Places to Visit
Don’t miss the annual Christmas Fayre in November. This wonderful three-day event won ‘Best Tourism Event’ in the Enjoy England Regional awards.
Cavendish
where every sort of store from the large high street names to family-run businesses and fascinating small gift shops sit comfortably side-by-side. The Abbey Gardens are well known for their stunning floral displays. St Edmundsbury Cathedral was mostly built in the 16th century and has been a cathedral since 1914. There has never been a better time to visit this medieval building, once part of the great abbey of St Edmund, as it has recently been completed with the addition of a new Gothic style lantern tower. Other buildings to admire include the Victorian Corn Exchange, with its imposing colonnade; the Athenaeum, hub of social life since Regency times; Cupola House, where Daniel Defoe once stayed; the Angel Hotel, where Charles Dickens and his creation Mr Pickwick stayed; and The Nutshell, owned by Greene King, and probably the smallest pub in the country. The town is home to Greene King and any visit must include a visit to the brewery, where you can take a tour and a tasting. The small but enormously significant Theatre Royal, built by National Gallery architect William Wilkins in 1819, is the sole surviving Regency Theatre left in the country and even after nearly 200 years remains a vital part of the town’s cultural identity.
Cavendish is the perfect ‘picture postcard’ English village and arguably one of the prettiest villages in Suffolk. Situated in the Stour Valley, Cavendish is famed for its 14th/15th-century church, a number of thatched cottages, and the Sue Ryder Foundation Museum, which tells the life story of Sue Ryder and the history of the Foundation. In 1381 during the Peasants Revolt, Sir John Cavendish hung on to the handle of the church door to plead for sanctuary from his pursuers after his son had put to death Wat Tyler, the peasants’ leader. What is even more amazing is that the same handle still hangs on the door some 620 years later.
Clare
A delightful little wool town on the River Stour; in fact, its name is said to derive from the “clear” nature of the river Stour as it
flows through the town. Voted Suffolk Village of the Year 2010-2012, the town has a captivating history, offering a wide range of shops, antique outlets and excellent l.ocal cafes and pubs. Visit the remains of a 13th-century Augustinian Priory and the quaint Ancient House Museum. The open space of Clare Castle Country Park is a wonderful place to relax, while there is a lovely nature trail along the pretty River Stour. Summer events include open-air garden theatre and treasure trails for children.
Dunwich
Once the capital of East Anglia, it’s hard to believe that the sleepy village of Dunwich was once a bustling port city with a population of 4,000. It might have been still if the sea hadn’t eaten away at it, leading to its almost complete abandonment by the 19th century, with its population dwindling to a mere 237. Nonetheless there are fabulous reminders of its heyday, including the ruins of a Franciscan priory, while the natural splendour of Dunwich Heath is still intact. A project is underway to uncover submerged parts of the original town, and some residents claim they can still hear the bells of drowned churches ringing at low tide. 11