There's Nowhere Like Suffolk Summer 2024

There’s nowhere like SUFFOLK

The e-magazine from Visit Suffolk Summer 2024

Summer at Snape

26 July – 31 August 2024

A season of memorable days and nights with world-class entertainment and a programme tailored for everyone awaits. Immerse yourself in concerts, shopping, art, walks, workshops and so much more.

Concerts & performances

A season of great nights out at Snape Maltings Concert Hall returns: outstanding orchestras, sensational soloists and international stars from the worlds of classical music, jazz, folk, roots and rock.

Family events

Many of our events are family-friendly, allowing you to enjoy your day out together. From children’s concerts, skills-based groups, to workshops and walks.

Independent shops

Snape Maltings is a heritage site, home to independent shops, galleries and eateries, all in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Art & exhibitions

Beyond the natural landscape, enjoy the galleries, architecture, exhibitions and sculpture at Snape Maltings and The Red House, Aldeburgh.

Stay

We have fifteen beautiful properties at Snape Maltings and The Red House, Aldeburgh, which are available to rent across the summer. These range from a one bedroom cottage to a six bedroom family home.

Welcome to this latest edition of There’s Nowhere Like Suffolk… and there really isn’t! It’s a unique and magical place, especially in Summer.

In this edition, we’re exploring the coast, discovering where to take boat trips and ferries and we’re highlighting what we think is the up and coming seaside destination in Felixstowe. Honestly, if you’ve not been there, get ahead of the crowds.

We’re offering you things not to miss and unusual places to visit and we’ll demonstrate why dogs love Suffolk.

With the 80th anniversary of D-Day we’re looking at The Friendly Invasion – the American presence in Suffolk during the Second World War – without whose bravery and sacrifices the invasion of Normandy couldn’t happen.

And while Suffolk is a great destination for a day trip, it’s even better if you stay and you get to soak up the laid-back vibe we have here. There’s accommodation types for all tastes and pockets, so we’ll give you a helping hand there too.

You’ll find us a very welcoming bunch so have a great time!

not to miss! 10 things

If you’ve not been to Suffolk before and you’re hard-pressed for time, here’s the things you can’t miss out on.

1 BURY ST EDMUNDS

Bury started out as a Benedictine monastery to accommodate the remains of Edmund, the last Anglo Saxon king of East Anglia who was martyred by Vikings and who was also the first patron saint of England until the Turkish imposter came along (dragons, really? Really?).

Along with the Abbey ruins, its lovely gardens and Cathedral, this lovely market town is now also known for its charming Georgian streets and eclectic shopping as well as its burgeoning restaurant scene. This is also Suffolk’s top-rated town for dogs!

2 SUTTON HOO

You’ve seen the film The Dig, now see the place it’s based on… the grave, with its fabulous ship and treasure, of an Anglo Saxon King on the River Deben. The National Trust property has excellent interpretation, great walks overlooking the river, and a high tower from which you can see the full extent of the burial site. Spend some time in lovely riverside Woodbridge while you’re here.

3 FRAMLINGHAM

Known as Fram to locals, this is a charming market town with laid-back appeal. Don’t miss the extraordinary St Michael church with its fine array of 16th century sculpture and English Heritage-managed Framlingham Castle. Yes, it’s a shell but the impressive crenelated walls are still intact, indeed you can take an aerial walk around them, and the interpretation is excellent. Oh, and Ed Sheeran wrote a song about it, Castle On The Hill. He grew up here.

4 LAVENHAM

One of the best-preserved medieval towns in the country, Lavenham has higgledy-piggledy timber-framed buildings from a time when the wool trade made this area one of the richest in England. Find the house that featured in Harry Potter, and don’t miss the Little Hall, Guildhall of Corpus Christi, and the lavish Church of St Peter and St Paul.

5 CONSTABLE COUNTRY

‘I associate my careless boyhood with all that lies on the banks of the Stour,’ wrote English painter John Constable and you can walk in his footsteps in the Dedham Vale, at Flatford Mill where he painted his most famous work The Hay Wain and the evocative Willy Lott’s Cottage, which features in the painting.

