Historic Suffolk
Explore hidden histories, historic photos, and things you never knew about Suffolk from the collections and archives of Historic England.
Discover Suffolk's listed buildings and places
Introducing some of Suffolk's most significant historic sites, curated from the National Heritage List for England.
Orford Ness: the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment te…
Orford
This scheduled monument on Orford Beach, East Suffolk, was first established as an airfield for the RAF in 1915.
Halesworth Station Moving Platforms
Halesworth
A set of four movable platforms dating to 1888, all built for the East Suffolk Line.
Erwarton Hall Gatehouse
Arwarton
The Gatehouse at Erwarton Hall is listed at Grade I for the following principal reasons: for its relationship to Erwarton Hall, Grade II listed, which...
Snape Maltings
Tunstall
Complex of former malting buildings, begun in 1846 and extended in the mid- and late C19; adapted for retail, residential and cultural use in the late...
Suffolk Record Office, including entrance platform and steps
Bury St. Edmunds
Public library, built 1963-5, designed by Donald McMorran of McMorran and Whitby.
Parkland and gardens of Cockfield Hall
Parkland and Gardens of Cockfield Hall, Cockfield Hall, Yoxford, Saxmundham, IP17 3ET
Cockfield Hall is registered at Grade II for the following principal reasons: for the strong functional and historic group value it holds with the...
The Willis Building
Ipswich
The Willis Building of 1970-75, Ipswich, is listed at Grade I for the following principal reasons: Fitness for purpose: the building continues to...
The Dome Sports Centre
Mildenhall
The Dome former Sports Centre in Mildenhall, built on 29 April 1977, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons: it is an extremely...
Atomic bomb store on Thetford Heath
Barnham
The archaeological remains of the Cold War (1946-1989) are the physical manifestation of the global division between capitalism and communism that...
Orford Ness: the Black Beacon and associated power house
Orford
The Black Beacon of c.1928 built at Orford Ness to house an experimental rotating radio beacon transmitter, converted into an exhibition space in the...
Wellington Esplanade, Lowestoft
Lowestoft
A terrace of 24 houses built in 1852-1853 to the designs of J L Clemence for Sir Samuel Morton Peto. Read the official list entry to find out more.
Old Shire Hall and Magistrates Court
Bury St. Edmunds
Former Shire Hall, rebuilt around 1750 and remodelled in the early and mid-C19, now Magistrates and Crown Courts; and Shire Hall, built 1906-7 to the...
Soham House
Newmarket
Tudor/ Jacobean Revival house built in 1892 to the designs of C J Harold Cooper. Read the official list entry to find out more.
Bungay Castle
Bungay
The remains of an early medieval castle including its keep, gatehouse, curtain wall and the substantial remnants of the castle's inner bailey wall.
Orford Ness: Bomb Ballistics building
Orford
A Bomb Ballistics building, constructed 1933, modified by the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment in the 1950s.
Statue of Triton
Lowestoft
The 1849 statue of Triton at the Esplanade in Lowestoft is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons: as part of a sculptural pair...
Former Post Office
Lowestoft
The Post Office, built in the early 1880s and heightened in 1909 by C Roper, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons: it has group...
Lady Alice Kenlis
On the east bank of the River Deben opposite Woodbridge at NGR: TM28044907.
Hull of the Lady Alice Kenlis, an iron ship designed and built by Hercules Linton in 1867.
Former Granaries at Snape Maltings
Tunstall
Former granaries built in two phases around 1884 and between 1918 and 1927. Read the official list entry to find out more.
Bury St Edmunds Yard Signal Box
Bury St. Edmunds
Signal box built in 1888 for the Great Eastern Railway. Read the official list entry to find out more.
Lidgate Castle and C16 Fortified Manorial Complex
Lidgate
Lidgate Castle, a C12 variant of a motte and bailey castle remodelled, probably in C16, as a fortified manorial complex.
Kirkley Cliff Terrace
Lowestoft
Kirkley Cliff Terrace in Lowestoft, constructed in 1870, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons: for its proximity to and strong...
The Crown Hotel
Lowestoft
A hotel dating originally to the C17, remodelled in the mid-C19 with interior alterations and an extension to the rear dating to the mid-C20.
