First of all must say thank you for all the comments yesterday and apologies for not replying, the day just got away from me. I'll try harder today!!
A couple of weeks ago I had a sunny morning walk round the small town of Eye.
It was once more important than now as it had a Registry office where people living in the villages all around had to go to register Births, Marriages and Deaths. It was also the name of the Parliamentary Constituency for many years. It had two banks, more than two dozen shops and a community cottage hospital and maternity unit as well as everything else you would expect in a small town serving many villages.
I visited what remains of the castle - just the motte and ruins - in 2021 HERE and the church in 2018 HERE and wrote about the Turnpike and Tollhouse HERE last year and the Crinkle Crankle wall HERE in January.
So now a look at some of the other things in the town.
Once a pub or hostelry this is where the stagecoaches travelling the turnpike road would have halted to change horses or for an overnight stay
This was what they would have looked like
The townhall, dating from 1857 stands in the middle of the town - I've been inside many times for jumble sales. It has offices where the Town Council meet.
The Eye coat of arms over the town hall entrance
And on the notice board outside the town hall - a poster for a Jumble sale in a nearby village- must make a note in the diary!
The building on the right below has recently been refurbished although it stands empty. For many years it was the Eye offices of Suffolk County Council Highways Department. The car park beyond was the SCC depot and where Colin went everyday to pick up his lorry when he was driving for Highways through the early 1980s.
The library isn't very old and was built on the site of more of the SCC highways buildings. I worked in Eye library on Saturday mornings for a while around 1985 but that was when it was in a much older building in a different place in the town.
The town centre is blighted by traffic and so many huge trucks full of chickens go in and out of this large factory, the photo is only a small part. The factory has been there for years and is now owned by Shazan. It would be better if it was situated on the outskirts of the town on the old airfield which is home to many other factories and four huge wind turbines.
Narrow roads in and out
Occasionally I get a takeaway from here - The Happy House Chinese takeaway. Haven't had one for months - must remedy that sometime
The Hexagon was Barclays bank until about 5 years ago. Luckily they've retained the Barclays ATM........for now. The town lost it's Post Office a year or so ago too which isn't good for a town.
The Co-op small supermarket and a hardware shop
The monument below is one of those things I've walked past umpteen times without looking at so had investigate who it was for.
This is a monument to Lieutenant-general Sir Edward Kerrison. Kerrison fought in the Napoleonic wars and was slightly wounded in the Battle of Waterloo, after his horse was shot under him. He was also a Conservative MP for Shaftesbury, Northampton and then Eye, the site of his monument. The commemoration was made in 1888 by J. K. Colling
Kerrison also gave his name to a "Reform School" in the nearby village of Thorndon which took boys who had been expelled from school or committed minor crimes. Kerrison school shut many, many years ago and is now the site of a new housing estate.
More old buildings in the town.
And a weird thing that marked the town 'twinning' with towns abroad. Twinning was a big thing at one time with tours to twinned towns- mainly in France or Germany - arranged. I doubt these tours still happen due to economic circumstances.
And at the other end of the carpark is another odd thing. I have no idea of the whys and wherefores!
And this is another reason for going to Eye as it is where I get my eggs if possible - still only £1 for half a dozen - bargain!
Back Soon
Sue
What an interesting little town. I assume not too far from you now if you get your eggs from there. My g.g.grandfather was a coach driver in Moretonhampstead, Devon (assume he was on the Exeter coach). They must have been very skilfull to get a coach and four neatly turned into and through such an entrance as they can't be more than a foot wider each side than the vehicle.
ReplyDeleteYour ancestor had an interesting job, mine were all poor farm labourers!
DeleteThe town has so much traffic through the centre - you wouldn't want to take a horse into the town now.
It's Eye Michael's Gate. More info here https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/michaels-gate-301444
ReplyDeleteI knew you would find the information for me!
DeleteLovely to have a little look around Eye. Thanks Ang for the info about Michael’s Gate. I followed the link and discovered Eye is on the Michael ley line. I have only delved into the Cornish end of the Michael line as it starts in west Cornwall, passes near to where I live and then passes through Brentor on the western edge of Dartmoor. The iconic 12 century church of St Michael de Rupe stands on top of a Tor and can be seen for miles around.
