Denham lies in the north-east corner of Suffolk, close to where the River Waveney forms the county boundary with Norfolk. We are a small village whose population has only ever risen above 300 in the middle of the nineteenth century, at the height of prosperity of agriculture in East Anglia. The name in Saxon means “meadow or enclosure in a valley” and this accurately describes what it was. Down the centre of the village, from north to south, runs a stream with what were meadows on both sides.

The History of Denham

Much more recently, during the Second World War, there was an airfield just over the boundary in Horham. Most of the living quarters, the officer's club and the hospital were clustered around the village of Denham. This had significant social effect on the village, in particular on the former Green Man pub, which was regularly used by American airmen. Denham residents were invited to big occasions, celebrations and festivals at the air base. In April, after the 300th mission, Glen Miller and his AEF were invited to the Red Feather Club to celebrate the occasion. Such heady days abruptly ceased when the USAAF departed in August 1945 and Denham reverted to its former sleepy self.

 

(condensed from “The Story of Denham” by Ian Pitcairn, which is a valuable source of further information)

WW2 History

95th Bomb Group

Horham airfield – Station 119 – was a sprawling base spanning four parishes. Parts of the base were not only in Horham itself but also in Denham, Redlingfield and Hoxne. Its two hangars were on the south of the airfield and the technical site was next to them, beside the B1117 Eye-Horham road.

Denham retains many of the features of the airfield including the wonderfully restored Red Feather Club and Old Hospital