things to do in suffolk.

[robgil]

we have been cooped up in this cottage for ages now , whats good to do in suffolk guys for a bored robgil and a very pregnant ms robgil? lots of walking is out so a cuppa in nice surroundings would be better suited , any ideas?

 

[Moo]

Oh, dear. Where to start...?

St Peter's Brewery is well worth a google (to get some idea of the magnificent building and furnishings) and a visit. Don't know offhand if they do teas, but Sunday lunch there is excellent.

And, of course, the Flora Tea Rooms in Dunwich. An immense hut right on the edge of the sea, it serves probably the best fish&chips ever, and is a veritable Tate Gallery of the tea towel.

In Southwold one is tripping over tea-shops, and craft shops, and galleries, and quirky clothes shops. And you can buy fish straight off the boats in the harbour. (For luxury afternoon tea, The Swan is highly recommended)

 

[Flyfisher]

A visit to Bury St Edmunds' Abbey and Cathedral?

England's only whiskey distillery near East Harling (no sampling by Mrs Robgil of course!)

A trip to Lavenham to see how your house will look when you've finished work on it?

Suffolk In A Day at Long Melford?

A day at the races in Newmarket?

A day at the races at Snetterton?

Afternoon tea at Stratton's in Swaffham?

OK, the last two are in Norfolk, but they're pretty close to you.

 

[robgil]

thank you guys , lavenham? what's that then?
we just got back from a lovely visit to Newmarket where we sampled the new double angry whopper burger in burger kings drive through car park followed by a tour of the local 'netto' supermarket (a cheap version of lidle) where i managed to find 4 cans of tuborg lager for 3 quid , then we topped it all off with a drive through the local carwash where we splashed out on a wash No 1 and enjoyed the latest 'soft wash' car wash technology. :lol:

 

[LadyArowana]

then we topped it all off with a drive through the local carwash where we splashed out on a wash No 1 and enjoyed the latest 'soft wash' car wash technology. :lol:

I thought you had rigged up a temporary bathroom at home :shock:

 

[robgil]

the car wash attendant did seem quite surprised when we strolled up with our soap bags under our arms , handed him £2.70 along with our towels and dressing gowns then proceeded to dander into the car wash wearing nothing more than our flip flops and birthday suits.

 

[Flyfisher]

thank you guys , lavenham? what's that then?

You live in a Suffolk-pink, timber-framed, thatched cottage and have not heard of Lavenham? :shock:

Make haste, visit immediately and swap 'drive-through angry whoppers' (whatever they are) and cheap lager for the Guildhall tea room.

http://www.discoverlavenham.co.uk/

 

[philpjuk100]

Lavenham! beautiful!,google it,the guildhall is a "must not miss",and if you are spreading the search to norfolk then "castle acre" should get a visit,incredible inglenooks plus good food and beer at the "ostrich"phil.

 

[middi]

If you require some inspiration as to how a restored timber frame building should look like Rogbil, you must visit Lavenham.

Apart from the odd cars, lamp posts and tarmack coupled with some nice tea shops you could be walking a high street as it was in the 15th\16th century complete with their contemporary shop fronts.
You must visit.

 

[Gareth Hughes]

Lavenham?! Pah!!! :shock:
If you want to see how people in the 1930s and 1950s thought a mediaeval town should look, go there. (Which is itself an interesting lesson in the history of history)
But the tea shops are very good.
Bury St Eds for me, with its mediaeval 1960s-2000s cathedral. And a lot of lovely Georgian. And even one or two good new bits.

 

[robgil]

have you been on the old laughing soup Gareth?

 

[Gareth Hughes]

have you been on the old laughing soup Gareth?

Just opened a second bottle, as it happens, but I do think Lavenham, for all (and because of) its prettiness, has been stuffed and mounted, whereas Bury, and other places, are still alive and kicking. Maybe it's the job - I'm a Co, not a museum curator :wink:
Ickworth? Long Melford - that's nice.

 

[essexbearhunter]

Long Melford - that's nice.

Fully agree - interesting flint church , picturesque cottages with cast iron gateposts and elaborate bargeboards plus the delightful octagonal elevated banqueting house at Melford Hall.

Although Simon Jenkins is somewhat disparaging about Thomas Hopper's internal changes to Melford Hall, I felt that his simple, wide staircase, set at 90 degrees to where I had anticipated it would be (had it been the normal rather elaborate set-piece) worked really well. The National Trust had slightly less to thank him for when they discovered that his decorative columns in the library -which replaced a wall- were the only support for the brickwork above!

 

[Penners]

we just got back from a lovely visit to Newmarket where we sampled the new double angry whopper burger in burger kings drive through car park followed by a tour of the local 'netto' supermarket (a cheap version of lidle) where i managed to find 4 cans of tuborg lager for 3 quid , then we topped it all off with a drive through the local carwash where we splashed out on a wash No 1 and enjoyed the latest 'soft wash' car wash technology.

Wow - you certainly know how to give a girl a good time, Rob. I've made a note of all of those treats, and will ensure that Mrs P gets to enjoy them, the next time I take her out for an airing.

This may be my last on this forum.

 

[Moo]

Post deleted - my brain has just unscrambled.

 

[Flyfisher]

I know what Gareth means about Lavenham, and I also agree with him about Bury St Edmunds, but there's surely no doubt that Lavenham is a 'must see' place (which Robgil hasn't, hence my recommendation).

We regularly go to Bury but only occasionally visit Lavenham, usually when friends visit. The last time was with an American friend visiting the UK - it's always fun showing off buildings older than someone's home nation.

 

[robgil]

i will go and see it guys , i was surprised though to learn that's its an actual village , my first impressions were that it was a museum. as much as i love looking at old medieval houses its hard to do if you cannot go in side them. The Weald and Downland open air museum was an excellent visit and one that i will certainly do again , a must if you want to look inside old houses and see them as they used to be.

http://www.wealddown.co.uk/Buildings%20and%20Exhibits/poplar-cottage-17th-century-smoke-bay.htm

Today we went to the old town in Bury , we had a tour of the hospital today and it was nice out side so we dropped the roof on the car and took a drive around , some very lovely buildings but i think it really needs to be walked around to fully appreciate it.

 

[Penners]

i will go and see it guys , i was surprised though to learn that's its an actual village , my first impressions were that it was a museum.

As it happens, not an entirely inaccurate assumption. But - as FF says - you must see it.

Be sure to visit the Guildhall, in the market square - the jewel in Lavenham's crown and a breathtaking timberframe building.

 

[Flyfisher]

Absolutely. And just to clarify, you can definitely go inside the Guildhall and wander around.

 

[Pford75]

England's only whiskey distillery near East Harling (no sampling by Mrs Robgil of course!)

Actually in Norfolk as well FF. http://www.englishwhisky.co.uk/

Well worth a visit and if you do, we are just down the road for a spot of tea :wink: