Birthday Afternoon -Thorpeness and Dunwich

We arrive in Thorpeness after lunch and have a good walk around. It is probably 25 years since we visited here.The village of Thorpeness was planned around a specially dug shallow lake called the Meare, which is now a safe location for boating activities.

The village Green

The coast is 2 minutes away and consists mainly of sand dunes above a shingle beach

The Meare

A few houses in the same road showing different styles

A rather different front garden

Known as the House-in-the -Clouds

Originally a water tower but now a holiday rental

Sign on the front gate

This 1803 Mill once pumped water to the house-in-the-clouds

We have now left Thorpeness and are on our way to Dunwich but have decided to stop at the ruins of Leiston Abbey which we pass on the road. The abbey was originally founded in 1183 at nearby Minsmere, but in 1363 it was rebuilt on its present site. A substantial amount remains, including parts of the transepts, presbytery and lady chapel. Inside the ruins there is a Georgian house which is now used for religious retreats.

We have now arrived at Dunwich, further up the coast from Aldeburgh and looking South it could be the ends of the earth. This stretch of the Suffolk coast has been at the mercy of the winds and tides for many centuries and Dunwich has now been all but destroyed by storms and coastal erosion. Once it was the seat of Saxon kings and a prosperous port, but today Dunwich consists only of a few cottages and a shingle beach where fishermen draw up their boats.

Numerous churches and houses now lie beneath the sea and in 1739 the town centre finally collapsed leaving only the ruins of a Franciscan friary still standing. It is said that when storms are approaching the bells of the submerged church can be heard ringing beneath the sea.

Looking North

This is where we had afternoon tea in a garden centre a few minutes from the coast

We had been told by friends that this place served the best home made cakes

We were not disappointed

Whilst driving down a country lane on our way back I saw some kind of image on the other side of the hedge. Ever curious and with my camera in my hand I went to investigate while Alan sat in the car with the lights flashing as it was a narrow road and near to a bend. This is what I found. A sculptor who made all kinds of images to order.

Well it's back to the hotel now for a shower and evening meal and we will see what tomorrow brings.

Aldeburgh Pt.2 - Cottages and More

A flavour of some of the houses and cottages in Aldeburgh. Some are permanent dwellings and some second homes or holiday rentals. Some are on the front and some are in the town. All different.

Once the old Customs House

from the time that Aldeburgh was a thriving port

I noticed a number of windows were decorated

The Town Steps

My daughter stayed recently in a friends holiday home

at the top of these steps

One of her photos looking down

and looking down in the snow

A photo taken by Tony Pick

and sold in his gallery, Costal Images

I liked this pic because the seating matched the produce

A Fish and Chip shop

And Another

And a Pub

I'm having a busy birthday. After lunch at our hotel we are off to Minsmere and Dunwich a little up the coast. Can't hang around, it will be dark soon after 4.0 pm

Aldeburgh - Pt. 1

Having spent the morning in Woodbridge we have now arrived in Aldeburgh. The North Sea is choppy, the wind is blowing and the rain is beating down. Bracing to say the least, but therapeutic to listen to the surf crashing onto the beach.



Aldeburgh was once an important East Coast harbour but now is a quiet resort famous mainly for the Annual Music Festival founded by Benjamin Britten, who is buried in the town. Quaint old cottages and elegant Georgian houses (another post) line the main street. It has been a dignified seaside resort since the early 19th century, but the shingle beach is popular with fishermen (another post) as well as holiday-makers.

The North Sea

Our hotel

The turret at the top on the right was our sitting room

that led through to our bedroom with a hall into our bathroom

It's warm and welcoming inside

We are about to take the lift to our room but I happen to glance across to one of the lounges. I do a double take. Sitting there having afternoon tea are 2 evangelist friends from Ohio,USA with another friend from Indiana. They were as surprised as us and as Americans do, squealed with delight.They had been attending a conference and had been taken by their host to spend the afternoon in Aldeburgh, ending up with afternoon tea at our hotel. In the past they had been guests in our home for 6 years running and we did know that they were in the country, but this coincidence seemed particularly amazing as Aldeburgh is on the coast and off the beaten track and not somewhere that you would just 'pass through'. Having checked our room we sat in the lounge with them for a while before they had to leave.

We have an unusual room, our bedroom faces the marshes at the back but then we have a corridor that leads to a small turret sitting room that faces the sea. It's my birthday and I get up and check the sea soon after dawn. After yesterday I am surprised to see it as flat as a mill pond. If the cloud breaks up it is going to be a lovely day.

After breakfast I go outside and the clouds have cleared and we are just left with a sea mist.

Looking from the back of our hotel the mist is slowly clearing and the marshes and River Alde are coming in to view.

I'm off for a walk and a beautiful day beckons.You are welcome to join me.

A power station on the horizon

The ancient lifeboat station

The modern lifeboat station

Somewhere to sit

If you double click on this you will see that it was erected to commemorate

the Coronation of King George V

Elegant loos (restrooms) on the beach

The Moot Hall. Originally this was seperated from the sea by 3 roads which have since been washed away.This early 16th century building of stone,timber and brick is a reminder of the days when Aldeburgh relied for its prosperity on trade, exporting cloth to Flanders and the Low Countries. The local council still meet in the upper part of the Moot House.

The war memorial

We have now arrived back at the hotel for coffee.It's November and we are able to sit outside without a jacket, what a blessing. One can get away from most things here, but not everything!!

When we have finished coffee I will show you some of the town,(another post). As the weather is so good we have decided to stick to the coast today but that will have to wait until after lunch and yet another post.

I left the cards at home