Earl Soham
Earl Soham owes its epithet to being anciently held by the Earls of Norfolk – the Bigod family of Framlingham Castle fame, while 'Soham' can be translated as 'farm by the lake' - all that remains of the original lake being a big reedy bog at the west end of the village, south of Soham Lodge.

Earl Soham is a large and remarkably delightful village, its extensive village greens providing pretty rural frontages to elegant country houses and cottages. A great village pub, The Victoria, sells the local Earl Soham Brewery beers Victoria and Albert as well as good pub food. The church, St. Mary's, a neat little building of brick and flint although its interior is somewhat austere.

Peasenhall
In the 19th century this was a thriving industrial settlement, home of the Suffolk Seed Drill Company. There remains little sign of industry today; a sleepy little village, its main street having wide tree lined grass verges and the village disaffectionately known as the Yox river creating an attractive foreground for the traditional Suffolk cottages which back onto the fields and paddocks behind.

The village has some really attractive buildings including a restored 15th century medieval hall house, now fully restored by The Landmark Trust and a very strange chapel in the shape of a Swiss chalet.

Shops in Peasenhall include an excellent butcher, village shop, Emmetts, the world famous speciality food shop, once purveyors to Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. The teashop sells excellent cakes and the Peasenhall Pantry sells a fantastic variety of prepared meals which you can just pop in the microwave or oven, ideal for anyone self catering in Peasenhall.

Marlesford
This was once a stop on the railway branch line to Framlingham and you can still walk along the course of the old line. Now nothing more than a tiny hamlet with a ford over the river Marl, a tributary to one of Suffolk's delightful estuaries, the village has all the charm of a bygone age, a Grade 1 listed church well worth a visit and some lovely walks.

Easton
Look out for the beautiful serpentine wall once the longest in the world, Easton is another of Suffolk's really attractive villages. Known for its hunting connections, it is home to the Easton Harriers. Serpentine walls (also known as crinkle-crankle walls) were very much a peculiarity of Suffolk. Good examples can be seen in Saxmundham and Bramfield. Mainly built for decorative reasons, fruit trees could be neatly trained into the concave bays.

Easton has a fine pub, The White Horse, and nearby is Easton Farm Park a great day out for children with its fine display of farming methods past and present, many rare breeds of animals as well as old machinery, much of it invented in Suffolk. From Easton you can enjoy a lovely circular walk beside the river Deben and across the fields to the partially restored water mill at Letheringham.

Wickham Market
Recently restored, one can now enjoy the sight of the octagonal tower and lead spire of Wickham Market All Saints church from miles around. All Saints Church was built over 700 years ago. The exterior of the church is stone and flintwork. Inside it has fascinating stained glass windows, a 600-year-old font, beautifully carved pulpit and alter table with its handsome painted reredos. There are six bells in the tower and a Sanctus Bell in the cote.

A small and intimate market town, Wickham Market is home to some fascinating shops, including the famous Revett and Sons, butchers. Well known for their exceptional sausages, they also have a delicatessen, wine and bread shop. If quilting is your thing, do visit the Quilters Haven in the market square.

Yoxford
Sometime described as the garden of Suffolk, Yoxford is surrounded by the parkland of three country houses, one of which, Cockfield Hall, was used by Lady Catherine Grey, sister of Jane Grey, in 1567. The Griffin Inn, now a pleasant public house with medieval style restaurant, was once a favourite for smugglers. The 14th century church, St Peter's, has now been extensively restored and no visit is complete without a look at the gargoyles on its west tower.