"The Parishes" somewhere near Bungay

[LizzieL]

This weekend while we were on a trip to Suffolk specifically Bungay where my husband's maternal family come from, he recalled his mother telling him a long time ago some of her ancestors were from "The Parishes" and not from Bungay itself. He thought it must be a way Bungay folk referred to a specific group of villages nearby, but he didn't know where she meant.

Has anyone from the area ever heard of the expression and know where they were likely to be? 

[Victor Harvey]

Hi Lizzie,
You could try Beccles.
Victor

[Christine53]

I'm not from the area but I found this Wikipedia article about a group of parishes in the Halesworth , Harleston , Bungay and Beccles area , known by locals as " up the Parishes" ( so it says ) :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Saints,_Suffolk

[LizzieL]

Thank you both. The group of Elmham / Ilketshall parishes does seem the more likely. My husband's recollection was of visiting some elderly relatives somewhere rural while staying with his grandparents for a summer holiday in Bungay, although he was only about 8 at the time.

[Ditch1]

Have consulted my father now age 91, born Bungay. He says the Parishes would be ‘The Saints’, all villages on the outskirts of Bungay, includes All Saints, St John, St Margaret South Elmham, St Cross South Elmham, Ilketshall St Margaret, etc etc! During the war they removed all the sign posts! Hence he knows the way around very well.

Halesworth, Harleston, Beccles & Bungay are Market Towns.

Mary.

[LizzieL]

Thank you that confirms it.  My late mother in law would have been 99 this year, so almost contemporary with your father. It sounds like the terminology "the Parishes" was commonly used pre-war.

[Suffolk Mawther]

Just to confirm, yes we do still talk about The Saints as The Parishes. Still very rural around those parts 

SM