Did you know?

Southwold is almost an island, surrounded as it is by the North Sea, River Blyth, Southwold harbour and Buss Creek. There is just one road in and out of the town, through neighbouring Reydon.

The landmark lighthouse stands at 31 metres tall and is a grade II listed building. It is still a working lighthouse, although it hasn’t been manned since 1938.

Mills and Sons Butchers is the oldest shop in Southwold with continued use. Its butchery history dates back to around 1684!

Dystopian author George Orwell spent time in Southwold throughout his childhood and his thirties. The town is believed to have inspired the setting for his novel A Clergymen’s Daughter.

Southwold’s Sole Bay has seen many hundreds of shipwrecks. In 1672, the huge Royal James went down in the Battle of Sole Bay along with 700 of its crew.

The iconic Southwold Pier was built in 1900 and was originally 810ft long – today, following storm damage, a rogue sea mine and consequent renovations, it is 623ft.