Location of Mortimers Barn, nr Lavenham
Location Map - (Link to Multimap)
Lavenham 2 miles away is picturesque and historic with beautifully preserved half timbered Medieval and Tudor buildings which house restaurants, tea rooms, pubs, gift and antique shops as well as those open to the public. The excellent Tourist Office has details of these and offers an audio tour of the village during the summer months.
The Church of St Peter and St Paul has the largest tower in Suffolk: 141 feet of knapped flint and it houses the tomb of a wealthy wool baron and benefactor of the church – Lavenham was the centre of a thriving wool industry from the 1400’s to the 1600’s.
In the beautiful and quaint Market Place opposite the magnificent National Trust run Guildhall stands a cross which was where bear baiting in medieval times took place; now it accommodates festive markets and gatherings, a superb bakery and general store etc. Local amenities include an excellent butcher, pharmacy, Doctors’ surgery and library.
Local buses travel to Bury St Edmunds and Sudbury where the nearest train stations are located. Details of local and recommended restaurants are in the accommodation.
Further afield there are many other places of interest to visit to suit all interests:
Long Melford 9 miles – Kentwell Hall (www.kentwell.co.uk) where concerts and Tudor re enactments take place. Melford Hall is a fine example of another Tudor manor also open to the public. The Church hosts many musical concerts. There are many antique shops, restaurants etc.
Sudbury 7 miles – A market town and home of Thomas Gainsborough which is open to the public.
Hadleigh 7 miles – Another pretty market town. The drive from Mortimers Barn takes you through some beautiful lanes and villages such as Brent Eleigh, Monks Eleigh and Chelsworth. Constable Country – including Stoke by Nayland, Dedham and Flatford Mill. Dedham houses the Sir Alfred Munnings Art Museum. See the vistas for yourself!
Bury St Edmunds 10 miles – Larger market town with cinemas, a theatre, hospital, sports centre, shops, restaurants.
Newmarket 25 miles – The home of Horse Racing and the famous 2,000 guineas race; a museum dedicated to the horse racing history of the town. In July and August there are Racing evenings every Friday.
Cambridge is about an hour’s drive as is Stansted Airport, the Suffolk Coast ( Aldeburgh, Southwold etc) and London about an hour and a half. There is local fishing, golf at nearby Stoke by Nayland and Bury St Edmunds has 3 courses and gliding at the nearby airfield at Rattlesden.
The Barn is on the very pretty and undulating South Suffolk Cycle Route, details of which are in the accommodation and bike hire is available from Sudbury.