Athelington is a small village and civil parish in the Mid Suffolk district of Suffolk, England, about 12 miles (19 km) south-east from Diss. The name is derived from the Old English word Ætheling. The population of the village was less than 50 at the 2011 Census and is included in the civil parish of Redlingfield, in 2005 the population was estimated as 30.
The villages name means 'Farm/settlement of the prince(s)'.[2]
The village is first recorded as Elyngtone in 942 in the will of Bishop Theodred granting lands to a community dedicated to St Æthelberht in Hoxne.[3]
It was not recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086.
There are six listed buildings in the parish[4] with the church of St Peter being II* listed[5] and the remaining five being grade II listed including the 17th Century Athelington Hall.[6]
Church of St Peter
The church of St Peter is medieval in origin and was majorly restored both internally and externally in 1873–1874. The early 14th century nave and chancel are made of flint rubble with stone dressings with the 15th century tower being constructed of knapped flint with an admixture of red brick. There is a bare-faced flint porch which was added in 1873 with a memorial inscription.[7][8] Three bells hang in the tower all cast in 1450 by John Magges of Norwich and are currently unringable, the largest weigh approximately 4.5cwt and has a diameter of 28 inches. [9]
ATHELINGTON, or Allington, a parish in Hoxne district, Suffolk; 5 miles SE by E of Eye, and 8 NW of Framlingham r. station. Post Town, Horham under Wickham-Market. Acres, 487. Real property, £926. Pop., 115. Houses, 24. The property is not much divided. The living is a rectory in the diocese of Norwich. Value, £155. Patron, the Lord Chancellor. The church is good.
In 1887, John Bartholomew also wrote an entry on Athelington in the Gazetteer of the British Isles with a much shorter description:[14]
Athelington, parish, East Suffolk, 5 miles SE. of Eye and 7 m. NW. of Framlingham railway. station., 487 acres., population. 118.