Lavenham - a step back in time!

Lavenham

From the fourteenth to the sixteenth century Lavenham was one of the busiest cloth making centres in England and today there are many buildings that are a reminder of the villages history as one of the wealthiest locations in England. The Guildhall for example is a stunning early 16th-century timber-framed building that is now a local history museum, with exhibitions on medieval cloth industry and a walled garden with dye plants that have been used for centuries.

Lavenham today is one of the most beautiful, villages and whilst walking down the streets and alleyways of this Suffolk town it is easy to imagine that you have stepped back in time. Ideal for that weekend getaway. There are so many fascinating buildings to see in Lavenham which are very much as they would have looked during the reigns of Henry VII and Henry VIII. There are the larger rather imposing houses of the rich wool merchants, the weavers homes some of which are very small and crooked and the manor houses, all interspersed and adding to the uniqueness of this wonderful town.

A guided walk can be obtained from the Chemist in the High Street and this gives further details about the houses you will see around the town, the Guildhall and the Church of St Peter and St Paul which dates from 1486 and 1525. The size of this church in the town again gives an idea of the wealth that was prevallent in Lavenham during this time.

Whilst staying in Lavenham you may find the following helpful:

Places to visit nearby

Kentwell Hall
Gainsborough's House
Newmarket Race Course
Theatre Royal
Melford Hall
Ickworth House, Park and Gardens

Gardens / Nurseries

Beth Chatto
Bressingham
Helmingham Hall & Gardens