Joined in 2023 
82 
63 About this deal
The village revived in the early 19C when the railway (since defunct alas) breathed new life into the area, and opened it up for trading in coconut matting and horse hair manufacturing. Use the layers on the map to find information on local weather and forecast, travel information including traffic conditions showing the latest traffic flow and congestion.
The semi-pedestrianised Thoroughfare and large traditional Market Place make it easy to wander through the town centre popping into the mainly independently owned shops. Suffolk is a county that unless you travel slowly through it, you may miss many of its charming and redeeming features. From Lowestoft to Felixstowe, where the North Sea constantly erodes the coastline of Suffolk are the picturesque seaside resorts of Dunwich, Orford, Southwold and Aldeburgh where there are sandy heaths and mud flats. Inland, Suffolk is an agricultural landscape of wheat fields, thatched cottages in rural villages and attractive market towns like Bungay, Beccles and Bury St. Edmunds; that are rich in their own history making the region of particular interest to the visiting tourist. Willy Lott’s Cottage in Suffolk (c) Alastair Rae. Willy Lott was a neighbour of John Constable, and his house featured in several of the great master’s paintings WESTLETON HEATHWhere better to start a tour of Suffolk Villages and Towns than in Lavenham where the streets are timber-framed Avenues, and walking through the village itself is like walking through a Medieval world, one that is better preserved than anywhere else in England. Other landmark buildings built during this 16C boom were the opulent St Peter and St Paul Church (below) and the Lavenham Priory. Framlingham Castle reflected in the meare, the Castle’s outer wall looks majestic at any time of day (c) Ian Dalgleish NEWMARKET RACECOURSES Financed by the Heritage Lottery Fund, to honour the Maltings heritage of the town, a Malt ‘Experience’ and ‘Trail’ was launched in 2017. The 'experience' is located at The New Cut Arts Centre, where the trail starts. Aldeburgh is world-renowned thanks to its connection with Benjamin Britten, the founder of the Aldeburgh Festival, which takes place in June every year.Pastel-coloured 19th Century holiday villas line the promenade and to the east, the pebble beach with fisherman’s huts selling the daily catch. Did you know?
Surrounded by rural landscape and dramatic coastline, the restaurants and bars in Ipswich create delicious, international menus made fresh from the county’s produce. Have lunch in a traditional Suffolk pub or quirky bar, grab a coffee from a waterfront café or wind down in the evening for dinner at one of the town’s many award-winning restaurants or bistros before retiring in one of the town’s boutique hotels, quirky guesthouses or self-catering apartments Lavenham holds a Farmers Market on the fourth Sunday of every month in the beautiful space at Village Hall. Over 30 local traders attend the market selling some of the region’s highest quality, local produce. Stalls include fresh fruit & vegetables, home baked cakes & pies, local pork & beef, Suffolk apple juice, jams & preserves, fresh pesto, plants & cut flowers and locally brewed real ales & wines. The fantastic kid friendly Farmers’ Cafe serves delicious homemade soup, freshly baked cakes, Farmers’ Breakfasts & good quality coffee using local products direct from the market traders. Fressingfield is one of those lovely Suffolk villages typical of the county, with a great sense of community spirit. The village is in high Suffolk, close to Diss and just 40 minutes drive from the coast at Southwold. It has a population of over 900, a mixture of long established local families, who have lived here for generations, and also a substantial number of people who have moved into the area from London and the home counties since electrification of the Norwich to Liverpool Street line in the 1980s. Just along the River Stour lies Clare, a little town with a great past. Clare College, Cambridge, has its roots here as it was founded by Elizabeth de Clare, daughter of the 9th Earl. The Clare Priory, founded in 1248 by Richard de Clare, is the first Augustinian house in England, and is still run by Augustinians. Unfortunately not much remains of the Clare Castle except a few dramatic walls on a hilltop in the Country Park, but this is still worth a climb to the top for the stunning views of the surrounding countryside. The Ancient House in Clare does remain though and is well worth a tour – see Clare Ancient House for opening details. Suffolk Villages and Towns mainly reflect the county’s rich history as a centre for the wool industry in the Middle Ages and Tudor times – here you’ll find timber framed houses, magnificent Guildhalls and opulent stately houses as well as the humble pretty thatched cottages Suffolk is well known for.There is a real village community in Fressingfield, with a wide range of activities for all ages and interests. These range from a preschool group, brownies, beavers, cubs and scouts, alongside the Women’s Institute, Mothers’ Union, Royal British Legion and over-50s Luncheon Club amongst others. All welcome new members! Come and spend some time in this lovely village and get a sense of country life at its best. There are several accommodation options and lots of activities throughout the year, including the Fressingfield Garden Festival in June. Lavenham is one of the best preserved Medieval villages in the UK, boasting some 320 listed timber framed buildings, many of them protected by English Heritage. This unique village was created some 750 years ago by Henry III when he granted Lavenham ‘market status’ which stimulated the most prosperous period in the village’s history.
