​Snape Maltings Music Centre and Shops | Dallaswear

Snape Maltings Suffolk

Located in the village of Snape, in the beautiful county of Suffolk, Snape Maltings is just five miles from Aldeburgh and two hours by train from London.

Snape Maltings owes its existence to the 20th Century composer Benjamin Britten. Born in to a musical household in Lowestoft in 1913, Britten began to study composition under the composer Frank Bridge at the age of fifteen. In 1945 the opera Peter Grimes, composed by Britten, was a huge success that brought international recognition to the 32-year-old. Peter Pears was the lead singer of the Peter Grimes opera and toured music festivals in Europe with Britten as part of the English Opera Group. It was Pears who came up with the idea of creating a festival of their own in Aldeburgh where Britten was now living. The following year, in 1948, the first Aldeburgh Festival of Music and Art was held. The festival would become a hugely successful annual event requiring a larger venue to accommodate all those wishing to take part. In 1967 Queen Elizabeth II opened the new venue for the festival, Snape Maltings Concert Hall. The festival continues to thrive to this day.

Britten was hugely influenced by his surroundings, the North Sea coast, the beautiful Suffolk landscape and the people of the region. Snape Maltings is housed in repurposed Victorian buildings and is a leading centre of music, thanks to Britten and Pears.

Along with music other artistic endeavours are well represented at Snape Maltings. There are several art galleries. The Maltings Gallery is home to Contemporary and Traditional British art and represents both local artists and some from further afield. It’s a treasure trove of paintings, jewellery, ceramics and sculpture. I’ve been to Snape Maltings many times over the years and a visit to the gallery is always a highlight! It’s fantastic to see so much genuine creativity in such beautiful surroundings.

If shopping is your idea of fun check out the Craft Shop at Snape Maltings where you’ll find an array of handcrafted goodies ranging from pottery made in Suffolk to candles made in Cornwall. This shop celebrates gifts made by hand or in small batches by designer makers in small workshops. It’s a great place to treat yourself or to buy gifts. With a range of Fair-trade items from around the world there’s something for everyone.

One of our other favourite places at Snape Maltings is the Food Hall which has a wonderful selection of products from around the UK and other parts of the

world, some of which you are unlikely to find easily elsewhere. They have products from local producers such as cheese from Fen Farm Dairy, smoked fish from Orford and eggs from Low Farm. We always enjoyed browsing a wide range of chocolates and sweets on offer. It’s another great place to buy gifts especially for your food loving friends or family.

There’s also a fabulous Book and Card Shop at Snape Maltings which has a wonderful selection of books and cards. When we visited, we really enjoyed looking at the art and photography books. There is a great choice of beautiful stationery and cards for every occasion. You’re sure to be able to find something a little bit different for your chosen recipient. Hand-printed notebooks and notecards designed by contemporary East Anglian artists are sure to tempt you. Add to this a stunning selection of gift-wrap, tags and luxury ribbons and you’ve got your gift buying experience wrapped up!

The largest of the award-winning independent shops at Snape Maltings is Home and Garden. This shop has everything you could imagine for your home. There is a wide selection of beautiful soft furnishings including cushions, throws and bedlinen, British made upholstery and dining furniture. There is a wonderful kitchen section where we bought a beautiful ceramic jug as a house warming present. As the name suggests, the garden is also catered for with locally grown plants for sale as well as garden furniture and plant pots.

Other outstanding features of Snape Maltings must include its beautiful location. Located in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty wildlife is abundant. With a huge expanse of reed beds and marshes, the river Alde is tidal and is a haven for wildlife. This makes Snape Maltings a magnet for walkers and birdwatchers. Birds you may see include egrets, curlew, avocets, bitterns and marsh harriers. At low tide the mudflats attract an array of wading birds. If you are really lucky you may even see an otter or a water vole. We were thrilled when we spotted a grass snake swimming in the river at Snape Maltings!

A great way to see and appreciate the landscape and the wildlife is from a boat. Hour long tours are available on the Sea Tradar which leaves from the quay, tides permitting.

For cycling enthusiasts, the good news is that Snape Maltings is on the Suffolk Coastal Route 41 which can be downloaded from the link provided at the end of this blog. The leaflet is well worth taking a look at with excellent directions included for the route between Snape Maltings and Orford.

Time for a bite to eat after all that shopping, walking and birdwatching? Café 1885 offers relaxed bistro style food. Here you can partake of breakfast, brunch or lunch in the form of seasonal dishes.

Lockdown rules mean that visiting Snape Maltings is not possible at the moment unless you live locally. We hope that after reading our blog it is a place you may consider visiting when lockdown restrictions are lifted. We love it there and can’t wait to return when we’re allowed!

Address: Snape Maltings, Snape Maltings Concert Hall, Snape, Suffolk IP17 1SP

Useful links Snape Maltings: https://snapemaltings.co.uk/

Cycle route details for Snape Maltings can be found at this link: https://snape-maltings-live.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-c...