Suffolk Wool Towns

We journey through the beautifully preserved Tudor towns of Kersey, Lavenham, Cavendish, Clare, Sudbury and Long Melford

- Alistair Macqueen

By the time medieval England was entering the Early Modern Period (around 1485), wool was the veritable engine of the economy, thanks largely to the huge demand that existed for it from the fashionable cloth-making regions of Belgium, France and Italy. And nowhere benefitted more from this trade than Suffolk, where the confluence of an abundance of sheep and wool merchants made a noticeable impact on the towns and villages where the wool was produced.

Arguably the center piece of the trade was Lavenham where a plethora of well preserved timber-framed buildings line the streets, in a place that is thought to possess some of the finest examples of medieval architecture in Britain today. The intricate buildings constructed out of great British oaks were lime washed in different hues to produce the vibrant and enchanting scenes that have welcomed travellers for centuries. Records suggest there are over 300 listed buildings in the town and many of them have been afforded protection status by English Heritage.

From its vibrant market square (used as a location in the Harry Potter films as Godric’s Hollow – Harry’s birthplace), there are numerous sights to explore, such as the Guildhall of Corpus Christi, which was used to shape the laws and regulations of the local wool trade. Built in the 16th century, the hall is now owned by the National Trust and features a local history exhibition, plus a wonderful tea room with a Tudor interior and the freshest of scones.