Visiting Aldeburgh and The Suffolk Coast | Dallaswear

The Suffolk Coast

Aldeburgh is a coastal town in Suffolk. With a population of around 2,300 it is only an eleven-minute drive from the subject of last week’s blog, Snape Maltings. As we learnt last week, the composer Benjamin Britten had connections with both Aldeburgh and Snape Maltings.

The beach at Aldeburgh, which is mainly shingle, is probably the most well-known of Suffolk’s beaches. Popular with artists the beach and boats upon it feature heavily in many artists’ work. It is here upon the beach that you will find a stunning monument dedicated to Benjamin Britten. The sculpture is four metres high and features two interlocking scallop shells. It’s made of 10mm thick stainless steel and is rumoured to have cost in the region of £75,000, paid for from donations and designed by local born artist Maggi Hambling. The words “I hear those voices that will not be drowned” are engraved on the rim of the upright shell and come from Britten’s opera, Peter Grimes. Britten used to walk along the beach regularly when he lived in Aldeburgh so it’s a rather fitting location for a memorial.

Britten moved to The Red House in Aldeburgh in November 1997. The house and garden are open to the public (due to lockdown restrictions the house will not be reopening until later in 2021).

Aldeburgh is situated within the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Natural Beauty. The beach runs to the north and south of the town. Fishing boats, abandoned over the years, sit upon the shingle and have become the subject of many an artist’s paintings. Several buildings in Aldeburgh also catch the eye. Also on the seafront is Moot Hall home of the Museum of Aldeburgh. Believed to be over 450 years old, the timber framed building is one of the most well- preserved Tudor buildings in the land.

As with the majority of seaside towns, Aldeburgh relied heavily on the sea in the past. There was a flourishing port and ship building industry. In another link to one of our previous blogs, (A Stroll Along the Thames – 12th March 2021), Aldeburgh is in fact the place where Sir Francis Drake’s Golden Hinde was built in the 1500’s. Fishermen still work out of Aldeburgh and there is the opportunity to buy fresh fish direct from them at the Fish Huts on the beach! If you don’t fancy cooking fish yourself you should really indulge in a fish supper from Aldeburgh’s famous fish and chip shop. The family run shop began serving fish and chips in 1967 and is massively popular with crowds queuing down the street waiting to be served a common sight. Suffolk is renowned as a foodie heaven and with reviews such as “The Aldeburgh Chippie is arguably the best in the world” – The Sunday Mirror, it’s not hard to see why!

The town itself has an array of shops to chose from for those who enjoy a spot of shopping. Unlike many other towns, Aldeburgh still has a good number of independently owned shops and galleries, which makes visiting such a refreshing experience. Shop types range from an independent book shop, art galleries, antique shops and clothing boutiques.

For cyclists Suffolk is becoming a big draw. Many of Suffolk’s coastal towns are situated along National Cycling Networks. All levels of cyclists are catered for and being in the middle of an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is an obvious bonus!

Four minutes by car from Aldeburgh, via the B1122, is North Warren Nature Reserve which is managed by the RSPB. Situated on marshes between Aldeburgh and Thorpeness, the nature reserve is home to thousands of geese, swans, ducks and wading birds as well as starlings. With a habitat of reedbeds, woodland, heathland and marshes it is a haven for wildlife. As the seasons change you will see different species so it’s worth visiting throughout the year. In spring there are nightingales, bitterns, warblers and marsh harriers. Although we haven’t seen marsh harriers ourselves here, we have seen them a bit further along the coast at Dunwich, and what a fantastic experience it was! In summer there are many species of dragonflies and butterflies to be seen. Offshore it’s also possible to see the like of shearwaters, gannets and skuas. In winter there are dunlins and, a personal favourite, lapwings. Offshore at this time of year you’re likely to see red-throated divers as they gather in internationally important numbers. There are a number of footpaths that will take you across the reserve enabling you to observe the different habitats as you go. A guide to the reserve is available from RSPB Minsmere and the Tourist information Centre in Aldeburgh. Entry to the Nature Reserve is free of charge but if you are able to make a donation it is greatly appreciated.

Useful Links Aldeburgh Fish and Chips: https://www.aldeburghfishandchips.co.uk/

The Red House: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/red-house

North Warren Nature Reserve: https://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves-and-events/reserves-a-z/north-warren/