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Willow barn suffolk
Things to do...
Bury St Edmunds
The market town of Bury St Edmunds is less than a 15 min drive. Bury is one of Suffolk’s largest towns and is home to St Edmundsbury Cathedral and Abbey Gardens. Bury has fabulous shops, stylish restaurants and wonderful architecture. It has 200 stores which line the picturesque medieval streets and elegant Georgian squares.
Held on Wednesdays and Saturdays throughout the year, the Bury St Edmunds Market offers an excellent selection of food & drink, both locally sourced and from around the world. As well as vintage clothing, pottery and colourful plants and flowers.
Bury is well known for its food so you’re spoilt for choice with a variety of restaurants and bars.
The Michelin star Pea Porridge Restaurant is simply a must.
Lark Restaurant has secured a place in the national Good Food Guide with glowing reviews from renowned restaurant critics.
Amigos has been named ‘best Mexican establishment’ in the country by Food Awards England.
Other restaurants include La Maison Bleue, 1921, Cote, Gastrono-me, Edmunds, Francela, Edmundo Lounge, Rustico, Cheers, Voujon, Queens Bar & Grill, Sakura, The One Bull to name but a few.
There are plenty of pubs and cocktail bars to try. Have a drink in The Angel where Charles Dickens stayed. Be sure to pay a visit to The Nutshell – the smallest pub you’ll ever go in.
Cosy up for a film in a 1920s cinema – Abbeygate Cinema. Timeless classics to box office latest releases are shown here. You can enjoy a drink from comfy armchairs or if wanting a meal, visit No.4 restaurant for some great food.
Theatre Royal - the last surviving regency playhouse theatre in the country. A tour of the theatre is a must for any serious theatre goer. With an exciting programme of live performance, you are sure to have a night to remember in this beautiful space.
Greene King Brewery Tour & Tasting – its history goes back to 1086. You get an excellent tour taking in the brewing process and its rich heritage. Walk the 100 steps to the Brewhouse roof to see spectacular views of the town and Suffolk. You can relax in the unusual Beer Café, whilst sampling some of the finest beers brewed in Bury!
Moyse’s Hall Museum is steeped in history and is situated in a medieval building. It houses eclectic collections and exhibitions. Visit their webpage to see what's on.
Abbey Gardens & Abbey Ruins.
The award-winning 14-acre gardens are on the site of the former Benedictine Abbey, which in medieval times was one of the richest, largest and most powerful Benedictine monasteries in England. The gardens are renowned for their colourful and attractive displays and the heritage of its backdrop make the gardens a very special place. You can visit the Magna Carta memorial in the gardens.
St. Edmundsbury Cathedral view the tapestry exhibition and look at the outstanding painted ceiling and font.
Book a 90-minute ghost tour (selected dates) with Bury St Edmunds Tour Guides. As you wind your way around the darkened streets there will be stories of screaming skulls, mysterious monk like figures, burnings, hangings and more, finishing up in the dark and deserted Great Churchyard.
Suffolk
Suffolk is a beautiful county with lots to see and do, and what better way to get a sense of the county than walking or cycling through the open countryside and picturesque villages?
Suffolk contains some wonderful historic sites and buildings including the dramatic castle at Framlingham (50 mins) – where most recently the BBC show the ‘Detectorists’ was filmed around the town.
If it’s a beach day you’re after, then Aldeburgh has a stunning coastline or Southwold for its famous multi coloured beach huts. Or visit Shingle Street located to the north of Felixstowe, which is known for its shingle and pebble beach. All just over an hour’s drive away!
Long Melford (35 mins), was one of the great cloth towns of medieval Suffolk. It’s a characteristic English village – a location made famous by artists Thomas Gainsborough and John Constable.
Lavenham (35 mins), is one of the prettiest places to visit in Suffolk (often described as ‘England’s finest medieval village’) and is known the world over for its fine Tudor buildings. The streets have been used as background for TV and films including Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1. Lavenham is also the winner of ‘Best Farmers Market in the UK’, the market takes place on Sunday’s from 10-130pm.
In Cambridge (50 mins) go for a punt on the river Cam and go under the Bridge of Sighs.
See the various colleges which line its banks including the historic King’s College. Visit the Botanic Gardens which contain over 8,000 plant species from across the world. The city has a large array of shops and restaurants – visit Fitzbillies the famous café with their sticky Chelsea buns.
Just south of the main centre of Cambridge is Grantchester (45 mins), the village is known for its quaint pubs and quintessentially English village charm.
Ely (45 mins) is England’s second smallest City, it is famous for its magnificent Norman cathedral known locally as “The Ship of the Fens”. Ely has the largest antiques shop in East Anglia called Waterside Antiques. It has a floor space of 10,000 square feet with more than 65 antique dealers.
Norwich city centre (55 mins) has streets that still carry a lot of their medieval charm, including some remains of the ancient city walls and a wealth of historic buildings. Elm Hill is a cobbled lane with many buildings dating back to the Tudor period. The Norman cathedral is one of the finest in England, with is magnificent cloisters. The Lanes is a shopper’s paradise, recognised as one of the top 10 places to shop in the UK.
Newmarket (30 mins) is the heart of horseracing and boasts two racecourses. Most early mornings you can see racehorses exercising the gallops. You can go one stop on the train from Bury train station – which takes 18 mins.
The famous July Festival is 3 days of world class horseracing - see their webpage for more info.
Breckland in Norfolk & Suffolk is one of the most important areas for wildlife in the UK - it is a biodiversity hotspot. Over 12,845 species live in the Brecks. It is home to interesting flora and fauna with unspoiled countryside. A birdwatcher’s paradise, stunning ruins, flint mines and historic buildings and houses.
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