Aldeburgh has a rich cultural identity and is home to the Aldeburgh Literary Festival, multiple galleries and iconic sculptures as well as the Aldeburgh Music Club started by Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears in 1952. Right at the heart of the Suffolk Coast & Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, sandwiched between Dunwich Forest and RSPB Minsmere nature reserve is Westleton Heath. As to why it’s one of the top sights in Suffolk, well, this picture by photographer Justin Minns speaks for itself. Search for Suffolk restaurants, cafes, coffee shops, bars, tourist information, visitor attractions including museums, art galleries, historic houses, cinemas, theatres, places of interest and much more. Use the map to better plan your trip to Suffolk using the useful interactive tourist map, learn more about the county and the range of tourist attractions the county has to offer. The town gets its name from ‘Alde’ and ‘burgh’ meaning ‘old fort’ and is a former Tudor port given borough status by Henry VIII himself. The town and its shipbuilders were responsible for the creation of several famous vessels; Sir Francis Drake’s Golden Hind and the Virginia Company’s Sea Venture, to name but a few.
THE RIVER DEBEN
The Distance tool shows a distance radius around a point on the map and can be used to calculate the distance between two points on the map. Gainsborough was born in Sudbury, on the River Stour and just 12 miles from East Bergholt, Constable’s birthplace. In addition to Gainsborough’s House, which is the only house in England in which an artist was born and is still open to the public – there is much to see and do in Sudbury. This was the largest of all the old wool towns, and it still has three highly specialised textile mills (spinning silk good enough for Ralph Lauren and Princess Anne’s (first) wedding dress!). Read more on Gainsborough and Constable Country. Woodbridge in SuffolkWoodbridge is a great place to experience life on the River Deben ORWELL BRIDGE
Now in its fourth year, The Cut is home to the INK Festival which champions new work from emerging and established playwrights, with a host of events including plays, radio plays, films and children's workshops. Pre COVID, the centre hosted the Centre hosted the Halesworth Arts Festival every October and the Tessa Fuchs Chamber Series every spring which will hopefully be repeated. Close by is another weaver village – Long Melford and this is also well worth a visit. ‘Melford’ is derived from ‘mill’ and ‘ford’, and ‘Long’ doesn’t need explaining to anyone who has attempted to walk the main street in Long Melford – all 2 ½ miles of it! The longest in England. There are many interesting sights in Long Melford, starting at the Holy Trinity Church at one end of the village overlooking a substantial green, where there is a Tudor mansion in close proximity – Melford Hall, built in 1450. You will be spoilt for choice of where to eat in Lavenham as there’s plenty of first class fare on offer. Two completely different options stand out – The Great House has 3 AA Rosettes for its award winning French cuisine which is the best in East Anglia. They also offer 5 star accommodation but book early as there aren’t many rooms! For a high quality, luxury break in Lavenham The Great House is the boutique Hotel and restaurant that you’ll want to stay in. One of the ‘gems’ in Suffolk’s crown, Woodbridge combines excellent shops with superb pubs and restaurants and numerous activities both indoors and out. On the edge of an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Woodbridge is the perfect base from which to explore the Suffolk Coast and its many tourist attractions. Did you know? The fabulous attractions and great days out in Suffolk mean you can do as much or as little as you want but most of all it is about having a good time.
Suffolk
In Long Melford there’s plenty to see and do, with numerous antique shops and pubs, several boutiques, restaurants and cafes, and a growing hub of Art Galleries including The Jessica Muir Gallery, Lime Tree Gallery. Just behind the High Street are the water meadows of Long Melford – bring your wellies as these attractive fields are a joy to splash about in, especially if you have a dog with you!
Great Deal 
New Comment