Kesgrave

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use British English Template:Infobox UK place

Kesgrave is a town<ref name="kesgrave_org_uk">Template:Cite web</ref> and civil parish in the East Suffolk district of Suffolk, England. The town is close to both Ipswich and Woodbridge. Kesgrave forms part of the wider Ipswich Built-up area.

History

The name Kesgrave is thought to derive from the Old English cærsegræf or cærsegrǣfe meaning 'cress pit' or 'cress grove'.<ref>http://kepn.nottingham.ac.uk/map/place/Suffolk/Kesgrave</ref>

The area was recorded as Gressgrava in the Domesday Book, by the late 15th century its name had become Kesgrave. Kesgrave remained a small agricultural settlement with just a church, inn and a few farmsteads for over 700 years. In 1921 the population was only 103 housed in 20 dwellings. Since then great changes have taken place.Template:Vague

By 1988 Kesgrave covered an area of more than Template:Convert. Kesgrave parish council officially adopted the title of a town in January 2000.<ref name="kesgrave_org_uk" />

Schools

Kesgrave High School is a large 11-18 comprehensive co-educational school with nearly 2000 pupils. A study for Sustrans noted that 61% of the pupils cycled to the school.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> This is largely due to the installation of a large cycle lane through the local housing development and along the main road. The school actively encourages walking or cycling and provides bicycle storage facilities.<ref>Template:Cite web Template:Dead link Template:Cbignore</ref>

The five primary schools in the immediate vicinity of Kesgrave are Beacon Hill Primary School, Birchwood Primary School, Cedarwood Primary School the building of which was awarded a Civic Trust Award in 2003,<ref>Cedarwood Primary School Template:Webarchive, Civic Trust Awards, 2003. Retrieved 2009-09-01</ref> Gorseland Primary School and Heath Primary School.

Kesgrave was home to a number of private day and boarding schools based at Kesgrave Hall