6 NATIONAL HORSERACING MUSEUM, NEWMARKET

You’ll be lucky to be here for a race day at one of the town’s two racecourses, so head for the, to give it its full title, the National Heritage Centre for Horseracing and Sporting Art, where you can learn about the town’s horseracing history and culture. Built on the site of Charles II’s original palace, this is an impressive complex where kids can dress up in racing silks and everyone can try the vigorous horse simulator.

7 IPSWICH WATERFRONT

Great at any time of the day, Ipswich’s Waterfront is best on a Summer’s evening with the sun going down, watching the reflections of the boats in the marina as you sip a cocktail or take an early supper in the many bars and restaurants.

8 SOUTHWOLD

Take an Adnams Brewery/Distillery tour, play the ingeniously silly games on the Victorian pier, stroll down the High Street with its artisan food shops, boutiques and cafes, have a walk on the Common with its lovely sea views (okay, yes, and a nuclear power station, we won’t lie but it’s quite aesthetically pleasing), discover the Blackshore Harbour area with its fresh fish stalls, then take your pick of many fine Adnams’ pubs for lunch before an afternoon on the beach. Perfect.

9 ALDEBURGH

Well-heeled Aldeburgh is a small seaside town at the head of the River Alde and has a buzzy atmosphere of top quality restaurants, characterful pubs, ice cream parlours and fancy shops. Don’t be put off by the long queues at the High Street’s main fish and chip shop – they’re queueing because of the quality of the product. Take your purchase and head off along the pebbled beach where you can see the daily fishing catch at the wooden shacks.

10 SNAPE MALTINGS

Snape is home of the Aldeburgh Music Festival and the annual September food festival, possibly the best in the region, but it’s worth a visit at any time, enjoying the craft shops, galleries, food hall, café, Plough & Sail pub, and then taking a stroll through the reedbeds to the river. There’s a nice two mile walk to Iken church along the estuary.

By visiting you’re helping anyone working with plants, trees, flowers or grass.

Fullers Mill , Bury Saint Edmunds IP28 6HD

An award-winning, tranquil seven-acre creation. Light dappled woodland with a plantsman s collection of shrubs, perennials, lilies and marginal plants are enhanced by the waters of the River Lark and Culford Stream.

Open until 30 October 2024. Wednesday 2-5pm, Friday, Saturday and Sunday 11am - 5pm. fullersmill.org.uk

Perennial is the UK’s only charity dedicated to helping everyone working in horticulture. Find out more

10 mostunusual attractions

Yes, we have fabulous coast and countryside, and superb pubs and restaurants serving local fayre, but you want something a little more out of the norm, don’t you?

Read on…

1 HOUSE IN THE CLOUDS

As you approach the quirky Merrie Old England seaside town of Thorpeness your eyes will be drawn to a house in the clouds! An unusual self-catering stay, this is one of the country’s best follies, part of the mock-Jacobean holiday village built by Scottish lawyer Stuart Ogilvie around 1910. The influence of his friend JM Barrie can be seen on The Meare boating lake where islands are named after Peter Pan characters.

2 OASIS CAMEL PARK

Set in the Suffolk countryside, a trip to Oasis Camel Park is like no other. It’s the only park in the UK where you can touch and see camels close-up, along with awesome llamas, donkeys, goats and meerkats. And what else is great about this attraction, I hear you say? Things are free once you’re in! From riding a train and cuddling a pet, to hanging out with the extraordinary camel.

3 BAWDSEY RADAR

Bawdsey Radar Transmitter Block is the world’s first, sharing the global story of radar in a new and fascinating museum. Through interactive galleries, it details the origins of radar and how it impacts our daily lives, as well as telling the story of how men and women who worked in top secret developed radar technology that helped win the Battle of Britain in 1940.

4 SUFFOLK ESCAPE ROOM

The Suffolk Escape Room is based on a glamping site in Saxmundham on the Suffolk coast. The theme encapsulates the local mystery of UFO sightings at Rendlesham. The mystery: you are a band of determined UFO hunters who have hacked a security base where rumours circulate of unexplained activity. Is this a secret military installation disguised as an abandoned farm complex or are mysterious forces at work? Could this be Britain’s Area 51? A perfect group adventure suitable for ages 10+.

