Culture & Heritage

Lavenham Guildhall, Lavenham

With its ancient timbers and crooked lines, Lavenham Guildhall is one of many notable buildings in this picturesque medieval village. Inside, you’ll find a museum devoted to the history of Lavenham, with fascinating displays depicting 500 years of farming and industry.

Flatford Mill, East Bergholt

At Flatford you can stand in the very same spot that Constable stood and spot the same view he did. Study the scenes that inspired him and found expression in his paintings and visit the small exhibition that provides an insight into the man and his talent.

Melford Hall, Long Melford

Devastated by fire in 1942, this Tudor mansion at Long Melford was later restored by the Hyde Parker family in whose possession it remains to this day. Their cousin, Beatrix Potter, was a regular visitor here.

Ickworth, Bury St Edmunds

Ickworth's spectacular Rotunda was commissioned by the 4th Earl of Bristol to house his priceless artefacts collected on tours around Europe in the 18th century. The Italianate garden includes box hedges and Mediterranean planting. Explore 1,800 acres of beautiful parkland by bike or on foot.

West Stow Anglo-Saxon Village, West Stow

The village has been carefully reconstructed where it was excavated and experimental archaeology has provided new ideas about the way our ancestors lived. There is also a fascinating museum and a 125-acre country park.

Sutton Hoo, Woodbridge

It's a name that crops up from time to time in history documentaries and travel programmes, but there's nothing to beat actually visiting these atmospheric ancient burial mounds and visitor centre near Woodbridge. Sutton Hoo is where the 7th-century Anglo-Saxon Kings of East Anglia lay buried and undiscovered until they were unearthed in 1938.

Pakenham Water Mill, Pakenham

For over 1000 years water from Pakenham Fen has collected in the beautiful millpond before being released to turn the water-wheel that drives the mill-stones which turn the wheat into flour at this water mill. The current 18th-century building is the last working watermill in Suffolk and friendly guides will explain the whole fascinating process of milling that produces our favourite staple.

Southwold Museum, Southwold

Housed in two Dutch-gabled cottages, the Southwold Museum is a little gem on the Suffolk coast. The story of the town’s fishing industry is told in fascinating detail and there is also a display of relics and items washed up on the shore here over the years.

Moyse's Hall Museum, Bury St Edmunds

Overlooking the marketplace in Bury St Edmunds, this ancient 12th-century building has been a jail, a workhouse and a police station over the years. In its role as a museum, Moyse’s Hall examines the town’s early history and provides a fascinating insight into superstition and witchcraft.

Lindsey St James Chapel, Hadleigh

One of the region’s secret gems, this chapel near Hadleigh is just the place for history detectives. The 13th-century place of worship boasts early medieval architecture and flint walls under a thatched roof.

Gainsborough House, Sudbury

This fascinating museum and art gallery stands in the centre of the market town of Sudbury and is probably most famous as the birthplace of the artist Thomas Gainsborough. Dating back to 1520, the house has many striking features as well as various Ginsborough paintings and portraits. Currently under redevelopment.

Dedham Arts & Crafts Centre, Dedham

Located in the heart of Constable Country, on the Essex/Suffolk border, the Dedham Art & Craft Centre is housed on three floors in a converted church. With the work of over 60 artisans on display, this is just the place for the casual browser and dedicated shopper. There’s also a welcome tea room; when the weather is fine, pick up a picnic basket and relax by the River Stour.

Somerleyton Hall, Somerleyton

Somerleyton Hall was rebuilt in the mid 19th century on the basis of an Elizabethan house and designed in the Anglo-Italian style. Inside are carvings by Grinling Gibbons as well as big-game trophies, which confirm the sporting interests of the Somerleyton family. There are guided tours of the Hall, which is surrounded by 12 acres of beautiful gardens, including an 1846 yew hedge maze.

Dunwich Museum, Dunwich

What is fascinating about Dunwich’s infrastructure is not what is there today, but what has gone. For once Dunwich was a thriving city, with an important boat building industry and harbour, home to an impressive fleet of royal ships. Walking along its main street today such stories may seem incomprehensible but take a look around Dunwich’s little museum and you will get some idea of its fascinating and mysterious past.

