​Visit Beautiful Woodbridge Suffolk | Dallaswear

Visit Beautiful Woodbridge Suffolk

Woodbridge is a beautiful market town in the county of Suffolk. It is awash with independent shops, galleries and excellent pubs and restaurants. In fact, as long ago as 2010, a Country Living survey named Woodbridge as one of the UK’s top Foodie Towns. Sitting on the bank of the river Deben it is a haven for wildlife and a big draw for artists who have long painted the iconic Tide Mill.

Situated approximately 8 miles from the coast on the banks of the river Deben, Woodbridge has a railway station which is part of the East Suffolk Line with links to nearby Ipswich, and is just over an hour away by train from London. Woodbridge has a high street to be proud of with a host of independent shops, cafes and restaurants. It is so good, it was recently shortlisted for the title “Great British High Street” and received a “Highly Commended” award. An award -winning bakery in the town called The Cake Shop Bakery, was given the accolade of “Britain’s Best Bakery” in 2014. In addition to this there are Art Galleries, gift and card shops, boutiques, a fishmongers, butchers, bakeries and antique shops to name but a few.

Woodbridge has a long history. The Tide Mill that dominates the riverside view was one of the first built in the whole country. Records show a tide mill on this site in 1170. Originally it was owned by Augustinian Priors. After 350 years of ownership Henry VIII confiscated it. It was sold by Elizabeth I and passed in to private ownership. It was in 1793 that the present tide mill was built and by the 1950’s it was the country’s last working tide mill. Finally, it closed in 1957 and fell into disrepair. It was saved in 1968 and after restoration opened to the public in 1973. More recently it has undergone further renovation and is once again a fully functional tide mill. It is now a museum but when tides are suitable the wheel is put in to operation and demonstrations of milling can be seen for half an hour to an hour’s duration. Flour milled at the tide mill is supplied to local artisan bakers. As with everything these days coronavirus has impacted visiting and you are advised to check the Tide Mill website regarding restrictions before going along (see link at the end of this article).

In 1939, at Sutton Hoo, close to Woodbridge, Archaeologists made an extremely rare find. An Anglo-Saxon burial was unearthed. An Anglo-Saxon King was buried with his treasure inside a ship. After 1300 years the oak ship had disintegrated, leaving behind an imprint of its shape in the soil. The

treasure found at Sutton Hoo is now on view at the British Museum. This discovery was so significant it was called “England’s Valley of The Kings”. The burial proved to be the richest ever found in northern Europe and its discovery caused Historians to completely rethink their opinions of the Dark Ages. The National Trust now runs the site which is open to visitors and is well worth a visit. An interesting fact that I discovered on the National Trusts Sutton Hoo website is that the woman who owned the land that the burial ground was found on, one Edith Pretty was declared owner of the treasures that were excavated. She chose not to keep them for herself but gave them to the Nation, which is the reason they are on display at the British Museum.

Of course, being situated next to the river there are plenty of beautiful walks for those who prefer to spend some time outdoors. Many of the walking routes take you along the river wall. There are lovely places to indulge in coffee and a sweet treat or something a little more substantial while taking in the beautiful views. Further along the river and some four miles south of Woodbridge lies Waldringfield, which is well known for its beautiful riverside walks. One particularly picturesque walk begins and ends at the village pub, the Maybush Inn and is approximately 4 miles long.

Bird watchers are also well catered for. The largely unspoilt River Deben attracts as many as 150 different bird species. The river provides suitable habitats for feeding, shelter and breeding. A large and varied range of birds visit either side of the Tide Mill at different times of the year as a result of seasonal migration. The thick mudflats that are exposed twice a day when the tidal waters recede attract many wading birds such as Dunlins, Oystercatchers and Curlews. I remember visiting Woodbridge and seeing an Avocet for the very first time. It now has one of the most significant populations of overwintering Avocets in the whole country. This mixture of mudflats and saltmarsh is designated as a Special Protection Area by Natural England because of its importance to birdlife.

https://woodbridgetidemill.org.uk/turning-milling-times/

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sutton-hoo/features/the-royal-burial-mounds-at-sutton-hoo