Steeple Bumpstead, United Kingdom
Steeple Bumpstead is a town of 1,432 people in England, United Kingdom.
Why visit Steeple Bumpstead
Townapedia lists 2 parks and trails, 2 places to eat and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Haverhill Arts Centre and Haverhill Railway Walks.
Weather in Steeple Bumpstead
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Steeple Bumpstead
Steeple Bumpstead is a village and civil parish 3 miles (4.8 km) south of Haverhill in the Braintree district of Essex, England. At the 2021 census the parish had a population of 1,580.
From the Wikipedia article Steeple Bumpstead (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Haverhill Arts Centre
Cinema and theater · 2.6 mi
Arts centre and former town hall in Haverhill, St. Edmundsbury, Suffolk, England, UK
Parks, trails and playgrounds2
Restaurants and cafes2
Fox and Hounds
Bar and pub
3 Chapel Street, Steeple Bumpstead
Mo-Th 12:00-15:00,17:00-23:00; Fr-Sa 12:00-24:00; Su 12:00-23:00
Churches and places of worship2
History
The Knights Templar positioned themselves on the river. The town is notable for its Lollard connections.
There has been a long history on non-conformist belief in the village which continues to this day in the Congregational Church. A Bumpstead man was burnt to death in the parish for his beliefs. Along the Blois Road, leading from Bumpstead to Birdbrook, is a field that has been called the 'Bloody Pightle', and that is where he is believed to have been martyred. In 1527 John Tibauld and eight other village residents were seized and taken before the Bishop of London, charged with meeting together in Bower Hall to pray and read a copy of the New Testament. Although the non-conformists in the village were encouraged by the powerful Bendyshe family that lived at Bower Hall, even their influence could not save Tibauld. He was burned at the stake.
Having fallen into ruin after use as a 'concentration camp' in the First World War, Bower Hall was finally demolished in 1926 and the materials sold off. The great staircase found its way to the United States.
Read more of the history
The Moot Hall, also known as "the Old Schole", symbolises Steeple Bumpstead. Built in 1592 by the inhabitants on land rented from the Crown, in the 1830s when it was 'a school for farmers' sons' the villagers forcibly took possession of it, disputing the claim of George Gent of Moyns Park to have the right to appoint the headmaster. Eventually an ecclesiastical court upheld the villagers' claim.
From the History section of Steeple Bumpstead on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Notable people from Steeple Bumpstead
- Augustine LindsellBritish bishop
Born in Steeple Bumpstead, according to Wikidata (CC0). Each name links to its Wikipedia article.
Gas and EV charging1
Schools, colleges and libraries1
Healthcare1
Map of Steeple Bumpstead
10 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
London Stansted Airport (STN) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 14 miles away.
- Haverhill 3 mi north, about 4 min by car
- Castle Hedingham 7 mi southeast, about 12 min by car
- Saffron Walden 9 mi west, about 14 min by car
- Halstead 11 mi southeast, about 17 min by car
- Braintree 12 mi south, about 20 min by car
- Sudbury 12 mi east, about 19 min by car
- Newmarket 14 mi north, about 23 min by car
- Whittlesford 14 mi west, about 22 min by car
- Bishops Stortford 17 mi southwest, about 28 min by car
- Cambridge 18 mi northwest, about 29 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Towns near Steeple Bumpstead
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Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- Mapillary (see each image): photos
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- The Fox and Hounds public house, Steeple Bumpstead, Essex, England, Acabashi, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Steeple Bumpstead Moot Hall, Essex, England 02, Acabashi, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Steeple Bumpstead Moot Hall, Essex, England 01, Acabashi, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, IpswichEdits, CC BY-SA 4.0
Page built November 10, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.