DeleteThe photos capture rather well the changing history of Eye.
ReplyDeleteLots of history of change, from being very important to not so much
DeleteIt's the wood carving showing where the imaginary Michael Ley Line passes through Eye stretching across the country from Cornwall to Yarmouth. The man at Linden House told me last year.
ReplyDeleteI knew I needn't bother to look up the info on the weird totem pole/arch as everyone else does it for me!
DeleteEventually, the council moved out, as happened in my home town, which also once had all those facilities. There is little there now. A town of 20,000 people.
ReplyDeleteIt's happened in many places and now councils are facing more changes as plans are in the offing for getting rid of all the district councils
DeleteEggs have got so expensive here - and so scarce - that people are making jokes about painting potatoes for Easter! The store I usually buy eggs at has limited purchasing to just one dozen. It usually takes me quite a while to use a dozen but have made two cakes in less than a week, which took three each. I am bringing one in a Valentine shape to work today (tiny party at lunch time although it is a day early) but it is raining so I hope I can find a parking place near the office.
ReplyDeleteThe expensive egg thing in your part of the world is very odd, does anyone know why?
DeleteMillions of laying chickens are being killed because of bird flu.
DeleteIt's rather sad to see a bustling little town decline.
ReplyDeleteLots of new housing being built but all the facilities have gone
DeleteI enjoyed your tour of Eye. What an interesting town to wander through. I’ve always been fascinated by England, and would love to vacation there. What a deal on eggs. I paid almost $8.00 for a dozen last week.
ReplyDeleteIt's so strange how expensive eggs are where you are. Ther must be a hidden reason
DeleteCertainly looks an interesting place to wander about if every we’re over that way.
ReplyDeleteSuffolk Tourist Info available here!!
DeleteI've never been to Eye, but your photographs make it look an interesting place to take a stroll around.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many small towns that are not really on the tourist trail. I'll visit some others for the blog!
DeleteWell, the explanation of Michael's ley line left me wondering what the heck is that supposed to be? An imaginary line connecting what? I tried to figure it out but the explanations online were even more confusing...
ReplyDeleteNice visit to Eye, Sue.
Ley lines are curious - do they exist or not and they are supposed to connect ancient places - mysterious
DeleteLovely little town and I like the weathered wooden library. Catriona
ReplyDeleteI don't know why they put so much wood cladding on the library, it will need more looking after than brick would have done
DeleteIt is really sad, in fact a disaster, that the 21st century has seen the decline and near disappearance of so many small towns with their charm and the conveniences of their way of life. Roderick
ReplyDeleteMost small towns now are just somewhere for people to live and travel to and from for work elsewhere
DeleteWhat a nice town. I think the monument was more deserved by Sir Kerrison's poor horse, though! I really love how each town has its own distinctions.
ReplyDeleteIt was only after I got home that I realised I'd never really looked at what the monument was for - yet I've walked by so many times
DeleteYou've got some lovely old buildings in Suffolk.
ReplyDeleteWe probably don't appreciate everything around us, but you must have lots of old buildings in Somerset too.
DeleteWhat a lovely town, just full of interesting things to look at. I really love old buildings.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Nice place to visit again for you. I remember seeing places like that when I was in England years ago. Sad there is less places to shop at. Is the library open any more. Nice old buildings. We are able to get eggs at Safeway even although it's a it more money to pay for it.
ReplyDeleteYou have lots of connections to Eye and have seen great changes over many years. The history is interesting, and the buildings have character.
ReplyDeleteThe US egg shortages are getting worse. Bird flu is being blamed and need to eliminate sick flocks. Recently, 2 entire truck loads of eggs were stollen (one valued at $40K). Most stores allow 1 dozen purchase per family. Crazy stuff this egg shortage/bird flu/egg thieves!
What an interesting post, the architecture and history of towns and villages is always of interest. So many amenities have been lost in towns now, at least they still have a hardware shop, we find our local one so much better than the big box stores.
ReplyDeletePenny
Lovely. Thanks for sharing. I think the history is part of what I really miss about England. There are such interesting buildings with interesting histories. The stories they could tell!
ReplyDelete