5 THE MUSEUM OF FOOD

Containing over 40,000 items on a 75 acre site, Stowmarket’s Museum of Food is the only one of its kind in the country and is one of the grandest open-air museums in Suffolk, consisting of 15 historic buildings, miles of woodland and riverside nature trails and rare breed animals.

Explore a different part of England. Discover our historic links with the US. visiteastofengland.com/masters-of-the-air

6 NATIONAL HORSE RACING MUSEUM

We all know that Newmarket is the home of British horse racing – the sport of kings. But did you know the town now boasts a magnificent new visitor attraction which celebrates the town’s equine history? The Newmarket Horse Racing Museum brings to life centuries of history through interactive galleries; a chance to meet celebrated retired racehorses in the Rothschild Yard (who love a pat and a cuddle!); watch daily demonstrations of retired horses in the Peter O’Sullevan Arena and spot some of the finest sporting art in the world (Stubbs and Munnings are just two of the ‘greats’). If you’re with the little ones, they will love to ‘have a go’ on the racehorse simulator –who knows, you may have a jockey in the making! Family trails are also available.

7 WWII ROYAL OBSERVER CORPS CONTROL CENTRE

Discover the fascinating history of Bury St Edmunds Guildhall, dating back nearly 800 years, in the historic town of Bury St Edmunds. Take a journey through time as live reenactors guide you around the oldest continuouslyused civic building in Britain – see the banqueting hall, the Tudor kitchen, the court room and the World War Two Royal Observer Corps Control Centre – the only surviving room of its kind in the country.

8 LITTLE HALL LAVENHAM

This gem of an attraction is a fine 14th century timber-framed historic house in the main square of one of the most picturesque villages in the country. Little Hall mirrors the changing fortunes of Lavenham during the wool trade and now acts as a shrine to the artistic Gayer-Anderson twin brothers, who collected fine art and artefacts. Wander through the seven rooms and discover unusual treasures, including exotic Persian panels, and an upstairs chamber with its striking crown-post.

10 THE TIDE MILL LIVING MUSEUM

The Tide Mill experience is a unique ‘living’ museum and one of the last surviving working tide mills in the country, located in Woodbridge on the stunning River Deben (a tide mill has been on the site for over 800 years). This iconic building is spread over three floors, incorporating CGI imagery, interactive models and audio stations, brought to life by the technical know-how of the millers.

9 FLATFORD WILDLIFE GARDEN

In the historic hamlet of Flatford, on the River Stour, is Flatford Wildlife Garden – a wildlife nature reserve where John Constable used to paint. In this little oasis of calm and tranquillity sits a wildflower meadow and orchard designed to nurture wildlife. Whether you are seeking inspiration or having a family day out, the location is hard to beat – well, Constable thought so! Watch out for family-friendly activities during the school holidays in the heart of Constable Country.

10 ways to explore the Suffolk coast

With forty miles of coast, there’s plenty of variety to discover when you visit Suffolk…

1 GO CRABBING

A very simple pastime – you just need a line, a bucket with sea water in it and some bait. For this head to Walberswick and plonk yourself on a wooden bridge over the River Dunwich. Hours of fun! Then for something more energetic, have a play on the fabulous sandy beach.

RESTAURANT RECORDING STUDIO

PRIVATE FUNCTIONS

WEDDINGS B & B

2 EAT THE FOOD FROM THE SEA

Explore the delightful riverside village of Orford, with its medieval castle, and then head to Pinney’s for the finest smoked fish and shellfish.

3 FISH AND CHIPS ON THE SEAFRONT

Aldeburgh is a great place to do this. Get your traditional seaside fayre in one of the top quality establishments on the High Street, walk along the seafront and find a seat from which to consume your takeaway while enjoying the fine view that includes the Moot Hall, home of the town museum, and wooden fishing shacks. Lots of vinegar and salt on your fish and chips – go on, you’re on holiday!

