Hepworth
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Introduction
Most of Hepworth sits just north of the A143, the old Diss to Bury turnpike. The village was recorded in Domesday as "Hepworda".
Local magazine the Four Gazette covers the parishes of Hinderclay, Hepworth, Thelnetham and Wattisfield.
A number of probable Romano-British kilns have been unearthed around Hepworth, as have a couple of ancient cooking hearths and a putative Roman settlement.
RAF Shepherds Grove was originally called Hepworth, but was subsequently renamed after a small local wood. Constructed from 1943 to early 1944 it was considered superfluous to USAAF requirements by the time it was finished. Subsequently it was used as a satellite for Stradishall and Shorts Stirlings of 3rd Group were based here. Towards the end of 1944 it was used by 38th Group Transport Command who were by then also supporting SOE and SAS operations. After April 1945 it was used by 60th Transport Group and involved in signals until its closure in early 1950.
History
The 1922 Kelly's Directory lists Althea Potter as a beer retailer. [the Black Horse]?
Acknowledgements
Some historical information from English Heritage's National Monuments Record.
Some details from "Suffolk Airfields in WW2" by Graham Smith.
