The Sign
The village sign is situated on the junction of The Street and Rectory Road in the centre of the village. This is one of many signs made by the inmates of Blundeston Prison, which has now closed, as is advertised on the back of the sign. Erected in 2000 for the Millenium, the sign depicts the church of St Peter in the centre, guarded by two persons from whence the village name originated; Carl is illustrated on the left, ‘Carl’s homestead’ and Sir Roger de Colville on the right, a Norman knight giving his name to the suffix. The items on their shields represent local features such as fishing, agriculture, the marshes and ice skating at Oulton Broad. Carlton Marshes is now a big Nature Reserve managed by the Suffolk Wildlife Trust.

The Name and Population
Carlton Colville is a civil parish and large village that is most likely now a suburb of Lowestoft on its southwestern flanks. It lies just passed Oulton Broad on the A146 to Beccles. It had a population of 6,612 in the 2011 census. The village was called Karletun, Carletuna at the time of the Domesday Book and later in 1346 as Carleton Colvile. It means the farmstead or estate of the freemen or peasants, from the Old Scandanavian, Karl or Old English Ceorl as well as tun from Old English. In 1230, the manorial name was added from the family of Robert de Colevill, who took their name from Colleville in Normandy. Carlton is a popular name across the region.

Other Points of Interest

Carlton Colville St Peter is a C13th church which was heavily modified in the Victorian era, with possible exception to the tower. The rebuild was carried out by the Rector of the time, William Dale Andrews in 1883, mostly at his own expense. There is some good C19th and C20th stained glass by Clayton and Bell and others.

Carlton Colville St Peter