Brent Eleigh
| Brent Eleigh | |
|---|---|
 Brent Eleigh village hall |
|
 Brent Eleigh
|
|
| Brent Eleigh shown within Suffolk | |
| Population | 174 (2011) |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Sudbury |
| Postcode district | CO10 9 |
| EU Parliament | East of England |
Brent Eleigh is a village and civil parish in the Babergh district of Suffolk, England. Located between Hadleigh and Lavenham, in 2005 it had a population of 180 reducing to 174 at the 2011 Census.
According to Eilert Ekwall the possible meaning of the village name is Ilega's meadow, which was burnt before 1254. The village is mentioned in the Domesday Book, at which time it and neighbouring Monks Eleigh had a population of 61.
The male population was 83, and female population was 91 according to the 2011 census.
In the 1870s, Brent Eleigh was described as:
The church shows Norman features, has a later English tower, and is good; and there are charities £90. A market was formerly held in the parish.
As well as the possible meaning of the village name, Brent Eleigh, derives from brende, meaning burnt in Middle English, and the Old English word lēah, meaning a forest.
The village was not only a market town under the reign of Henry III, but also one of the 'cloth villages', where Lavenham merchants had wool spun for them. St Mary's Church revealed a remarkable wall of 14th century paintings in 1961, and the act of the repairs that were to be taken place, created an important feature in Suffolk, and a landmark in the village.
Brent Eleigh Manor was originally owned by the Illeigh/Ely family, then taken over by the Shelton family in the 13th Century till the 16th/17th Century.
The occupational structure in 1881 was somewhat different to what it is now. A large number of females occupation was unknown, however, more females than men had professional occupations, including subordinate medical service and schoolmaster. Also more females were employed in domestic offices or services. In 1881, Brent Eleigh relied heavily on the agriculture sector as a main source of income. Brent Eleigh's rural location is a reason for the reliance on the agricultural sector.
In 1831, the population in the village was 290, and 51 of the residents were labourers and servants, which was the most common occupation, due to the basic skills needed compared to that of a professional, such as a headmaster.
In the 2011 census, the sector of occupation that most people were employed as were Managers, Directors and Senior Officials, with 23 people. On the whole, 79 residents aged 16 to 74 were in employment in Brent Eleigh in 2011. There were 34 females and 45 males in employment between the ages of 16 and 74. Compared to the occupations in 1881, more females are involved in occupations such as Manager, director and senior official roles, instead of domestic services and servants like in 1881.
...
Wikipedia