Village History

Wyverstone is a small parish situated some 7 miles north of
Stowmarket in Mid Suffolk in East Anglia. It is 1,558 acres in size
today with a population of over 380 in a predominantly arable
farming setting. The name Wyverstone is said to be Old English for
Wigferth's farmstead although Reverend Walter W. Skeat states it is
the Anglo Saxon name Wigferthe but goes on the say that the
proper spelling is Wigfrith, and therefore Wyverstone derives from
Wigfrith's farm. Wyverstone is recorded in the Domesday Survey
where there are nine entries, recording three manors. In Copinger
it is noted that there were three manors in Saxon times which by
the 15th century had merged in to one.

The parish is roughly triangular in shape with each side being
between 3.2km and 3.8km long. The soils are fine loams over clay
with the main farming being arable. An unnamed stream rises in
the parish, marking part of the eastern boundary with the parish of
Bacton, and flows in a North Easterly direction to eventually meet
up with the river Waveney. The highest point of the parish is the
northwest corner at just over 65 metres whilst the lowest is at the
point where the stream crosses in to the parish of Westhorpe at just
under 50 metres above mean sea level.

The main routes are to Bury St Edmunds to the west,
Westhorpe to the east and to Stowmarket (via Bacton) to the
southeast. The Church (dedicated to St. George) is located at the
eastern end and is medieval in origin. Other significant buildings
include the Methodist Chapel (now converted to a domestic
dwelling), and a number of large former farmhouses several of
which are grade 2 (one grade 2*) listed, a village hall, a modern
Middle School and the former Church of England school building
(also now converted to a domestic dwelling).