Nacton

The name means Hnaki or Nokkvi's homestead. In 1010, Ulfcytel, Ealdorman of East Anglia, fought the Danes in the area now called Seven Hills (there were more than seven barrows at one time), which is now mostly under junction 58 of the A14.

A country house in the parish, Broke Hall, was the seat of the Broke family, including Admiral Sir Philip Broke.

A former public house, the Anchor, appears to have been closed in controversial circumstances during the late 19th century.

From 1877 to 1959, the village was served by the Orwell station.

• Margaret Catchpole became legendary in the 19th century after the publication of 'The History of Margaret Catchpole: A Suffolk Girl' by Richard Cobbold in 1845. It is a classic story of a young girl falling in love with a villain (a smuggler called Will Laud) and suffering the consequences.
• Edward Vernon, a naval hero.
• George Tomline, a politician

An electoral ward in the same name exists. This ward stretches northeast to Waldringfield, and at the 2011 census, it had a population of 4,602.

An observatory, which had been commissioned at Orwell Park by Colonel George Tomline (1813-1889), has been in use as the base of the Orwell Astronomical Society, Ipswich (OASI), since the 1960s.

Nacton's name was used as a word coined by Douglas Adams to describe the letter 'N' when inserted between two other words as an abbreviation for 'and', as in rock 'n' roll and fish 'n' chips.