Shotley is a village and civil parish 8 miles (13 km) south-east of Ipswich in the English county of Suffolk. It is in the Babergh district and gives its name to the Shotley peninsula between the Rivers Stour and Orwell. The parish includes the village of Shotley and the settlements of Shotley Gate and Church End. In 2011 civil parish had a population of 2,342. In reference to the 2021 census, the population of Shotley was 550.
The village of Shotley is about a mile northwest from the tip of the peninsula, and lies either side of the B1456 road (the Street). In 2018 it had an estimated population of 854.
The Stour immediately south of the village and opposite Bathside Bay, Harwich, is a possible location for the first Battle of the River Stour in 885 (also known as the Battle of Bloody Point, see Shotley Gate), when the Kentish ships of King Alfred's nascent Royal Navy defeated a force of between 13 and 16 Viking vessels, putting the Norsemen to death. The second Battle of the River Stour occurred later that day when the English ships met a larger Viking force at the mouth of the river. The C manuscript of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle says: "That same year King Alfred sent a naval force from Kent into East Anglia. Immediately they came into the mouth of the Stour they encountered 16 ships of Vikings and fought against them, and seized all the ships and killed the men. When they turned homeward with the booty, they met a large naval force of Vikings and fought against them on the same day, and the Danes had the victory."
There are two entries for Shotley (Scoteleia) and an adjacent settlement of Kirkton (Cherchetuna) listed in the Domesday Book of 1086.
A school is located outside the village (half of 1 km east) opposite the turning into Oldhall Road. Oldhall Road is located east of the village leading north to St Mary's Church. The church is adjacent to a large naval cemetery cared for by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. It has graves from both World Wars, not only those of HMS Ganges trainees, but also of Harwich-based warships killed in action with the Germans. There is a memorial to the dead from the 14-18 Harwich submarines.
Shotley Hall is located near to the church. Rose Farm lies to the south of the village.
The Shotley Parish Council holds its main meeting at the village hall at 19.15 hours every third Thursday of every month (except August), and meetings are open to the public.
Shotley Gate is a settlement to the south of the village of Shotley at the tip of the peninsula. Shotley Gate also harbours HMS Ganges, a former Royal Navy training establishment (RNTE Shotley) for boys.
Distance between:
London to Shotley67 Miles / 108 Kms Liverpool to Shotley204 Miles / 329 Kms
51.969615,1.253411