4 TAKE A ROWING BOAT OUT ON THE MEARE

In the mock-Tudor village of Thorpeness, just north of Aldeburgh, you’ll find a 60 acre shallow Meare which was dug out by hand. Head off by rowing boat, canoe or pedalo and discover the many Peter Pan-inspired islands. Hey, take a picnic!

5 WALK THE SUFFOLK COASTAL PATH

Yes, we said the coast is forty miles long but for the Coastal Path add another ten. Why? All those estuaries where you have to follow the river to a suitable crossing. This one starts with a ferry, Felixstowe-Bawdsey, and then up to Orford before heading inland to Snape Maltings and then back to the coast at Aldeburgh.

6 GO BIRDWATCHING

Minsmere RSPB Nature Reserve is on the coast in the Dunwich Heath National Landscape and is one of the best birdwatching spots in the country.

7 SHINGLE STREET

Find lonely and out-of-the-way Shingle Street near Bawdsey and you’ll be in the film location in Richard Curtis’ and Danny Boyle’s Yesterday when our hero Jack (Himesh Patel) meets John Lennon, played by Robert Carlyle.

8 DISCOVER THE COAST’S DYNAMISM

Walk the shingle beach at Dunwich and see the ruins of an old abbey. Would you believe this is all that remains of what was once one of the largest medieval ports in the country, all now under Sole Bay? The town was devastated by two storms in the Middle Ages. Head to the tiny museum on the High Street (actually, the only street) and you can see a diorama of how enormous the town used to be.

Dunwich Heath

Aldeburgh beach

9 THE MOST EASTERLY POINT IN ENGLAND

Plonk yourself on Ness Point in Lowestoft and you can genuinely claim you’re in the most easterly point in the country and so the first place to see the rising sun. No wonder one of the highlights of Lowestoft’s calendar is the First Light Festival.

10 VOYAGE OUT TO SEA

You can still hit the adrenaline heights in sleepy Southwold with an exhilarating ride on the Coastal Voyager rib based in Blackshore Harbour, Southwold.

First Light Festival

WhylovedogsSuffolk

Holidays are meant for sharing. We’ve shown you how you can bring the whole family to Suffolk, and why Suffolk is perfect for kids, but we can’t forget about our four-legged companions. In fact, Bury St Edmunds is now England’s Most Dog Friendly Town!

Here are some of the reasons why dogs love Suffolk, and why here you never have to leave your best friend behind.

Dunwich Heath

THE BEST WET DOG WALKS!

With rivers, lakes and 50 miles of heritage coastline, Suffolk is heaven for dogs that love to swim. During the summer months some beaches such as Aldeburgh, Felixstowe, Lowestoft and Kessingland have restrictions on dogs, which will be signposted. However, the beaches at Southwold south, Sizewell and Walberswick are free to dogs throughout the summer, and the stunning National Trust site of Dunwich, which offers blooms of heather to play in, cool breakers to paddle in and a tearoom with doggie refreshments, is blissfully open all year round. The only restrictions are on Dunwich Heath during bird nesting time, due to the proximity of RSPB Minsmere.

Many of Suffolk’s gentler waterways are perfect for wild swimming, so why not take your dog along, too? The River Waveney at Outney Common, the River Ouse at Santon Downham and Knettishall Heath, and the River Stour at Flatford are all great places to taking a cooling dip, though always check the weather and strength of the current beforehand to make sure it is safe for you and your dog.

If you enjoy a good walk and then a stop off at a pub, there’s not better place than Pin Mill, on the outskirts of Ipswich. Here the dogs can also enjoy a cool dip in the river.

THE BEST DRY(ER) DOG WALKS!

Suffolk’s forests and vales are fantastic places for long walks, and with rich wildlife all around there will be plenty to keep your dog’s interest. From Brandon and Elveden in west Suffolk you can explore the Brecks, a mesmerizing landscape of twisted pines, rabbit warrens and Neolithic flint mines, and home to many species of rare bird.

