Editing Somerleyton (section)

==History==
At the time of the [[Domesday Book]], the manor of Somerleyton was held by the [[William the Conqueror|king]]. It was named ''Sumerledetuna'' and was recorded as having 17 families living in the village.<ref name=she/><ref>[https://opendomesday.org/place/TM4997/somerleyton/ Somerleyton], Open Domesday. Retrieved 16 March 2021.</ref> The manor was owned by the Jernegan family from the early 14th century. The family built [[Somerleyton Hall]] in around 1579.<ref name=she/><ref name=suckling>[[Alfred Suckling|Suckling AI]] (1848) 'Somerleyton', in The History and Antiquities of the County of Suffolk: Volume 2, pp. 43–58. Barsham: Suckling. ([https://books.google.com/books?id=YvI9AQAAMAAJ  Available online] at Google Books. Retrieved 16 March 2021.)</ref>

The hall was bought by Sir Thomas Wentworth in the early 17th century and was substantially remodelled by the Wentworth family as a mansion house. This included a {{convert|52|ha|acre}} deer park which was established by 1652. The estate was occupied by [[Roundhead|Parliamentarian troops]] a number of times during the [[English Civil War|Civil War]] and was purchased by Admiral [[Sir Thomas Allin, 1st Baronet|Sir Thomas Allin]] in 1669. It remained in Allin's family until it was acquired by railway developer [[Samuel Morton Peto]], who oversaw the latest rebuilding in 1843. The hall and the park and gardens are Grade II* listed buildings.<ref name=she/><ref name=suckling/><ref name=hall>{{NHLE|num=1198046 |desc=Somerleyton Hall |accessdate=16 March 2021}}</ref><ref name=park>{{NHLE|num=1000188 |desc=Somerleyton Park|accessdate= 16 March 2021}}</ref>

Peto directed the rebuilding of the village at the same time, creating a [[model village]] based on [[Blaise Hamlet]] near [[Bristol]]. The development of both the hall and village was designed by [[John Thomas (sculptor)|John Thomas]].<ref name=hall/><ref>Stevens T (2015) [https://doi.org/10.1093/ref:odnb/27225 Thomas, John], ''[[Oxford Dictionary of National Biography]]''. {{subscription required}}</ref><ref>Port MH (2004) [https://doi.org/10.1093/ref:odnb/22042 Peto, Sir (Samuel) Morton, first baronet], ''[[Oxford Dictionary of National Biography]]''. Retrieved 9 March 2021. {{subscription required}}</ref> The rebuilding process bankrupted Peto and the estate was sold to Sir [[Francis Crossley]], a carpet manufacturer from [[Halifax, West Yorkshire]]. The title of [[Baron Somerleyton]] was created for Crossley's son, [[Savile Crossley, 1st Baron Somerleyton|Savile]] in 1916.

A memorial to two airmen killed in a friendly fire incident during [[World War II]] is on Waddling Way, an un-metalled road east of the village which runs towards [[Flixton, Lothingland|Flixton]]. A [[Royal Air Force]] [[DeHavilland Mosquito]] nightfighter  being flown by two [[United States Navy|American Navy]] pilots was mistakenly shot down by British [[Anti-aircraft warfare|anti-aircraft fire]].<ref>McLachan I (1994) ''Final Flights''. Patrick Stephens Ltd. {{ISBN|978-1852601225}}</ref>

In the 1950s, [[Christopher Cockerell]] designed and tested the first [[hovercraft]] at his boatyard in the village. A column was erected in the village in 2010 on the 100th anniversary of Cockerell's birth.<ref>[https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/hovercraft-memorial-underway-7529840 Hovercraft memorial underway], ''[[East Anglian Daily Times]]'', 28 February 2008. Retrieved 14 March 2021.</ref><ref>[https://www.greatyarmouthmercury.co.uk/news/somerleyton-column-remembers-genius-1874616 Somerleyton column remembers genius], ''Great Yarmouth Mercury'', 7 June 2010. Retrieved 14 March 2021.</ref><ref>Wheeler RL (2009) [https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-72363 Cockerell, Sir Christopher Sydney], ''[[Oxford Dictionary of National Biography]]''. Retrieved 14 March 2021. {{subscription required}}</ref>

In 1971 the civil parish had a population of 319.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10268217/cube/TOT_POP|title=Population statistics Somerleyton AP/CP through time|publisher=[[A Vision of Britain through Time]]|accessdate=31 March 2024}}</ref>