A lovely sunny day as we set off south to visit Lavenham, a medieval wool town, famous for its ancient crooked houses. During the 15th and 16th centuries, Lavenham prospered from the wool trade, producing an export famous blue broadcloth. At its peak, the town was richer and paid more taxes than York and Lincoln. In fact, in 1487, when Henry VII visited the town, he fined several merchants for displaying too much wealth. However, by 1600, due to the arrival of Dutch refugees in Colchester, Lavenham lost its trade to the cheaper, lighter and more fashionable cloth they produced. As the wealth of the town dried up, families could not afford to rebuild or modify their medieval and Tudor homes and so they remain the same to this day.
The Church of St Peter and St Paul stands on a hill at the end of the village and its size and grandeur reflects the prosperity of the town in better times.
Joy found the National Trust shop in the old Guild Hall and bought some gifts for the girls back home. After a good look around town, we found a lovely tearooms for a refreshing cuppa and a light lunch.
After Lavenham, we headed back north to visit Ickworth Estate to the south-west of Bury St Edmunds. This National Trust property of 1800 acres was established as a deer park in 1254 by Thomas de Ickworth. Passing into the hands of the Drury and Hervey families, John Hervey, 1st Earl of Bristol demolished the old crumbling manor and rebuilt the old farmhouse, Ickworth Lodge, as the main house on the estate. The 4th Earl of Bristol (Earl Bishop) inherited the estate in 1779 and built the current house, including the distinctive Italian style Rotunda. Large formal gardens and parkland surrounded by green sheep pastures. We found a small church on the grounds and a very large brick walled enclosure that served as a vegetable garden, though there was not a lot growing. Due to the imminent closure of the Estate and the lengthy walk facing us back to the entrance, one of the staff offered to give us a lift back, which was much appreciated.
Headed back home with plenty of time to better explore the Drinkstone gardens. Extensive flowerbeds, glasshouses and chicken runs to provide for the household and its guests. At one end of the garden, we found a great children’s playhouse and some Roman ruins.