The Brecks cover almost 400 square miles across the Suffolk-Norfolk border, and contains many fascinating areas, such as the pockmarked ground above Grimes Graves, and the shady trails within Thetford Forest. A great place to start walking the Brecks with your dog is Brandon Country Park, which has five trails taking you through different types of landscape, flora and fauna. On the other side of Suffolk near Woodbridge is Rendlesham Forest, site of the mysterious UFO sightings of December 1980. Its eerie history and tall, dark trees makes Rendlesham Forest a fascinating place to go with your dog. Following the circular trails that take you through forest, heathland and wetland, you can discover the story of what happened there one cold night in December 1980, an event now known worldwide as “The Rendlesham Forest Incident.”

Another gorgeous place to take your dog walking is through the Dedham Vale National Landscape, a place also known as Constable Country. This idyllic rural landscape bore the painter John Constable and was the inspiration for many of his most famous paintings, such as The Hay Wain (1821). Today you can walk through this valley carved by the River Stour from Flatford to Sudbury, taking in the picturesque views of thatched cottages, bridges and flowery riverbanks as you go.

DOG-FRIENDLY ACCOMMODATION

There’s a huge range of dog-friendly accommodation in Suffolk, from luxurious hotels to cosy campsites. At the top end of the scale is the Ickworth near Bury St Edmunds: set beside 1,800 of National Trust parkland and beautiful family-size apartments, it can be a home away from home for you and your dog. Other dog-friendly hotels include Milsoms Kesgrave Hall and Hintlesham Hall, both just outside Ipswich, and Tuddenham Mill, famed for its exquisite surroundings and having the Best Set Lunch Menu in the UK.

If you prefer a cosy inn to a grand hotel, you’ll love the Westleton Crown and The Anchor at Walberswick, two inns on The Suffolk Coast that welcome dogs in their bars and in many of their rooms. The editors of the Good Hotel Guide chose The Crown and Castle in Orford as one of their favourite dog-friendly hotels; while the The Bildeston Crown also welcomes well-behaved dogs (often with biscuits!). Like the Crown and the The Anchor, both have excellent coastal walks on their doorstep.

There are lots of dog-friendly cottages in Suffolk, such as Suffolk Hideaways properties on the Suffolk coast and further inland, with locations close to Ipswich, The Wool Towns and Constable Country. Located near Framlingham, Windmill Lodges is the ideal location to set your eager pet free. Surrounded by open countryside the coast, forest and heathland are all within easy reach. At Suffolk Secrets there’s no difference in quality between holiday cottages that accept pets and those that do not. Office Piece is a truly unique self-catering holiday cottage hidden in the depths of Rendlesham Forest, near Woodbridge –the perfect location for your pet, friends and family.

FocusFelixstowe on

At the

southern-most

point of Suffolk,

the

charming seaside town of

Felixstowe

has been over-looked in the past… but not any more!

Known for being the biggest container port in the UK, and one of the largest in Europe, it’s the destination for all those HGVs you see hammering along the A14 to the coast. It’s also sandwiched between the gaudy, ‘kiss me quick’ delights of Clacton and Southendon-Sea to the south and the more genteel and restrained seaside towns of Aldeburgh and Southwold to the north.

The traditional English seafront has a lovely promenade backed by lavish and well-tended sub-tropical gardens that edge a long and sandy beach, with Edwardian hotels and B&Bs and the pleasant town perched on the cliff above.

Places to head for on the seafront are The Alex, the buzziest place in the town, with downstairs café and upstairs brasserie serving oysters, steaks and lots of seafood and shellfish. Enjoy the view from the sea-facing outside terrace. Nearby is Fish Dish serving superb fish and chips but also fish dishes such as charcoal-grilled sea bass and sea bream, fish pie and salt and pepper squid. Also on the Undercliff Road opposite the leisure centre the Little Ice Cream Co does exactly what it says on the tin! Here, you’ll also find Spa Pavilion, which hosts shows and performances throughout the year.

FocusFelixstowe on

Housed in a colourful shipping container complex with a wonderful range of small independent and artisan businesses is Beach Street. An exciting place to eat, drink and shop on Felixstowe seafront, take your pick from New York style pizzas, waffles and crepes, Vietnamese street food, vegan food at Hank’s Dirty, a great range of craft ales at Hopsters and smoked food at The View Smoke House.

