The village of Marlesford is situated between Ipswich and Lowestoft eight miles north of Woodbridge. 
Bisected by the A12, there are just over a hundred dwellings, around 220 residents, and a few notable businesses: Ernest Doe, Stowe Building Contractors, Marlesford Mill Antique Centre full of eclectic retailers and The Farm Café and Shop run by Two Magpies Bakery.
The origin of the name Marlesford is unclear but could be related to marl - a carbonate-rich, earthy deposit composed of varying amounts of clay, silt, and calcium carbonate often used as a fertilizer or soil conditioner to reduce acidity – and the ford crossing the River Ore. Originally there were two fords, one remains whilst the one where the A12 crosses the river has been replaced by a bridge.
The parish was listed several times in the Domesday survey of 1086 as ‘Merlesforda’. One manor of 12 acres was held by the Abbey of St Edmunds and included 6 acres of meadow, a mill and 3 beehives. Another manor of 36 acres was held by Robert Malet, and a third of 35 acres included the church and was part of the lands of the King.
In 1844 Marlesford was described as a 'pleasant village', with most people being employed in agriculture, but also with a miller, a blacksmith and a publican among other tradesmen. The peak population seems to have been in 1851 with 428 people living in the village. Since then the population has declined slowly, as have most village industries and sources of local employment.
The village once boasted a windmill, mill, school, inn, railway station, fish and chip shop, garage, smithy and two general stores, all of these have disappeared. Today, the medieval church of St Andrew dating from the 14th century, standing on higher ground overlooking the water meadows of the River Ore, and the Community Centre, previously the village school, provide the focus of village social life.
