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Aldeburgh
Dunwich
Leiston
Southwold
Thorpeness
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There are many interesting places on this part of the suffolk
coast within easy reach by road. To the north there is what remains
of Dunwich, once the largest port in England, further on ther
is Walberswick, a quiet seaside village, and the other side of
the river lies Southwold.
Immediately south you come to Thorpeness, and further on Aldeburgh
whilst a couple of miles inland is the town of Leiston.
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Other Links
BNFL
Sizewell
Visitors Centre
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ALDEBURGH
Aldeburgh was once an island between the Alde estuary and Thorpehithe
Haven, though now it is linked to the mainland and has been greatly
eroded by the sea. Originally a Roman port it was later invaded
by the Saxons who gave the town its name, Aldeburc meaning old
port. Edward VI granted the town a Charter in 1547 with rights
to hold a Wednesday market. One of the main attractions of the
town is the Moot Hall, once situated in the centre of town and
the site of an open market, it was built between 1520 and 1540.
It is now a museum of local history and is open daily from June
- September 2.30 - 5.00pm and at weekends from Easter - May; Admission
Adults: 50p; Children: Free.
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DUNWICH
Dunwich dates from Roman times when it was said to be the largest
town in East Anglia. It is also claimed that Christianity first
made its way to the British Isles through Dunwich with the arrival
of St Felix of Burgandy in AD632. He crowned the Saxon Sigebert
as King of East Anglia and Sigebert built his palace at Dunwich.
Dunwich reached its peak in the 13th century when it boasted 18
churches and monastries plus 80 sea going vessels. Its demise
started in 1328 when a storm saw 400 homes and 3 churches lost
to the sea and the port blocked by silting. Since then the town
has slowly been eroded by the sea, with the market place going
in the 17th century. Today there are no more than 100 homes, 1
church, 1 pub and a museum, which documents the towns history
from Roman times to the present day. (Open April - September;
11.30 - 4.30 daily; Admission: Free)
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Garretts
Longshop
Museum
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LEISTON
Leiston is probably most notable for its ironworking. Garretts
was established in 1778 as a blacksmith making horseshoes, but
the business was soon built up to produce threshing machines,
steam rollers, traction engines, ploughs, tractors and railway
engines. The company closed in 1980 and 3 years later the traction
engine erecting shop was converted into the Long Shop Museum housing
a whole range of Garrett produced machinery. The museum is open
daily from April till October.
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THORPENESS
The village of Thorpeness was conceived as an idea by Glencairn
Stuart Ogilvie who wanted to create a corner of ‘Merrie ol’ England’
by the sea. It was built between 1910 and 1930 with a variety
of Elizabethan black and white timbered and gothic style houses.
Included in the construction was a man-made lake encompassing
several islands, known as The Meare. Here you can hire rowing
boats, canoes or dinghies. The main features of Thorpness are
the Windmill, now restored to working order and open to the public
(May - September weekends 11.00am - 1.00pm/2.00pm 5.00pm and weekdays
July - August 2.00 - 5.00pm; Admission Adults: 50p;Children: Free)
and the so called ‘House in the Clouds’ which is now a holiday
home. For more details of these please refer to the map overleaf.
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