Don’t miss the riverside village of Felixstowe Ferry where there are some nice pubs and eateries and from where you can take a foot ferry across the river Deben to Bawdsey.

Completed in 1905, Felixstowe was once one of the longest piers in the country with its own electric tramway running to the end and was the stopping point for the ‘Belle’ paddle steamers which operated between London and Great Yarmouth. The majority of Felixstowe Pier was purposely demolished after the Second World War but there’s enough there still to enjoy amusements and ride and café.

FocusFelixstowe on

And should container ferries be your thing, head to the port to see if there’s one around under the giant dockside cranes. They are mahoosive! While you’re here visit the Felixstowe Museum in Landguard Fort or have a have a cup of tea at the View Point Café while observing the harbour traffic where the rivers Stour and Orwell conjoin and head out to sea.

Ferriesriverandtrips

On a hot Summer’s day, there’s no better way to cool down than getting out on the water. Not all of us can afford a cruiser, so how about a ferry or river trip. Here’s our favourites…

GO SMALL AND HOP ON A LITTLE FERRY

A Summer ferry operates from near Butley to just south of Orford –useful if you’re walking the Suffolk Coastal Path. Our final foot ferry crossing Suffolk’s coastal rivers and estuaries is on Blackshore harbour, operating between Walberswick and Southwold.

Inland, how about The Big Dog Ferry which plies a lovely forty minute journey along the picturesque River Waveney between the Beccles Lido and Geldeston Locks, where you can enjoy refreshments at The Locks pub.

If you fancy a swim, book yourself into The Lido – it’s often mentioned on the BBC Weather as being the hottest recorded place in the country.

CRUISE ALONG

There are two ferries in Felixstowe, at either end of the town. There’s a foot ferry across the River Deben to Bawdsey. Before heading off take refreshments at the Ferry Café. Established in 1946, this quirky café offers 50s-inspired nostalgia with local fishing history and an American diner vibe.

If you fancy getting up close and personal with the biggest container ships in the world, there’s a foot ferry between Felixstowe in Suffolk

and Harwich or Shotley Gate in Essex. While you’re waiting have a cup of tea in the View Point Café.

At Ipswich, Suffolk’s waterfront town, enjoy a River Orwell cruise aboard the Orwell Lady. There are cream tea themed cruises, dinner events in the evening, but the bread and butter trips head all the way to Harwich, to lovely Pin Mill or just out to the majestic Orwell Bridge before returning to the port.

Take a boat trip to the National Trust-run Orford Ness from Orford harbour and experience the eerie wildness of this six-mile-long shingle spit where pioneering work on radar was done before the Second World War. The hiking trail passes many abandoned military buildings.

From Orford harbour you can also take a boat trip to the RSPB nature reserve at Havergate Island.

Orwell Bridge © Anthony Cullen

Harbour Ferry Felixstowe

Where they became… ‘Masters of the Air’

The recent Apple TV+ $275m Masters of the Air drama from Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg has shone a spotlight on the 8th Air Force who were based in Suffolk during the Second World War and highlights The Friendly Invasion of when the Yanks met the Brits.

At the height of the Second World War, Suffolk was the setting for a ‘Friendly Invasion’ which transformed the rural landscape and left a lasting legacy. The invaders were thousands of young Americans, part of the United States Army Air Force’s vast contribution to the Allies’ strategic bombing offensive being waged against Nazi-occupied Europe – the longest battle of the war.

By 1943, Suffolk echoed to the roar of B24 Liberators and B17 Flying Fortresses as huge aerial armadas took to the skies from a countryside so freckled with bomber bases that it became known as ‘Little America’.

It is no exaggeration to say that the arrival of 50,000 US servicemen in Suffolk in 1942 had the biggest cultural and landscape impact of any event since the Norman Conquest.

