The ancient market town of Framlingham is nestled in the Suffolk countryside and is a firm favourite with visitors and locals alike. So much so that it was voted ‘the best place to live in the country’ by Country Life magazine in 2006.
Framlingham is the perfect town for a stroll, shop and glimpse of history – there’s even a Town Trail (download the Framlingham trail guide here) marking all the primary sites of historic interest. Market Hill is the Town’s centre and still hosts markets on Saturday and Tuesday offering great local produce together with trinkets and collectibles. There are excellent shops too, for gifts, food, fashions and antiques and mouth-watering selection of cafés, tea shops, pubs and restaurants. A link to their website can be found here
Surrounded by parkland and a picturesque lake, Framlingham Castle was once at the centre of a vast network of power and influence. Muster your courage, walk the spectacular wall walk and explore the towering walls behind which Mary Tudor was proclaimed Queen of England. From the remarkable 10.5 metres high curtain wall, take in breath-taking views of the Suffolk landscape and imagine life over 500 years ago.
If you would like to visit the English heritage site for Framlingham Castle click here
Just outside of Framlingham is Shawsgate vineyard which is one of the earliest Suffolk vineyards having been planted in the mid 1970s. Although it’s changed hands a few times since then, what stands today is 20 acres of flourishing vines.
As Suffolk’s main winery, it’s here that local wine producers such as Wyken Vineyards bring their grapes at harvest time to have them blended into wine.
In a good year, Shawsgate vineyard can produce around 35,000 bottles including both white and red still wines and sparkling too.
Their website can be found here
The English singer-songwriter and Musician, Ed Sheeran owns a property called ‘Wynneys Hall’ in Dennington just outside of Framlingham and perhaps one of his most famous songs “Castle on the Hill” is about Framlingham Castle. Locals have dubbed it ‘Sheeran-ville’ because his compound actually consists of several properties which he’s purchased over time.
“Framlingham is an English market town and civil parish in Suffolk. Of Anglo-Saxon origin, it appears in the 1086 Domesday Book. The parish had a population of 3,342 at the 2011 Census and an estimated 3,705 in 2018. Nearby villages include Earl Soham, Kettleburgh, Parham, Saxtead and Sweffling.” -Wikipedia.
To read about Orford Castle click here
There is so much to see and do...
2 days is just not enough!
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