Brandon Railway Station
Weeting-with-Broomhill
Railway station, built between 1844 and 1845 to designs attributed to John Thomas; extended in the 1870s and 1880s.
Framlingham Castle and its associated landscape including…
Framlingham
Framlingham Castle is scheduled for the following principal reasons: Group value: the monument has a strong visual and functional relationship with...
Royal Norfolk and Suffolk Yacht Club
Lowestoft
The Royal Norfolk and Suffolk Yacht Club is a purpose-built clubhouse built to the designs of George Skipper between 1902 and 1903.
Eye Castle, the remains of a motte and bailey castle and …
Eye
Eye Castle includes the motte, the eastern part of the inner bailey, the standing remains of stone structures built along the northern edge of the...
Greyfriars, Dunwich
Dunwich
The upstanding remains, earthworks and buried remains of a medieval Franciscan friary known as Greyfriars, part of the west side of the medieval town...
Snape Bridge House including entrance walls and gate pier…
Tunstall
Snape Bridge House is a mid-C19 cottage orné dwelling begun in 1854 for Newson Garrett and originally used during busy winter months at Snape...
Remains of an Aisled Barn at Crown Street Motors
Lowestoft
The substantial remains of a timber-framed aisled barn, believed to date to the C16 or earlier, and now forming part of a complex of motor repair...
Friston Post Mill
Friston
A post mill, built 1812, raised by the addition of a brick roundhouse and altered in approximately 1872, with maintenance and structural work...
Building 58, former RAF Barnham atomic bomb store
Barnham
Maintenance Building 58 was one of two buildings on the site (the other being the much altered Building 62) used for the inspection of bombs brought...
Harraton Court Stables and attached Trainer's House
Exning
Harraton Court Stables with attached trainer's house, built 1883 for 3rd Earl of Durham (George Lambton) as a training and stud establishment.
Hopton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School
Hopton
A post-war village primary school, designed and built by West Suffolk County Council, and opened in 1973.
Montagu House and Montagu Lodge
Beccles
Townhouse, built in the mid-C18 and extended in the late C18, early C19 and mid-C19; later divided into two dwellings in 1988.
Historic Suffolk through time
The National Heritage List for England contains hundreds of details about buildings and places, including the periods in which they were built and the uses they've had over the years. Explore how your local area has changed through time.
Prehistoric Before AD 43
Prehistory covers a million years of human occupation before the Roman invasion and the introduction of writing. Primarily hunter-gatherers of several human species including Neanderthals, the peoples moved across Europe, hunting animals, exchanging ideas and developing complex culture and belief systems including burial rites and astronomical understanding, as at Stonehenge for example.
Roman AD 43 to AD 410
Britain was invaded by four legions of the Roman army in AD 43, who relatively rapidly conquered England from landing points in Kent. Parts of Wales and Scotland soon followed.
Roman culture brought urbanism, monumental buildings, wide-ranging religious beliefs, writing, and strong social hierarchy. The Roman administrative system was withdrawn in AD 410.
Early medieval AD 410 to AD 1066
This period, often associated in England with Anglo-Saxons and Vikings, saw a reduction in urban living from the Roman period and increased migration from northern Europe.
Traces of this period can be found in cemeteries, particularly in artefacts and in some of the very early churches, as this period also saw the growth of Christianity in Britain.
Medieval AD 1066 to AD 1540
This period, sometimes known as the Middle Ages, began with the Norman invasion in AD 1066. It saw a significant rise in military and defensive buildings such as castles and earthworks, as well as religious houses dominating a largely agricultural landscape.
The monarchy and Church dominated the period, which also saw the break with the Roman Church and the English reformation.
Post medieval AD 1540 to AD 1901
The Post-Medieval period brought seismic changes to life in England, with religious reformation leading to the democratization of worship and the destruction of hundreds of religious houses.
In parallel, there was a huge expansion of scientific study and enlightenment that permanantly altered the nation's social structure and landscape. Industrialization and mass production lead to wider global trade, emigration, and immigration.
20th century AD 1901 to AD 2000
The 20th century saw an incredible expansion of England's transport networks, with suburban growth shadowing rapid infrastructural expansion. The establishment of state schools, hospitals, and modern technical colleges, with new architectural styles, radically changed the appearance of towns and cities.
