Suffolk Stories
Suffolk is a county with a rich and fascinating past that combines both the agricultural and the seafaring with an extraordinary lure for artists and creators. Since the beginning, writers and painters have been fascinated with and inspired by Suffolk’s unique landscape. As well as this artistic connection, Suffolk’s long and varied history can be seen and felt all over the county. From Sutton Hoo to Orford Ness, Suffolk’s history is a captivating saga that enhances every visit. Here’s our guide to looking back and looking deep.
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Relics of the Cold War in Suffolk
David Watson is not simply co-owner of the Crown and Castle in Orford, he is a photographer of some note. The …
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Lowestoft – the last two hundred years
There has been a settlement at Lowestoft, the most easterly point of the British Isles, for over a millenium but …
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Lowestoft – a brief early history
The Viking origin of the name Lowestoft – made up of the name Hlothver and the suffix –toft meaning homestead …
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SEA MUSIC PREMIERE AT ORFORD
Aldeburgh Music Club Choir and the Prometheus Orchestra join forces on Saturday 10th March at Orford Church to begin the …
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The Gentleman’s Residence in Suffolk
With the death of Queen Anne, the English throne passed to her nearest Protestant relative, George of Hanover, later George …
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Suffolk’s Farming Past
In 1539 all monastic property was transferred to the control of King Henry VIII, including great tracks of land across …
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Butley Priory, Suffolk
Deep in the sandy heathlands on the Suffolk coast between Woodbridge and Orford, close to the river Butley is the …
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Worlingham Hall, Beccles
Worlingham Hall Suffolk contains a few stately homes and mansions and a number of country houses of architectural interest; a few …
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Southwold Electric Picture Palace
Named after Southwold’s first cinema opened in 1912, The Electric Picture Palace was opened in 2002 by broadcaster and Monty …
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COBRA MIST – Biggest radar station in the world
by Paddy Heazell Looking to the north from Orford Quay, a vast grey box-shaped building is plainly visible, with behind …
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Joanna Lee, Composer
Joanna Lee will be using this blog to tell us about her association with Aldeburgh Music Club and chart her …
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Scoliosis SOS Clinic – Martlesham near Woodbridge
The Suffolk branch of Scoliosis SOS, located in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the heart of the East …
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Discover Landguard
Located at the southerly most point of the town of Felixstowe in Suffolk – the Landguard Peninsula has a wonderful …
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The Return of Black Shuck?
In August 1577, coastal Suffolk was hit by great storms of other-worldly proportions. During morning service, almost simultaneously at the …
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Classical, jazz and good old nostalgia at the Snape Proms
Last year it was Big band Jazz – something with a special place in my heart. In front of a …
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Suffolk Coastal Deckchairs
At the end of 2010 there was a truly fantastic auction taking place in Suffolk. In aid of the remarkable …
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The Merman of Orford
In London the athletic and active Henry II sits on the throne of England, plotting an invasion of Ireland that …
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Thomas Churchyard
A true artist of Woodbridge, Thomas Churchyard was born in Melton in 1798 just before the start of the Napoleonic …
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Jill Freud & Company – Summer Theatre in Southwold & Aldeburgh
The Jill Freud Theatre Company becomes very much a part of the summer scene in Southwold & Aldeburgh throughout July …
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Dunwich – Ancient city to sleepy Suffolk village
What is fascinating about Dunwich’s infrastructure is not what is there today, but what has gone. For once Dunwich was …
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The History of Martello Towers
In the early nineteenth century the windswept coast of Suffolk was home to a number of unusual construction projects. Although …
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The River Alde – An Estuary filled with History
One of the pleasures of walking along the Suffolk coast and its five very individual estuaries, The Blyth, Alde & …
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Landguard Fort in Felixstowe – a brief history
There have been a number of fortifications built on Landguard Point over the years. In 1543, Henry VIII had two …
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Decorate Your Holiday Home with Caroline Fooks Design
Since setting up her interior design and decoration practice in 2004, Caroline Fooks has been transforming houses into homes throughout …
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Shingle Street – A wild and magnificent wonderland
A single row of assorted cottages stands sentinel against the ravages of the North Sea whose wild and wondrous waves …
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Edwardian elegance in the heart of Aldeburgh
Centrally yet privately positioned in the cultural seaside town of Aldeburgh, Elmbank is an exceptional holiday rental property in every …
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Aldeburgh in the 19th century
It is often said that Suffolk’s landscape has changed little over the past century but what of its towns and …
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The Dig by John Preston
The Dig by John Preston The Dig is a dramatisation of the events leading to Britain’s most famous archaeological find: …
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Suffolk’s Railways – A Short History
The headline of ‘The Times’ boldly proclaimed the siege of Lucknow…over! The brave men, women and children had been rescued from the wreckage …
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Danielle Spellman – Casting Her Magic
The following article first appeared in a Winter issue of Green Pebble magazine. Published with permission. Written by Ruby Ormerod. A …
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Sargy Mann – Painting With Blind Faith
When artist Sargy Mann went blind almost four years ago, he didn’t succumb to rage or self-pity. Instead, he turned …
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Making Music in Aldeburgh
Since Benjamin Britten, Peter Pears and Eric Crozier founded the Aldeburgh Festival in 1948, Aldeburgh has remained the epicentre for …
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East Anglian Landscape Artists: Behind the Scenes
The following article first appeared in a Summer issue of Green Pebble magazine (www.greenpebble.co.uk). Published with permission. When Chris Dobrolowski created …
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Bawdsey Radar Station, Bawdsey and its influence on the ending of World War II
It may have seemed a strange candidate for the BBC’s 2004 Restoration programme. A concrete bunker on the shores of …
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Mary Gundry – Paintings from the Heart
The following article first appeared in Green Pebble magazine and has been published with permission. If there is one contemporary Suffolk artist …
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Robin Welch – Raw Power
The following article, from the Green Pebble Magazine, has been published with permission. The writer first came to know Robin Welch as …
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“Pakefield Man” Unlocks Secrets to Early Humans
“Pakefield Man” Unlocks Secrets to Early Humans Flint tools unearthed at Pakefield in Lowestoft confirm that early humans lived in …
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Peninsula Churches
Remote and peaceful and yet within an easy drive of London and the Midlands, the five estuaries and the areas …
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The Mysteries of Middleton
A delightful little country village on the road to nowhere and consequently oft driven past, Middleton is the only village …
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The Sea House by Esther Freud
The Sea House by Esther Freud, reviewed by Lizzie Hammond The architect Klaus Lehmann loves his wife, Elsa, with a …
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Ship’s Angel by Bridget Crowley
Ship’s Angel by Bridget Crowley It is always fun for children to read novels based in the area they are …
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