Manor House is timber-framed with leaded casements. Mostly of 18th C construction, it occupies the site of an ancient, possibly 15th C dwelling, thought to be ‘Jakkethommes’ (Jack Thomson?) but no record has been found of this early owner.
There had been a shop on the site since the late 17 th century, when it was owned by Robert Brooke of Cockfield Hall. His daughter Martha married Sir William Blois of Grundisburgh Hall and their son Sir Charles, 1 st Baronet, took up residence at Cockfield in 1686. The old shop was a small building at the rear, approached from the open ground, now partly built over, in front of the entrance to Cockfield Hall. The present shop and warehouse was built by his grandson Sir Charles Blois, 2nd Baronet in the mid-19 th century, in red brick with pinnacles to imitate those at the Hall. The Blois fleur-de-lis marks the rainwater heads. This all provided an impressive entrance to the Hall from the village. There are two lodges, the one nearest the shop used as storage, the other is a dwelling, of Flemish bond brickwork. Cockfield Hall remained in the Blois family until 1997.
The first shopkeeper was John Ingham, draper, who died in 1712. Next came Roger Clayton, who died in 1742, then his son William, grocer and draper, who died in 1782. John Clayton advertised for an apprentice in 1781 but didn’t remain in the business. In 1786 a fresh lease was granted by Sir John Blois to Clayton & Richard Moseley Westhorp who married Clayton’s daughter Ann. John Potter, who had been an assistant to Westhorp, took on the business from 1797 after Westhorp left Yoxford. Potter retired in 1820 & lived at The Limes. Edward Revans came next, from 1816, when he was probably assistant to Potter. (His initials and those of John Potter are on the lead roof of the church; they were church wardens and were responsible for the re-roofing in 1832).
Revans was not a Yoxford man by birth, although he owned the Old Vicarage, Merrivale and other property in the village. He died in1857 aged 78. His son William was involved for a while (the business is listed as Revans & Son in White’s Directory of 1844). The Ipswich Journal of 14 May 1820 advertises newly-arrived London fashions available in store. It was during Revans’ time that Sir Charles Blois built the present shop & warehouse. After Revans retired he lived at Grove Cottage. John Orford followed on, from 1854. He was the eldest son of tailor John Orford of Woodbridge. In 1841, aged 25, he was an apprentice tailor in New Bond Street in London. He retired to Ipswich in 1889 and his sons took over, Charles running the drapery side of the business and Thomas the grocery. Alfred Phillips took over in 1890 until his death 21 st August 1906 at the age of 48. Born in Ipswich, he was the son of a woollen draper. In 1901 Alfred was employing female draper’s assistant, a male grocer’s assistant, a cashier, a grocer’s apprentice and a draper’s apprentice, a cook & and a housemaid.