Two catastrophic world wars and the 1918 pandemic also brought unprecedented change, altering England's built environment and social structures forever.
Prehistoric Before AD 43
Prehistory covers a million years of human occupation before the Roman invasion and the introduction of writing. Primarily hunter-gatherers of several human species including Neanderthals, the peoples moved across Europe, hunting animals, exchanging ideas and developing complex culture and belief systems including burial rites and astronomical understanding, as at Stonehenge for example.
Roman AD 43 to AD 410
Britain was invaded by four legions of the Roman army in AD 43, who relatively rapidly conquered England from landing points in Kent. Parts of Wales and Scotland soon followed.
Roman culture brought urbanism, monumental buildings, wide-ranging religious beliefs, writing, and strong social hierarchy. The Roman administrative system was withdrawn in AD 410.
Early medieval AD 410 to AD 1066
This period, often associated in England with Anglo-Saxons and Vikings, saw a reduction in urban living from the Roman period and increased migration from northern Europe.
Traces of this period can be found in cemeteries, particularly in artefacts and in some of the very early churches, as this period also saw the growth of Christianity in Britain.
Medieval AD 1066 to AD 1540
This period, sometimes known as the Middle Ages, began with the Norman invasion in AD 1066. It saw a significant rise in military and defensive buildings such as castles and earthworks, as well as religious houses dominating a largely agricultural landscape.
The monarchy and Church dominated the period, which also saw the break with the Roman Church and the English reformation.
Post medieval AD 1540 to AD 1901
The Post-Medieval period brought seismic changes to life in England, with religious reformation leading to the democratization of worship and the destruction of hundreds of religious houses.
In parallel, there was a huge expansion of scientific study and enlightenment that permanantly altered the nation's social structure and landscape. Industrialization and mass production lead to wider global trade, emigration, and immigration.
20th century AD 1901 to AD 2000
The 20th century saw an incredible expansion of England's transport networks, with suburban growth shadowing rapid infrastructural expansion. The establishment of state schools, hospitals, and modern technical colleges, with new architectural styles, radically changed the appearance of towns and cities.
Two catastrophic world wars and the 1918 pandemic also brought unprecedented change, altering England's built environment and social structures forever.
Aerial photos of Suffolk
Historic aerial photography shows the growth and changes in England's urban and rural landscapes, revealing secrets that are impossible to see from the ground.
Lowestoft
Lowestoft Harbour and Station, Lowestoft, 1920
Lowestoft
Outer Harbour and Waveney Dock, Lowestoft, 1958
Brandeston
Brandeston Hall, Brandeston, 1949
Brandeston
Brandeston Hall, Brandeston, 1949
Orford
The town, Orford, 1949
Orford
Orford Castle, Orford, 1951
Withermarsh Green
Gifford's Hall, Withermarsh Green, 1934
Stoke-By-Nayland
Gifford's Hall and Gifford's Hall Park, Stoke-by-Nayland, 1951
Framlingham
Framlingham Castle, Framlingham 1947
Framlingham
Framlingham Castle, Framlingham, 1951
Historic England Archive images of Suffolk
The Historic England Archive holds and cares for over 15 million images, from the 1850s to the present day. Discover stunning images of Suffolk's past.
Charles George Harper Collection
Babergh, Suffolk
Date created: 1892 - 1933
St Mary's Church, seen from the south-west
Eric de Mare
Tattingstone, Babergh, Suffolk
Date created: 1945 - 1980
General view of the Tattingstone Wonder from a field.