Leiston Abbey, Leiston

For hundreds of years this impressive 14th-century abbey was used as a farm and its church became a barn. A Georgian house was built into its fabric and this is now used as a religious retreat. The rest of the abbey is in ruins, but remains of the choir and transepts of the church, and the ranges of the cloisters still stand.

Kentwell Hall, Long Melford

Kentwell is very much a lived-in and loved family home. It is also an on-going project to save this beautiful Tudor house, re-create its Gardens and form a traditional style Farm.

Framlingham Castle, Framlingham

Enchanting Framlingham Castle offers spectacular views over the delightful reed-fringed Mere to the countryside beyond. But there is much more to this ancient stronghold than its splendid setting. Throughout its colourful history it has been a fortress, an Elizabethan prison, a poor house and a school. While there, walk along the wall walk, explore the outer courts and don’t miss the 17th-century poor house.

Woodbridge Tide Mill

Situated in a busy quayside beside the River Deben, this unique building looks towards the historic site of the Sutton Hoo ship. The machinery of the 18th-century mill has been completely restored and is activated when the mill is open and the tides are suitable. Wheels and stones turn, grinding the grain as they have done for many hundreds of years.

Helmingham Hall & Gardens

Helmingham is famous for its Grade 1 listed gardens, redesigned by Lady Tollemache and set in a 400-acre deer park surrounding a stunning moated Tudor Hall. See herds of red and fallow deer living in the wild and explore the enchanting herbaceous borders, the herb & knot gardens, and rose and wild gardens. Coach House Tearooms, Stable Shops and special annual events.

Lavenham

Often regarded as the finest medieval town in England, Lavenham has hardly changed appearance since its heyday as an important wool town in the 14th and 15th centuries. No less than 300 of its buildings are listed as being of architectural or historic interest, including the stunning timbered Guildhall on the Market Place, Little Hall, the medieval Priory, and don't miss the magnificent church with its 141ft tower.

Bury St Edmunds

Surrounded by gently rolling countryside with 1,000 years of history to explore, Bury St Edmunds - the home of Saint Edmund, the original patron Saint of England - offers visitors great cafes and eateries, independent shopping, annual festivals, and stunning parks. Visit the magnificent St Edmundsbury Cathedral and explore the ruins of the Abbey of St Edmund in the peaceful Abbey Gardens.

The Red House, Aldeburgh

Suffolk’s iconic composer Benjamin Britten and his partner once lived and worked at the Red House, which is now the home of the Britten-Pears Foundation, where you can discover where the musical magic took place. The Studio where Britten composed is open to visitors all year-round, as is the Gallery, the historic Library and the Gardens.

Picture-book Villages

Suffolk is blessed with great countryside, a wonderful coast, exciting towns and picture-postcard villages - expect to see thatched cottages, grand pargeted houses and ancient churches clustered around pretty greens. Seek out the Suffolk showpiece villages of Cavendish, Lavenham (see entry), Kersey, Bildeston, Chelsworth, Clare, Dedham, and Stoke by Mayland.

Aldeburgh - Scallop Sculpture

Wander North along the beach and visit the four-metre high 'Scallop' designed by celebrated Suffolk-born Maggi Hambling, made entirely of steel by Aldeburgh craftsmen Sam and Dennis Pegg. The sculpture is inscribed with the words “I hear those voices that will not be drowned” from Britten’s famous opera Grimes, are intended to be read against the magnificent Suffolk sky

Aldeburgh

Aldeburgh is a pretty coastal town on the river Alde and enjoys breathtaking views both seawards and following the River Alde inland towards Orford. The town is famous for many things – good food, great fish and chips, the Aldeburgh International Music Festival, Maggi Hamblings’ Scallop sculpture on the beach, as well as a vibrant art and music scene, with several galleries to browse on the High Street..

Snape Maltings

Composer Benjamin Britten and tenor Peter Pears founded the annual Aldeburgh Festival in 1948, which moved to Snape in 1967 when a superb concert hall complex was created within this former malt house. Snape Maltings is now one of Europe’s leading classical music events and a place of energy and inspiration for people ranging from concert audiences to musicians developing skills on courses and residencies.

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Last updated: 05/03/21