Beccles, a fascinating historic town, is today largely known visited for its position on the southern end of the Broads National Park and its wonderful ancient buildings and attractive river walks, but the very fact that the river runs through the centre of the town must have made it an ideal dropping off / collection point for contraband.

Below is an extract from Smuggling in the British Isles: a History by Richard Platt For more detail visit his website www.smuggling.co.uk

Beccles is the largest town in the Waveney area at the southernmost point of the Broads, just six miles east of Bungay, on the buff of the Suffolk bank of the River Waveney. Beccles, meaning river pasture, is an ancient market town once home to Saxons and Vikings. Beccles houses an excellent museum, the Beccles and District Museum (a beautiful Dutch-style gabled building)with a fine collection of 19th century toys and costumes and memorabilia from the sailing wherries. There is a very good shopping area where you will find fine local produce and market.

Dedicated to Suffolk, Big House Holidays and Suffolk Cottage Holidays offer visitors the very best holiday properties available, ranging from cosy thatched cottages, to funky beach houses and large luxurious barns. A family of comprehensive Suffolk websites, unequalled in detail and images, ensures that you will be able to find the perfect property for your Suffolk break and with a state-of-the-art booking system to match, you can then go on to check availability, and book and pay on line quickly, easily and at any time of day or night.

The UpStAiRs Gallery is a new and exciting gallery for all artists and craft-makers in Norfolk and Suffolk. Above Lloyds TSB Bank in Beccles, you are able to relax and enjoy arts and crafts over two floors of artspace. The gallery showcases and celebrates all the arts that our region has to offer, alongside exciting crafts and gifts that are created right here in East Anglia. Events are also held throughout the year. Become a friend of the gallery to receive news as soon as it happens.

Situated next to the tower of St Michaels Church in the heart of Beccles is The Tower House for Kids, a shop full of exciting ranges of designer clothing just for kids and teenagers up to age 16. The Tower House is proud to offer brands specifically designed for older boys & girls as an alternative to the high street. There is a variety of ranges for babies and younger children and a selection of accessories such as bags, backpacks, wallets and a range of Pooki’s in store.

Since 1989, the beautiful 16th century Castell farm and stables have been the home of M.D.Cannell Antiques and East India Trading. The large showrooms house an extraordinary array of rugs and textiles from Persia and Afghanistan, where they rub shoulders with antiques and furniture from Britain and Europe. The overall effect on first time visitors of the lovely surroundings, the sheer mass of beautiful objects and the lack of pushy salespeople, is one of wonder coupled with disbelief.

Blending generations of craftsmanship with state of the art design, as well as good old fashioned customer service with vision and fresh thinking, Mulberry Kitchen Studio promises to turn your dream kitchen into a stunning reality. Their team have years of experience in designing, producing and installing beautiful bespoke cabinets, as well as units and appliances from some of the finest manufacturers in Europe. Backed by their own team of project-managed tradesmen and builders, they can guarantee that whatever the scale of the project, they will make it straightforward and stress free.

Saxon has been open for eight years now, named after pet springer spaniel, Saxon, who is always there to give you a warm welcome. In this friendly atmosphere, Saxon offers alternative therapies and beauty treatments plus a wide range of natural products all under one roof. The therapists are all highly qualified and work in this very old 16th century house. All the rooms are full of energy and decorated to depict a holistic feel. In the shop you are spoilt for choice with a unique range of gifts; these are not only locally-made but from Australia, New Zealand, India and Malaysia.

For those with a taste for the unusual, Swan House food is genuinely English with strong international ideas and flavours. With influences ranging from the Chelsea Arts Club, London, to the Kampung Café, Bali, this popular eatery is all the more remarkable because it is set in the heart of rural Suffolk. Most recently, owners Roland Blunk and Leslie Dumphie have introduced an evening bar menu for guests looking for something lighter than à la carte; two courses for £13.00.

Baileys Delicatessen now offers a café area for its customers where you will be able to sample their superb selection of quality foods straight from their delicatessen. They offer a great menu of light food that includes homemade dishes such as lasagne, their famous meatballs, or Spanish dishes such as a fabulous selection of meats and antipastos. Every week they create a new selection of specials to complement their menu.