John Gay Collection: Rural Life
Babergh, Suffolk
Date created: Mar 1954
Children playing with skipping ropes outside Thatched House
John Gay Collection: Counties
Flatford Mill, Babergh, Suffolk
Date created: 1966
River scene near Flatford Mill, showing cows and ducks
John Laing Collection
Felixstowe, Suffolk Coastal, Suffolk
Date created: 27 Jun 1953
A man and child driving a dodgem car at Manning's Amusement Park during a Laing staff outing to Felixstowe
London, Midland and Scottish Railway Company
Babergh, Suffolk
Date created: 1893
The north side of St Peter and St Paul's Church viewed from across the pond at Lavenham Hall
Nigel Temple Collection of Postcards of Parks and Gardens
Flatford, Babergh, Suffolk
Date created: 1900 - 1950
EXTERIOR VIEW
John Gay Collection: Counties
Flatford Mill, Babergh, Suffolk
Date created: 1966
An artist at his easel on a riverbank, framed by a willow tree and a cow's head
John Laing Collection
Felixstowe, Suffolk Coastal, Suffolk
Date created: 27 Jun 1953
A group of Laing employees and families outside the Regal Cafe during a Laing staff outing to Felixstowe
Nigel Temple Collection of Postcards of Parks and Gardens
Suffolk Coastal, Suffolk
Date created: 1905 - 1910
GENERAL VIEW LOOKING ALONG THE PROMENADE
Stories about heritage in Suffolk
Historic England publishes news, blogs, videos and podcasts celebrating England's heritage. Discover the stories we have about Suffolk.
A Brief Introduction to Cabmen’s Shelters
Mentions Former Cabmen's Shelter West of Bolton Lane Entrance to Park
Discover the history of the small green cabmen's shelters in London that still serve the capital's taxi drivers
The History of Brick Building in England
Mentions Suffolk, Little Wenham Castle
Discover 7 examples of how brick building in England has changed over the centuries.
Traces of the Vikings in England
Mentions Suffolk
Explore the archaeological traces and standing remains that tell us about Viking life and and culture in England.
Women Architects Who Helped Shape England
Mentions Suffolk, Number 3 and Attached Walls to North and East and South Including Garage
Women have always influenced domestic design but it wasn’t until 1898 that the first female architect was admitted to the Royal Institute of British...
5 Chilling Tales From Churches in England
Mentions Suffolk, Church of St Mary
Uncover spooky stories of dark magic and local legends at five of England’s most atmospheric churches.
Aethelflaed, Lady of the Mercians
Mentions Suffolk, Area of Middle and Late Saxon town between Upper Brook Street and Upper Orwell Street
Explore the life and work of Aethelflaed, 'Lady of the Mercians'; an Anglo-Saxon ruler who built forts and towns and led armies against the Vikings.
5 Sites That Tell the Story of Early Anglo-Saxon England
Mentions Suffolk, Prehistoric settlement and group of barrows (
Discover the amazing sites that tell us about the culture, beliefs and society of Anglo-Saxon England.
8 Historic Music Festivals
Mentions Suffolk, Snape Maltings
From struggling to put a tent up in the pouring rain to dancing to your favourite band with your mates, music festival have become a highlight of...
Mentions Suffolk
Introducing new host Dr Suzannah Lipscomb as she begins Series 2 by exploring England's 'Loss & Destruction' locations as selected by judge Mary Beard.
A Bronze Age time capsule and haunting seaside abbeys
Introducing new host Dr Suzannah Lipscomb as she begins Series 2 by exploring England's 'Loss & Destruction' locations as selected by judge Mary Beard. Guests Dan Cruickshank and Emily Gee help explore Must Farm Bronze Age settlement in Peterborough, the haunting ruins of Whitby Abbey and the windswept Dunwich on the Suffolk coast. A History of England in 100 Places is a Historic England podcast, sponsored by specialist insurer Ecclesiastical ecclesiastical.com
Mentions Suffolk
The former Post Office building in Lowestoft, East Suffolk, is located within the London Road, Lowestoft High Street Heritage Action Zone and is a...
Repairing Lowestoft Post Office
The former Post Office building in Lowestoft, East Suffolk, is located within the London Road, Lowestoft High Street Heritage Action Zone and is a flagship project within the Town Investment Plan.
Home of Musician Imogen Holst Listed in Aldeburgh, Suffolk
Mentions 9 Church Walk,, Suffolk
9 Church Walk in Aldeburgh, Suffolk, has been listed at Grade II by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on the advice of Historic England.
Grant To Save Somerleyton Hall Glasshouses
Mentions Kitchen Garden of Somerleyton Hall, Suffolk
Historic England has awarded a grant of £120,000 to save the Grade II* listed Victorian glasshouses at Somerleyton Hall in Suffolk.
