The pretty little village of Dennington boasts one of the oldest post offices in the country this one having occupied the same site since 1830.

Dennington 1086 - 2000
A Brief Time Chart

1086 – The Doomsday Book. Before 1066 the manor of Dennington was held by Edric of Laxfield; now in 1086, it is held from the Crown by Robert Malet (from Graville-Sainte Honorine in Normandy. Malet’s estate later became known as the Honour of Eye. Dennington manor contains 6 carucates (ploughlands) and 20 acres of land. Then (i.e. c1065) and later (i.e. after 1066) there were 12 tenants in villeinage, now (1086) there are 16. Then and later there were 16 bordars now 15. There were always 2 serfs. On the manor-farm there were 4 ploughs. The men of the township had 12 ploughs then and later, but now there are 9. There is woodland for 160 pigs. There is a park. There are 20 acres of meadow. There used to be 2 riding horses, now there is 1. There are 20 cattle. Then there were 60 pigs, now there are 40. Then there were 40 goats, now there are 30. Now there are 30 sheep. There were always 5 beehives. There is a church with 40 acres of free land (glebe) and half a plough. Before the conquest, Dennington was worth £14 and it still is now. It is one league and two furlongs in length and six furlongs wide. It pays 10d. in tax (danegeld).

C1260 - the Chaucer connection. Robert de Dennington alias Parker alias (?) le Taverner (of Ipswich) associated with Brackley Hall in Dennington, probably sited near Honey Barn. This Robert was the paternal great-great grandfather of Geoffrey Chaucer, author of The Canterbury tales, etc., England’s greatest medieval poet. C’s grand-daughter, Alice, was betrothed when a child to Sir Jn Phelip of Dennington (d. 1406), wed the Duke of Suffolk (De la Pole/Wingfield).

1327 – Dennington Tax Returns – 28 payers. Elsewhere, only c. 40 % of households paid the tax and the average family size was (?) 4.7. This would suggest the population of Dennington was then about 330. Taxpayers included William Rous, Richard de Wingfield, Robert de Pyeshall and Richard Phelip.

1349 – The Black Death – in this area, c. 40% of the population died in 6 months.

1381 – June 15th – The Peasants Revolt. Local people marched in force to Rous’ Place (alias Dennington Place) and took over the local militia controlled by later William Rous, Chief Constable Hoxne Hundred. This incident may have been part of a coordinated attempt to reform the structure of national and local government on elective lines “democratic” lines. Will Dennington be “famous” for this one day?

C. 1421 – Will of Katherine Wingfield, alias Wolf, widow of William de Wingfield. Katherine left £20 to be kept in a coffer in the church to be lent out to tenants of Dennington Manor. This could be claimed as Suffolk’s first bank?

1426/37 –Foundation of Bardolph Chantry by William , Lord Bardolph, son and heir of distinguished French Wars veteran Sir John Phelip of Dennington.

1464 – Death of Reginald Rous, first of this powerful family (pro Lancastrian?) of lawyers to attain barrister class. Described in Paston Letters as much “feed” (salaried) by the Duke of Norfolk. Judge Paston advised anyone living in Norfolk or Suffolk not to combat Reginald in court: “You’ll lose”.

By 1483 – Establishment of Dennington Town lands, later included Queen’s Head.
c.1538 Dennington Hall manor acquired by Anthony Rous.

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