Hundreds of miles of concrete runway were laid in a matter of months (it took 250,000 tonnes of concrete to build one runway), and there was the introduction to our rationed region of peanut butter, donuts, chewing gum, popcorn and Coca Cola – all great news for dentists! Oh, and there were nylons, swing and the jitterbug too –although baseball didn’t catch on with the locals.

The Americans also brought with them segregation. It is shocking to us today, but many market towns had alternate days for black and white servicemen.

Did the fact that black servicemen were served by white people here, and were given equality by East Anglians, help ferment the American civil rights movement?

The man who should have been American president

One of the most poignant stories of the time was that of the man who should have become President of the United States, Joe Kennedy Jnr. Flying out of Fersfield /on a secret bombing mission, he was tragically killed in action over Blythburgh Church when the plane he was flying exploded mid-air. There’s a memorial to him in the church.

Another plane on the mission was flown by Colonel Roosevelt, the son of the US President at the time.

Joe Kennedy Jnr

Suffolk’s living memorial

Today, over 70 years after the war’s end, the trans-Atlantic ties remain strong and a grand alliance born of a common cause and shared sacrifice is kept alive by volunteer-run museums and memorials.

95th Bomb Group Museum, Horham – The 95th was the first bomb group to carry out a daylight raid on Berlin. The museum is located on the site of the former NCOs’ club called the Red Feather Club. It features many personal stories and other artefacts within the museum, with original air raid shelters outside. There are two murals, along with the faithfully restored Brad’s Bar, which is used for club socials throughout the year.

Parham Airfield Museum –

Parham Airfield Museum is situated on a World War II United States Air Force Station. The Museum actually consists of two separate Museums, which join together to show how this corner of rural Suffolk was affected by the War in two very different ways. The 390th Bomb Group Memorial Air Museum pays tribute to the 740 servicemen killed or ‘Missing in Action’ from this airfield and the further 754 who were taken as Prisoners of War. The Museum of the British Resistance Organisation provides an insight into ‘Britain’s Secret Army’, had Britain been invaded, these Auxiliaries would have fought a ruthless guerrilla war. With contemporary artefacts housed in the Nissen Huts and a unique replica secret underground bunker. The Museum aims to shed light on “Britain’s best kept war secret”.

Rougham Control Tower Aviation Museum, Bury St Edmunds – Rougham Control Tower Museum recalls the exploits of the 94th Bomb Group, including Brigadier General Frederick W Castle, who won the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions on Christmas Eve 1944.

493rd Bomb Group Museum, Debach – Displays in the restored control tower show visitors how it would have looked in 1944. A number of buildings have been arranged to show medical facilities as well as life on the home front. Look out too for a number of restored military vehicles. www.493bgdebach.co.uk

The Swan at Lavenham –Atmospheric Lavenham feels like a medieval time capsule. Many US airmen congregated in 15th Century pub The Swan. An inspiring collection of signatures and other mementos adorn the walls of the Airmen’s Bar. You could always have a go at the Boot Record, a challenge to drink three and a half pints of ale from a glass boot in record time. Various British units inscribed the results on the wall, which you can read today. Lavenham itself was a former centre of the wool industry, bypassed by the Industrial Revolution, and retains many of its original buildings, including a medieval guildhall. theswanatlavenham.co.uk

Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum, Flixton – On the Norfolk/ Suffolk border is this museum, set near the site of the 446th Bomb Group base at Bungay. It contains unique artefacts and personal items of those who served there, plus murals from the 353rd Fighter Group base at Reydon in Suffolk and a building dedicated to the Royal Observer Corps and Air Sea Rescue units.

Halesworth Airfield Memorial Museum – The 56th Fighter Group was the first outfit to be stationed at this newly built airfield, which opened in July 1942. It catered for up to 3,000 personnel. Later occupants included the 489th Bomb group. By 1945 a rescue emergency squadron was based at the airfield, whose mission was to rescue drowned aircrew from the nearby North Sea.

Martlesham Heath Control Tower Museum – The base was home to RAF fighters during the Battle of Britain, then hosted the USAAF’s 356th Fighter Group. The restored control tower holds a number of displays recording the history of the base from pre-Second World War to the 1960s.

Come back to Suffolk soon!