Orford The journey from Woodbridge or Melton to Orford is a pleasant one, and all the better for showing off a different Suffolk landscape of forest and heath
A hamlet with a heritage High towers and fabulous seafood The village itself is a delight and will not disappoint whether you opt to stretch your legs or head for the nearest hostelry. It is only when you wonder why they built such a big castle keep here that you realise Orford was once a seaport of strategic significance and that, like so much of Suffolk, it has an amazing history. A couple of centuries ago someone actually wanted to knock the castle down, which would have been a disaster not only for today’s tourist trade but also for shipping which uses it as a landmark. Another fine landmark is St Bartholomew’s Church, where some of Benjamin Britten’s finest works received
their first public performance. Indeed, there is a commemorative statue to Noye’s Flood. For such a small place it is remarkably well-served by restaurants, hotels and pubs, including the Butley Oysterage, which celebrates an obvious local delicacy. And the local smokehouse produces further Suffolk fare you will not want to go home without. Curiously, there is a craft shop, usually with lovely basket-ware outside, which doubles as an exhibition space (upstairs) for underwater studies. It turns out that the owner is a keen diver who has recovered some fascinating treasures off Orford and Dunwich over the years.
The quay is always a lively place, with ferry trips across the river and longer cruises available aboard the Lady Florence. Havergate Island is a bird reserve, popular with waders and the RSPB’s emblematic avocet. Over on the long shingle spit that is Orford Ness it is not just the astonishing wildlife that has attracted human interest. It has been the testing site for various military experiments, including atomic weapons research. Today the National Trust is peacefully in charge. The waters around the Ness can be treacherous, which did not deter the smugglers of yesteryear but did cause numerous shipwrecks until the lighthouse was built.
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the best of Suffolk
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