Knodishall

Map of Knodishall from the 20th Century

The name of Knodishall is an Old English formation referring to the healh, the bower or retreat[4] of a person named Cnott.[5] The Corpus of Romanesque Sculpture draws the following observations for Knodishall ("Cnotesheala", "Cnenotessala") from the Domesday Survey of 1086:

"Roger Bigod was the chief landholder here in 1086. Ranulf FitzWalter held 80 acres from him. Another 30 acres held by Roger Bigod had belonged before the Conquest to Edward the Confessor's free man, Boti. It had once been held by William Malet, while Robert Malet held the soke. An area of 80 acres in Knodishall formed an outlying estate or berewick of Bigod's manor in Saxmundham."[2]

The rectory of Knodishall church is held as the benefice of Aldringham with Thorpe, Knodishall with Buxlow and Friston.[2] The parish register begins in 1566.[13]

The parish church, dedicated to the 3rd-century martyr St Lawrence, stands a mile west of the present-day settlement of Knodishall Common, on top of a hill. There is no recorded date of foundation. It belonged to the original Leiston Abbey at Eastbridge (founded 1182), when Robert, probably the first abbot, ceded it to the canons of Butley Priory in exchange for the churches of St Andrew at Aldringham and St Margaret at Leiston.[14]

The fabric of the nave is of Norman date, though the only remaining feature of Romanesque carving is the north doorway, now partially blocked. The windows contain some later medieval stained glass. The 15th-century tower was built with a bequest from one John Jenney (lord of the manor, died 1460) and his wife, who have a monumental brass in the church.[2] The tower has flint facings and was restored in the 19th century: it has one bell.[10] A vestry was added in 1838. The church also has a burial ground.[15] On 7 December 1966, the church became a Grade II* British listed building.[16]

Knodishall Village Hall

The village is dispersed and close to both Leiston and Aldeburgh. It has a village shop, the Butchers Arms pub, a smallholding, a garage and Coldfair Green Primary School. The village expanded with the building of a small housing estate in the mid-1980s. There is also a local history group on Facebook, gathering information from the various families in the parish.

"Knodishall Local History Group is now [2017] in its fifth year. With the help of local people we have amassed a large digital collection of photos, audio recordings and documents relating to the village."[17]

In the 1880s, the main trades were agriculture and commodities. The employment was mainly male, as were most types of employment at that time. However, domestic services were almost wholly provided by women.[20] as shown in the graph opposite. It is also clear that many females did not have jobs and simply kept their own households.

Chart showing the various occupations by gender in Knodishall in 1881

(The table shows the raw number of males and females aged 16 to 74 in employment in Knodishall from the 2011 census.)

Looking at the 2011 census, the main Knodishall occupations were retail trading, motor vehicle and motor cycle repairs, human health and social work, building construction and education, mostly still male dominated,[21] but accommodation, catering, human health, social work and education were female dominated.[22]

• Buxlow Manor