Blundeston

Blundeston
Blundeston, Church of St Mary
Blundeston  Blundeston shown within Suffolk
Population	1,560 (2001 census)
District	Waveney
Shire county	Suffolk
Region	East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Lowestoft
Postcode district	NR32
EU Parliament	East of England
List of places: UK • England • Suffolk

Blundeston is a village and civil parish in the Waveney district of Suffolk, England. It is about 2 miles (3 km) inland, and between Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft. The village is seen as one of the more desirable in the area^{[citation needed]} and this is reflected in the house prices being 20% higher than for similar properties in Lowestoft and Gt Yarmouth^{[citation needed]}

Local amenities

On the southern edge of the village is Blundeston Prison which used to house B Category prisoners but in recent years has changed to the lower security C Category status.

The village contains Blundeston CEVC Primary School and St Mary's Church of England Church (A rare example of a Saxon Round-tower church). On the junction of Church Road and Pound Lane there is an old pound which was used for storing stray animals, although today the site is overgrown. At the end of Church Road on the junction between Short Road and The Street there is a disused windmill.

There are no shops in the village but there is a hairdresser, a scuba diving centre, and Blundeston Garden Centre. Situated on Church Road is the old fire station which has now become a piano gallery. The village has a pub, the Plough Inn. The Red Lion pub closed in 2010.

Dickens connection

Blundeston is probably best known for being the birthplace of David Copperfield in the novel of the same name by Charles Dickens. It is not known whether Dickens ever visited Blundeston, but from letters he wrote he mentions choosing the name after seeing it on a signpost during a visit to Great Yarmouth. Links with the novel are prevalent in Blundeston today with road names such as Copperfield Terrace and Dickens Court. On the village sign David is pictured looking towards the church, and the Plough Inn has a plaque over its entrance that says " Barkis (the Carrier) from the novel. David Copperfield by Charles Dickens, started from here", and food is served in the Dickens lounge. The classes in the primary school are called Trotwood, Peggoty, Copperfield and Barkis after characters in the novel. Also, an extension has been put in place for a new classroom for Reception children - this taking the name of Micawber. This is referring to Wilkins Micawber from the novel.

Blundeston Church in 1929.

Sports

Blundeston was the former home of the players of the Blundeston Exiles Football Club.

Notable residents

• James Mayhew - The famous author and illustrator of children's books was brought up in Blundeston

External links

• Blundeston Map and information