer William Godwin, who spent time as minister at the Stowmarket Independent Church, and West-End star Kerry Ellis. Delia Smith also resides nearby in Combs. Stow has produced two footballers, James Scowcroft who played for the local junior sides and Ipswich Town also England international, Matthew Upson was born in Stowmarket and raised in a nearby local village. As well as poet George Crabbe, who went to school in the town.

Disaster struck Stowmarket on 11 August 1871, when an explosion at a local gun cotton factory claimed twenty-eight lives.

Stowmarket has received welcome press coverage in local papers on annual events in summer time such as the well-attended Carnival and the recent music festival "Stow-Fest". These events are often attended by hundreds of people and numerous local bands have gained popularity and record levels playing at "Stow-Fest".

Stowmarket achieved national fame as a result of being frequently mentioned by the broadcaster John Peel who lived nearby until his death in 2004.

Opened in 1967, the Museum of East Anglian Life occupies a 70 acre (283,000 m²) site close to the town centre.

ee also

* Stowmarket Town F.C.
* Stowmarket railway station
* Stowmarket High School

External links

* [http://www.stowmarket.org/ Stowmarket Town Council]
* [http://www.stowmarket.com/ Stowmarket Area Guide]
* [http://www.stowmarket-history.co.uk/ Stowmarket History and Heritage]