Suffolk Tourist Guide - Articles
Long Melford
Guide to Long Melford - Long Melford is one of Suffolk's most attractive villages, and in a recent nationwide poll by Savills, the estate agent, it came 7th in Britain as one of the most desirable village.
It has a long, long High Street, populated by charming independent shops, vibrant art galleries, antique centres, cafes, restaurants, and, of course, typical Suffolk Inns. So, given all of this combined with beautiful architecture and amazing countryside, it is no wonder that Long Melford is such a desirable place!
A potted history
‘Melford’ is derived from ‘mill’ and ‘ford’, and ‘Long’ doesn’t need explaining to anyone who has attempted to walk the main street in Long Melford – all 2 ˝ miles of it! The longest in England. There are many interesting sights in Long Melford, and it is well worth a visit in its own right. If you start at the the top of the village, with Holy Trinity Church (see above), that's the best place to begin. Like many in the area, Holy Trinity is a wool church of the late 15C. However the tower is a later addition (1903). The Church is light and airy and contains several noteworthy memorials and brasses inside. Just outside the Church is the brick hospital, founded in 1573 for 12 poor men and two poor women.
There are also two Tudor mansions in close proximity – Kentwell Hall
Kentwell Hall is a romantic, completely moated, mellow redbrick Tudor mansion in a tranquil parkland setting. There are lots of events going on at the Hall, and you can have a guided tour of the house, which has been fully restored and is now a private residence. See Kentwell Hall
and Long Melford Hall. Melford Hall is a large Elizabethan house, built of red brick around a quadrangle and ornamented with mitre-topped turrets. It is run by the National Trust.
At this end of the village, sloping down along the Green, is a delightful row of houses, some small, some Georgian, some Queen Anne, all with little gardens in the front and no two alike. It is well worth parking the car up by the Church and walking down the Green past this row, past the old School house where there are frequent Book fairs and Antique Shows, and into the village. However the walk back to the car up the hill is another matter...!
When coming into the main part of the village from the north-west (ie Church end) you'll see The Bull Inn on the left. This was built in 1450 and so has a fascinating history, including playing host to John Lennon in the 60s for a spell. Ambling along the lovely main street you'll pass numerous antique shops and pubs, several boutiques, restaurants (please note Chimneys or for something stronger, Cafe Marsala) and cafes.
One of the attractions of Long Melford today is it's thriving and growing hub of Art Galleries. In the past Long Melford has been known as an antique centre but now the village has a reputation for being the place in Suffolk to go to see and buy works of art. This has brought a new vibrancy to the village and there is a now a wider array of good quality shops from ladies boutiques to Fine Foods, as well as some remaining high quality antique shops. Although Aldeburgh and Southwold are more established for art in Suffolk, they are that much further away from London and Cambridge than Long Melford, making the village much more convenient to reach for art collectors.
All the art galleries are good and offer much better value for money than London, so come and visit them soon Imagine Gallery , The Jessica Muir Gallery,Lime Tree Gallery, The Hunter Gallery
Did you know that Francis Bacon was a frequent visitor to Long Melford in the 1970s? His lover's brother, David Edwards, owned Westgate House, which was an ideal escape for Bacon from the pressures of London. This lovely Georgian house has a large walled garden which played host to riotous parties, as Bacon enjoyed entertaining his friends from the East End. See if you can spot the Long Melford influence in Bacon's work!
After all this sightseeing you'll need some recuperation time over a nice warm beer or tea, so head for a typical Suffolk Inn in the form of The George and Dragon (of course!) The George and Dragon
And then you'll need some retail therapy, and Long Melford really comes into it's own with Ladies fashions. Eve St Clair provide a friendly personal service to help you achieve that 'special' look. Here you'll find Ladies Fashions offering stylish and contemporary collections of day and occasional wear - see eve st clair
If you're after some real rest and relaxation - Therapies and Potions in Ringers Yard, just set back from the main street, specialise in the most delicious health and beauty treatments. They promise that their Organic Treaments by EMINENCE are Good Enough to eat! So go and try them out at Therapies and Potions
Long Melford is one of Suffolk's many gems. It has lots to offer the visitor, from historic buildings to contemporary fashions, and the food available throughout the Village - from the butcher (Rouse and Sons) to the restaurants and pubs will keep you sustained throughout your stay.
