Since time immemorial, coastal areas of eastern England have been inundated repeatedly. Storm winds have raised sea levels and generated huge waves. Coastal defences have failed. Agricultural land has been flooded. People and their livestock have perished.

Along the coast of eastern England from the Humber to the Thames, there have been many failures of coastal defences.

Thorpeness is a 'garden village' by the sea, between the purple heathlands of the Sandlings and the golden sands of some the best beaches on the East coast.

Originally a small fishing hamlet in the late 19th century.

In 1910, Glencairne Stuart Ogilvie, a Scottish barrister, who had made his money investing on the Russia Railways, bought the entire area from north of Aldeburgh to past Sizewell, up the coast and inland to Aldringham and Leiston.

Despite the popularity of the Suffolk coast the coastline line north of Thorpeness still has a feeling of remoteness. For many hundreds of years Thorpeness was a port but the eroding coastline changed all that the river entrance silted.

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

Aldeburgh
The upmarket seaside town of Aldeburgh - which grew on the site of an old medieval fishing and ship building centre - appeals to a wide cross section of people - from families, writers, artists and music aficionados to city folk in need of a quick, cultured getaway and that invigorating salty North Sea breeze.

Ultimately, if you thrive on good old-fashioned English seaside charm and unspoilt natural beauty then this is the place to come to with not a flashing neon light in sight and many a delightful pastime to partake in.

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.