Stonham Aspal is a charming village in Mid Suffolk, set a short drive away from the lovely towns of Pettaugh, Stowmarket, Mickfield, and Little Stonham.
Stonham Aspal has been inhabited since the Roman hypocaust period. Mary Matilda Betham, a writer, miniature portrait painter, and poet, was born and brought up in Stonham Aspal in 1776. William Betham, the local school’s headmaster, was her father.
The ‘Street’ (A1120) in the village is home to a variety of 15th and 14th-century houses. The church, whose steeple is made of wood, has ten lovely bells.
Stonham Aspal comprises 45 Grade II Listed Buildings, one of which is the former Ten Bells Inn, dating back to the late 1800s and having been extensively expanded on two occasions. The Ten Bells re-opened in late 2014 as Casa Mexico, a store that sells Mexican goods.
The Ten Bells, Stonham Aspal by Roger Cornfoot, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The sole place of worship in the village, St Mary and St Lambert Church, is an Anglican church. Theodore Eccleston was the village’s squire back in 1742, and he instated a ring of ten bells in the place of a five-bell ring, along with a bell-chamber to house them. This is why the church and the bell chamber are two separate buildings.
Andrew Hill / Church of St Mary and St Lambert / CC BY-SA 2.0
Stonham Aspal is also home to the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary. This sanctuary was founded in 2001 as a registered charity and runs on admission charges and donations. The site is currently open to visitors for the whole year and is dedicated to caring for and rehabilitating owls from the surrounding area, promoting owl conservation throughout the country and beyond.
Furthermore, a visit to Stonham Aspal simply has to include a trip to Stonham Barns Leisure and Retail Village. Here you will find a variety of things to enjoy, from shopping and dining to fishing and golfing.
Stonham Aspal is a quintessentially British village filled with friendly residents and rich history. This is the perfect place for you if you’re looking for a calm, peaceful village to spend your time in Suffolk.
