The variety of Suffolk Cottages

The cottage is an image of the quintessential English life that is instantly recognisable all around the world. Suffolk Cottages are an essential part of this picture and they bring unique characters all of their own. In this blog, we explore a few towns and villages that offer an abundance of cottages. We might accidentally stray into a few Castles as well. Be warned!

The people of Suffolk live in homes as diverse in nature as any other part of the UK. From the high-rises and waterfront apartments of Ipswich and the grand townhouses of Bury St Edmunds to the fisherman’s cottages of Southwold, homes in Suffolk come in many shapes and sizes. However, Suffolk Cottages form an integral and unmistakable cornerstone of Suffolk living, and they too come in a variety of charming and unique shapes and sizes.

For example, visit the village of Cavendish and your eyes will be treated to a feast of pink. Beautiful thatched cottages with pink walls make up many of the buildings in the village and are a sight to behold. Cavendish has won Suffolk’s ‘Best Kept Village’ award so often the locals joke about naming the award after the village.

To look upon some equally stunning cottages with slightly subtler colour schemes you can visit Clare, the smallest town in Suffolk.

Here you will find excellent examples of pastel-coloured thatched cottages and timbered Tudor houses. The town is also home to one of the most significant medieval buildings in the whole of East Anglia, the appropriately named Ancient House.

If a visit to Clare whets your appetite for impressive Tudor buildings then a trip to the mid-Suffolk village of Lavenham is a must for you. It contains a wonderful collection of finely preserved homes from that period.

Lavenham is a village brimming with 500-year-old timber-framed Tudor architecture that lines the main streets. During its heyday, Lavenham’s wealth, largely from the medieval wool trade, made it the fourteenth richest town in England.

The Guildhall is one of the most iconic buildings here, having served as a workhouse and prison before being converted during the war to a restaurant for American airmen. Today, it stands as a National Trust site and has even made its mark in film as the home of Harry Potter’s parents in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1. With its quaint charm, independent shops, cafes, and pubs, Lavenham is a delightful day out for anyone wishing to explore authentic Tudor character.

Also, quite close to us at Woodfarm Barns lays the village of Earl Soham. Much of the village has been designated as a Conservation area due to its dense concentration of period cottages.

Heading to the East of the county during your Suffolk Holiday, you can admire some wonderful Suffolk coastal cottages too. The Suffolk Coast & Heaths Designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is home to a plethora of these, and thatched roofs aplenty.

Why not come and explore the rich variety of our dog friendly Suffolk Holiday Cottages for yourself at Woodfarm Barns?

When enjoying one of our Gold Award winning luxury Holiday Cottages for your stay in Suffolk, here at Woodfarm Barns you won’t have to go far to experience these beautiful buildings for yourself. We are so proud to be the recipients of the Visit England Gold Awards for all ten of our Suffolk Holiday Cottage and Barges. Of course our very own thatched Cottages, the Grade II listed Woodfarm House and Meadow View Cottage, both give a wonderful taste of the local flavour of cottages on offer.

Our dog friendly holiday cottages have well in excess of 1,200 Five Star Reviews on Tripadvisor Facebook and Google (as at October 2024). Seven of our eight Barns and thatched Cottages in England have their own Private Hot tub, and all have fully enclosed gardens.

Not only are we spoilt for choice with stunning Cottages, Suffolk is also home to 13 castles. Here are three of our favourites:

Clare Castle

Originally built in the 11th century, Clare Castle remained intact until the 16th century, when it passed into royal ownership and eventually fell into ruins. With the advent of rail transport, the railways acquired the land, building Clare station, which operated until the 1960s. Now, you can wander the ruins of Clare Castle and enjoy the beautiful country park surrounding it.

Orford Castle

Dating back to the 1160s, Orford Castle towers over the village of Orford, offering views of Orford Ness National Nature Reserve and the North Sea. Built to reinforce the monarch’s authority in the region, it shares this legacy with Framlingham Castle. Visitors can explore the remaining tower, which provides a glimpse of what once stood on this historic site.

Framlingham Castle

Built slightly before Orford, Framlingham Castle was instrumental in consolidating royal power in the region. In a historic moment, Mary Tudor was declared queen here following Lady Jane Grey’s brief nine-day reign. Today, Framlingham offers visitors a deep dive into its storied past and enduring legacy.

Are you interested in visiting some of the Suffolk Cottages mentioned here while also staying in a wonderful example of one on one of our luxury self catering dog friendly holidays? Then you can check our availability here.

Why wait for the perfect time when you can go now? Our last-minute availability page sometimes has spontaneous getaway options at discounted rates. Take a look—you might just find your next trip!