Long Melford Accommodation
Long Melford Eating Out
See Long Melford's website for more information on this lovely village
Long Melford
It has a long, long High Street, populated by charming independent shops, vibrant art galleries, antique centres, cafes, restaurants, and, of course, typical Suffolk Inns. So, given all of this combined with beautiful architecture and amazing countryside, it is no wonder that Long Melford is such a desirable place!
A potted history
‘Melford’ is derived from ‘mill’ and ‘ford’, and ‘Long’ doesn’t need explaining to anyone who has attempted to walk the main street in Long Melford – all 2 ˝ miles of it! The longest in England. There are many interesting sights in Long Melford, and it is well worth a visit in its own right. If you start at the the top of the village, with Holy Trinity Church (see above), that's the best place to begin. Like many in the area, Holy Trinity is a wool church of the late 15C. However the tower is a later addition (1903). The Church is light and airy and contains several noteworthy memorials and brasses inside. Just outside the Church is the brick hospital, founded in 1573 for 12 poor men and two poor women.
There are also two Tudor mansions in close proximity – Kentwell Hall
Kentwell Hall is a romantic, completely moated, mellow redbrick Tudor mansion in a tranquil parkland setting. There are lots of events going on at the Hall, and you can have a guided tour of the house, which has been fully restored and is now a private residence. See Kentwell Hall
and Long Melford Hall. Melford Hall is a large Elizabethan house, built of red brick around a quadrangle and ornamented with mitre-topped turrets. It is run by the National Trust.
At this end of the village, sloping down along the Green, is a delightful row of houses, some small, some Georgian, some Queen Anne, all with little gardens in the front and no two alike. It is well worth parking the car up by the Church and walking down the Green past this row, past the old School house where there are frequent Book fairs and Antique Shows, and into the village. However the walk back to the car up the hill is another matter...!
When coming into the main part of the village from the north-west (ie Church end) you'll see The Bull Inn on the left. This was built in 1450 and so has a fascinating history, including playing host to John Lennon in the 60s for a spell. Ambling along the lovely main street you'll pass numerous antique shops and pubs, several boutiques, restaurants (please note Chimneys or for something stronger, Cafe Marsala) and cafes.
One of the attractions of Long Melford today is it's thriving and growing hub of Art Galleries. In the past Long Melford has been known as an antique centre but now the village has a reputation for being the place in Suffolk to go to see and buy works of art. This has brought a new vibrancy to the village and there is a now a wider array of good quality shops from ladies boutiques to Fine Foods, as well as some remaining high quality antique shops. Although Aldeburgh and Southwold are more established for art in Suffolk, they are that much further away from London and Cambridge than Long Melford, making the village much more convenient to reach for art collectors.
All the art galleries are good and offer much better value for money than London, so come and visit them soon Imagine Gallery , The Jessica Muir Gallery,Lime Tree Gallery, The Hunter Gallery
Did you know that Francis Bacon was a frequent visitor to Long Melford in the 1970s? His lover's brother, David Edwards, owned Westgate House, which was an ideal escape for Bacon from the pressures of London. This lovely Georgian house has a large walled garden which played host to riotous parties, as Bacon enjoyed entertaining his friends from the East End. See if you can spot the Long Melford influence in Bacon's work!
After all this sightseeing you'll need some recuperation time over a nice warm beer or tea, so head for a typical Suffolk Inn in the form of The George and Dragon (of course!) The George and Dragon
And then you'll need some retail therapy, and Long Melford really comes into it's own with Ladies fashions. Eve St Clair provide a friendly personal service to help you achieve that 'special' look. Here you'll find Ladies Fashions offering stylish and contemporary collections of day and occasional wear - see eve st clair
If you're after some real rest and relaxation - Therapies and Potions in Ringers Yard, just set back from the main street, specialise in the most delicious health and beauty treatments. They promise that their Organic Treaments by EMINENCE are Good Enough to eat! So go and try them out at Therapies and Potions
Long Melford is one of Suffolk's many gems. It has lots to offer the visitor, from historic buildings to contemporary fashions, and the food available throughout the Village - from the butcher (Rouse and Sons) to the restaurants and pubs will keep you sustained throughout your stay.
Long Melford Accommodation
Long Melford Eating Out
See Long Melford's website for more information on this lovely village
Long Melford