The Suffolk Coast History

The Suffolk coast is very unstable and over the years storms, floods and coastal erosion have taken their toll and the coastline has changed, as chunks of land give way to the sea.

Woodbridge lies slightly inland and perches on slopes overlooking the Deben estuary. It has an undoubted nautical air to it as rope making; sailcloth and boat building have provided most of the towns prosperity down the years. King Edward III and Sir Francis Drake both sailed vessels made in the boatyards of Woodbridge.

On the opposite bank of the Deben is the Sutton Hoo burial site, where in 1939 a Saxon ship was discovered, laden with buried treasure. Most of the artefacts are now in the British Museum but the site, which is run by the National Trust, is well worth a visit as it ranks as one of the most important archaeological sites in Britain.

Aldeburgh is an attractive town, which flourished after the sea destroyed its near neighbour, the prosperous medieval community of Slaughden. The Reverend George Crabbe lived and worked here in the early 19th century and his work was later to inspire another Aldeburgh resident, Benjamin Britten. Britten lived with his lover Peter Pears in Crabbe Street and established the Aldeburgh Festival to showcase his work and that of contemporary composers.