Thetford Forest Breckland Warrens Listed
Mentions Santon Downham Warren, Mildenhall Warren Boundary Banks, Downham High Warren
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has listed 5 Breckland warren and lodge sites in Thetford Forest on the advice of Historic England,
Historic Parks and Gardens Protected Thanks to the Suffolk's Unforgettable Garden Story Project
Mentions Abbot's Hall, Thorpeness Meare, Crows Hall
An exciting project to celebrate and protect historic Suffolk parks, gardens and landscapes is celebrating its successful completion.
New Funding to Uncover and Celebrate Working Class Heritage in the East of England
Mentions Suffolk
Historic England's Everyday Heritage Grant programme will reveal and celebrate fascinating untold stories from across the East of England and beyond.
Grant for Turf Fen Mill in Norfolk
Mentions Suffolk
Historic England has awarded a grant of £242,870 to fund repairs to save the Grade II* listed Turf Fen Mill in Irstead, North Norfolk.
Historic England Reveals its Heritage at Risk Register 2023
Mentions Suffolk
Historic England has today revealed its Heritage at Risk Register 2023. This is a snapshot of the health of England’s historic buildings and places.
Heritage at Risk in the East of England Revealed
Mentions Great White Horse Hotel, Church of St Mary, Suffolk
9 sites have been saved and 31 sites added to the Heritage at Risk Register 2023 in the East of England.
Explore your social history through photos
Over 10,000 images from the Historic England Archive have been specially selected and re-captioned for teachers, students, and anyone who wants to learn more about heritage in their local area.
Windmill, Mill Road, Thelnetham, Suffolk
Period: Georgian (1714 - 1836)
This was built in 1819 and has had additions since including the windshaft added in 1832.
Windmill, Mill Road, Thelnetham, Suffolk
Windmill at Haverhill, Suffolk
Period: Victorian (1837 - 1901)
The tower mill at Haverhill was one of only four windmills to be fitted with an annular sail; none now survive.
Windmill at Haverhill, Suffolk
Webb Bros, 30 Church Street, Woodbridge, Suffolk
Period: 1950s (1950 - 1959)
Webb Bros.
Webb Bros, 30 Church Street, Woodbridge, Suffolk
Weavers House, Lower Street, Stratford St Mary, Suffolk
Period: Tudor (1485 - 1602)
The Tudor house was probably used for weaving initially.
Weavers House, Lower Street, Stratford St Mary, Suffolk
Watermill, Lower Street, Sproughton, Suffolk
Period: Georgian (1714 - 1836)
Built in the late Georgian period, this mill was in use up until 1947. The Mill was built with Red brick in a Flemish style.
Watermill, Lower Street, Sproughton, Suffolk
Warner's Almshouses, Boyton, Suffolk
Period: Georgian (1714 - 1836)
These are a group of Almshouses and were formally listed as Warner's Almshouses.
Warner's Almshouses, Boyton, Suffolk
Walberswick Beach, Walberswick, Suffolk
Period: 1960s (1960 - 1969)
Girl, dog and holidaymakers paddling on Walberswick beach
Walberswick Beach, Walberswick, Suffolk
United Reformed Church, Stoke Road, Nayland with Wissington, Suffolk
Period: Victorian (1837 - 1901)
This was built as a Nonconformist church in 1864. It has been made in an Early English style.
United Reformed Church, Stoke Road, Nayland with Wissington, Suffolk
Visit grant-aided places near you
These places and buildings have been helped by Historic England's financial grants. Find local heritage in your neighbourhood that you never knew existed! Please note that opening times may vary.
Euston Park and Gardens, Euston
The park and gardens were originally laid out by John Evelyn for Lord Arlington in 1691.
Kersey Mill, Kersey
The mill comprises a large three-storey timber framed and weather boarded watermill with attics under a slated roof.
Drinkstone Post Mill, Drinkstone
16th to early 17th century post mill, likely to be the oldest surviving in England.
Mettingham Castle House, Mettingham
Ruins of a moated fortified manor house founded in 1342 by Sir John de Norwich and a late 14th-15th century monastic college.
Former Atomic Bomb Store, Barnham
‘The Special Storage Unit’ was built in 2 phases between 1953 and 1959 for the deep maintenance of the ‘Blue Danube’ atomic bomb.
Discover more Heritage nearby
Have you got another local place, or somewhere you're planning to visit? Take a look at these other places nearby
Ipswich
Local Authority District
Mid Suffolk
Local Authority District
Babergh
Local Authority District