Travel
Things To Do In Suffolk by Sarah Quinlan
(Contd. from page 2...)
For more cultural Things to do in Suffolk The Theatre Royal in Bury St Edmunds is one of only 8 Grade 1 listed theatres in the country, and is the third oldest working theatre in the UK. Recently reopened after a two year refurbishment, this Regency playhouse offers a full repertoire, as well as guided tours of the theatre
Also in Bury are the Greene King Brewery Museum, Ickworth House, Park and Gardens, another National Trust property and is unusual in that it contains a rotunda and Italian Gardens, and the last working water mill in Suffolk at Pakenham!
Historic Houses Suffolk retains many fine examples of Medieval, Tudor, Georgian and Victorian architecture, sometimes within walking distance. For example, Long Melford is a stunning example of a Tudor House, situated close to Melford Hall, another Tudor Manor house but in a very different style. Holy Trinity Church nearby is Medieval, and there are several lovely private residences in Long Melford dating from the Georgina and Victorian times.
Guildhalls reflect Suffolk's trading history and fine examples can be found in Lavenham and Hadleigh. These are superb timber framed buildings containing exhibitions on local history and the history of the cloth industry which was an important contributor to Suffolk's wealth creation. Also in Lavenham is the Little Hall - a 14C house restored in the 1930s and now a museum (tel 01787 247019). Euston Hall is the home of the Duke and Duchess of Grafton but it is open to the public to view their unique collection of paintings of the Court of Charles 11, including works by Van Dyck and Lely. For a fascinating history of local lad Gainsborough's life, Gainsborough House in Sudbury is the place to be. This is probably the only museum dedicated to an artist who actually once resided in the same house!