a county of England. Its name is contracted from Southfolk, so called from its situation in regard to Norfolk. It is bounded on the west by Cambridge-shire; on the south by Essex, from which it is parted by the river Stour; on the east by the German ocean; and on the north by Norfolk, separated from it by the Lesser Ouse and the Waveney. From west to east it is 52 miles in length, about 20 at a medium in breadth, and 196 in circumference. It contains 22 hundreds, 29 market-towns, 575 parishes; and in 1811 the number of houses was 37,581, and of inhabitants 234,211. The whole is divided into two parts, viz. the Liberty of St Edmund, and the Geldable; the former of which contains the west parts of the county, and the other the east; and there is a grand jury for each at the assizes. The air is reckoned as wholesome and pleasant as any in the kingdom; nor is it otherwise upon the sea coast, which is free from salt marshes. The soil, except to the west and upon the sea-coast, is very rich, being a compound of clay and marle. Towards the sea there are large heaths and tracts of sand; but these produce hemp, rye, and pease, and feed great flocks of sheep. About Newmarket the soil is much the same; but in high Suffolk or the woodlands, besides wood, there are very rich pastures, where abundance of cattle are fed. In other parts of the county, as about Bury, there is plenty of corn. As this county is noted for the richness of its pastures, so is it for butter and cheese, especially the former, which is said to be remarkably good; so that being packed up in firkins, it is sold for all uses both by sea and land, and conveyed to many parts of England, especially to London. The inland parts of the county are well supplied with wood for fuel, and those upon the sea-coast with coals from Newcastle. The manufactures of the county are chiefly woollen and linen cloth. It lies in the diocese of Norwich, has two archdeaconcies, viz. of Sudbury and Suffolk; gives title of earl to a branch of the Howards; sends two members to parliament for the county, and two for each of the following places, Ipswich, Dunwich, Orford, Aldeborough, Sudbury, Eye, and St Edmund's-Bury. The county is extremely well watered by the following rivers, viz. the Lesser Ouse, the Waveney, the Blither, the Deben, the Orwell or Gipping, and the Stour. See SUFFOLK, Supplement.