NEEDHAM MARKET, a well-built town, is a hamlet of the parish of Barking, with a station on the Great Eastern railway, 76 ¾ miles from London, 8 ¾ north-west from Ipswich and 3 ½ south-east from Stowmarket, bounded on the east by the navigable river Gipping, in the South Eastern division of the county, Bosmere and Claydon petty sessional division and union, Stowmarket county court district, Bosmere hundred, rural deanery of Bosmere, archdeaconry of Suffolk and diocese of Norwich. The town is lighted with gas from works near the Great Eastern railway station, erected in 1846. The water supply is derived from local wells. The church of St. John the Baptist, rebuilt on the site of a former one, by William Grey, Bishop of Ely, about 1460, bears the arms of that see carved above the chancel door, and is a fine and spacious edifice of stone and flint in the Perpendicular style, consisting of chancel and nave, with a finely carved hammer-beam roof, south porch, and a turret, containing a clock and 3 bells. The stained east window is a memorial to Frederick Hayward esq. and his wife; in 1883 a new organ was presented by Arthur J. Walker esq. a south porch erected, and the bells retuned: in 1880 the church was thoroughly restored, at an expense of over £2,000: and about 1890 the chancel and nave were re-floored and the exterior of the building protected by iron palisading: there are 300 sittings. The registers are included in those of Barking, said to date from 1503, but baptisms now take place here. The living is a vicarage, net yearly value £50, arising chiefly from 24 acres of land in the parish of Brent Eleigh, in the gift of the parishioners.

The “Causeway,” said to have been constructed at the expense of a lady residing at Barking Hall, is a wide and well kept gravelled pathway about 2 miles in length, leading to Barking church, from the central portion of Needham. In 1662 the Rev. John Fairfax MA. ejected from the rectory of Barking, built the first Congregational chapel here: he died in 1700 and was interred in Barking church: the present chapel occupies the old site: in the rear is a burial ground. The Society of Friends have a meeting house. The Town Hall, erected in 1866, has, on the first floor, a room used for public lectures, concerts and meetings; below are the police station and cells, and at the back are a Court room and magistrates' retiring rooms. The Conservative Association holds its meetings at the Swan hotel. There is a branch here of the Young Men’s Christian Association. A Coffee Tavern and a subscription Reading Room were opened in 1883, through the munificence of the late S. A. Maw esq. of Needham. The almshouses are for eight poor persons; the occupiers have a small weekly allowance and coals. A cottage home, rent free, for four inmates, was erected in 1858 in fulfilment of the desire of the late Mrs. Lucy Maw. There are some useful charities for the benefit of the poor of Barking, Needham and Darmsden, of the value of nearly £60 yearly, which is distributed in money, in February of each year by the trustees. The Earl of Ashburnham is lord of the manor and the principal landowner. The area, including Barking and Darmsden, is 3,103 acres; rateable value, £7,359; and the population of Needham only in 1891 was 1,313.

Petty Sessions are held at the Town hall every alternate Wednesday at 11 a.m. The following places are included in the petty sessional division:-Akenham, Ashbocking, Badley, Barham, Barking, Battisford, Baylham, Blakenham Magna, Blakenham Parva, Bramford, Bricett Magna, Bricett Parva, Claydon, Coddenham, Crowfield, Creeting All Saints, Greeting St. Mary, Creeting St. Olave, Darmsden, Flowton, Gosbeck, Hemingham, Hemingston, Henley Mickfield, Needham Market, Nettlestead, Offton, Ringshall, Somersham, Stonham Aspall, Stonham Earl, Stonham Parva, Swilland & Willisham.

Bosmere & Claydon Union

Board day, alternate Fridays, at 11 a.m. Board room, Barham.

The union comprises the following places:-Akenham, Ash Bocking, Ashfield-with-Thorpe, Badley, Barham, Barking, Battisford, Baylham, Bramford, Claydon, Coddenham, Creeting St. Mary, Crowfield, Darmsden, Debenham, Earl Stonham, Flowton, Framsden, Gosbeck, Great Blakenham, Great Bricett, Helmingham, Hemingstone, Henley, Little Blakenham, Little Stonham, Mickfield, Needham Market, Nettlestead, Offton, Pettaugh, Ringshall, Somersham, Stonham Aspall, Swilland, Whitton, Willisham & Winston. The population of the union according to 1891 census is 14,958; area 57,904 acres; rateable value in 1900, £68,136; assessable value, £56,453.

The Workhouse at Barham is a structure of brick, erected in 1776, to hold 308 inmates; John Frederick.

Theobald’s Endowed Grammar School was founded and endowed by Sir Francis Theobald, of Barking Hall, in 1632, the greater part of the building being constructed out of the materials obtained by taking down the ancient Guild Hall at Barking: the endowment arose out of lands & rents within the parish of Barking: in 1873 the Charity Commissioners re-organised the foundation & the free scholars are admitted from Needham, Barking & Darmsden: the present governing body consists of 11 persons, viz.:-two county governors, five representative & four cooptative: the school buildings consist of master’s house, available for so boarders, school room & class rooms. Mr. Samuel Read, formerly of the “Illustrated London News,” was a free scholar in this school & here laid the foundation of his successful career as an artist: this school is a recognised centre for the examinations conducted by the Science and Art Department, South Kensington, the Royal College of Preceptors & the London College of Music: near the school is an excellent cricket & football ground.

Board School (under Barking School Board); average attendance, 180 toys & girls & 90 infants.