| Bacton | |
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Bacton
Bacton shown within Suffolk |
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| Population | 1,200 |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | TM0567 |
| District | Mid Suffolk |
| Shire county | Suffolk |
| Region | East |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Stowmarket |
| Dialling code | 01449 |
| Police | Suffolk |
| Fire | Suffolk |
| Ambulance | East of England |
| EU Parliament | East of England |
| UK Parliament | Bury St Edmunds, Stowmarket and Needham Market |
| List of places: UK • England • Suffolk | |
Bacton is a Civil Parish and village in Suffolk, England about 8 km north of Stowmarket. Bacton Middle school is located just outside the village in Wyverstone Green to the west and Finningham and Cotton to the east. The village appears as 'Bachetuna' in the Domesday Book.
Facilities include a lively pub, the Bull; twelfth Century Church featuring a medieval wall painting; the Manor House Christian Rest Home for the elderly; two schools, primary and middle; a village hall built at the end of the nineteenth century; an active bowls club; football club with a large number of teams, and a local Scout group. On Shop Green in the centre of the village is a general store and post office, and a garage for servicing, repairs and petrol (Lamberts Service Station). On the Northern outskirts is a car dealership (Jefferies) also selling country clothing and Steiff collectable teddybears and Finbow's Yard, home to an Ironmongers as well as a wide mix of businesses.
The village straddles the Great Eastern Main Line between London and Norwich and originally was serviced by Finningham railway station which was closed in the Beeching cuts of the sixties but rail access to London via Stowmarket in 80 minutes has encouraged an influx of commuters into what was previously a very localised community. The village is served by the 456 bus route which calls in once every other hour (Monday to Saturday) on its way between Stowmarket and Diss, six days a week. Larger modern housing exists alongside typical Suffolk cottage type property.
The parish of Bacton includes the village, the adjoining hamlet of Earl's Green and the outlying settlements of Bacton Green, Canham's Green, Cow Green and Ford's Green. Together with Tailor's Green and Shop Green within Bacton village, the parish has seven registered village greens. A steering committee has begun work on producing a Parish Plan.
There are a number of stores to the North of the village, consisting of a Londis shop, post office petrol station and garage. These stores make up "Bacton Stores", the supply for most of the surrounding villages. Outside the Londis shop there is a small pond which can freely be fished for goldfish, roach, koi and mirror carp. The koi average around five pounds, while there is allegedly a large mirror carp of twenty pounds in the pond.
The village hall is located just across the road from the church and is a regular meeting place for the village's Brownies. The primary school is another meeting point but for the Rainbows.
Bacton United '89 FC opened their new facilities in July 2010 at Brickwall meadow on Broad Road. There are two adult sized pitches, a junior pitch and a clubhouse. The adult first team, reserves and 'A' team all play in the Suffolk & Ipswich football league and share the use of the main pitches. There are also several junior teams of all age groups playing at Brickwall meadow and other local pitches.