Woodbridge – a must on your Suffolk holiday

Meeting holiday guests to my cottages week in, week out, I am always being asked to recommend pubs, restaurants etc around Suffolk. We have our own website specifically for this, as well as lots of info here but I am always happy to chat about where holidaymakers can go whilst visiting Suffolk. One of my favourite places to visit near our cottages, is Woodbridge, just 25 minutes away.

There are so many great pubs, restaurants, delis/coffee shops etc in Woodbridge that I really do suggest making a day of it and I will be writing in more detail on some of the best places as soon as I can.

So why visit Woodbridge when holidaying in Suffolk?

Woodbridge is an ancient market town with over 1000 years of history. It has some fabulous old buildings and lots of winding lanes and streets. There are a number of well-known landmarks such as the Windmill and St Mary’s church but the most iconic view of the town has to be the Tide Mill, featured in photographs all over the world, as well as on much of the local art. The Tide Mill stands proudly overlooking the main quay on the beautiful River Deben.

The most famous resident, Thomas Seckford. was a master of the court of Queen Elizabeth I.

Sailing and boating are huge pastimes in Woodbridge and it’s for that reason that the Tide Mill Yacht Harbour is my second home. I like to spend as much spare time as I can on my boat there and invariably do much of my writing there; I’m writing this here right now. The Deben is a stunning river, with a couple of great pubs right on the water, which has got nothing to with why I like it here! Honest! The Maybush at Waldringfield and The Ramsholt Arms (at Ramsholt on the opposite side of the river) are both very popular with many of our holiday cottage guests and are just down by the river.

Sutton Hoo – a Suffolk holiday favourite

Sutton Hoo is an amazing 200 acre estate directly opposite the Tide Mill but easy to reach by car and is home to perhaps one of the all time great archaeological discoveries. Now owned and run by the National Trust, there are ancient burial mounds and the burial of an Anglo-Saxon king, along with his treasure! It’s a fabulous place to visit for kids of all ages and is a genuinely interesting historical destination; one that a great number of our holiday cottage guests visit.

Netflix made a film about Sutton Hoo called The Dig.

Woodbridge market & Farmers market, Suffolk

There is a market every Thursday and a farmers market every 2nd & 4th Saturday in the centre of Woodbridge, where one can pick up loads of fabulous local fruit and veg, bread, meats etc.

Woodbridge has a vibrant collection of historic pubs, which I will write about separately in more detail as I say. The market square is dominated by the Shire Hall; an impressive Elizabethan building built by the aforementioned Thomas Seckford. I’m always amused by that phrase as I’m pretty sure he didn’t actually build it, or even pick up a brick. I can honestly say I built my Suffolk holiday cottages from start to finish. I didn’t do it on my own but I spent years renovating, designing, funding, project managing, digging holes, picking up bricks, cutting wood, tiling and lots of painting. Maybe one day there will be a plaque at the cottages saying that?

The Thoroughfare is the main street running through the town and is crammed with artisan foodie shops, delis and food stores, as well as book shops, coffee shops, clothes stores, housewares etc. It’s mostly pedestrianised, which makes it harder to believe that it used to be a two-way road carrying traffic to London!

Eating and drinking on your holiday in Suffolk

There are far too many fabulous places to go into on this Blog Post but Woodbridge is full of great pubs, restaurants, coffee shops & delis. Some of my favourites are:

The Anchor – My ‘local’ right by the river. A great proper pub serving Suffolk beers and fab food. They also have live music on a regular basis.

The Angel – another great pub on the market square, known for its huge gin collection of over 250 varieties! They also have live music.

The Kings Head – great Adnams pub dating back to the 15th century. Very dog friendly with a ‘mutts menu’! – important as lots of our holidaymakers are dog owners and our cottages are dog-friendly.

The Green Olive Deli – In the thoroughfare. One of the owners is a friend of mine so I’m guaranteed abuse as well as fabulous coffee. They have a great selection of meats and cheeses too!

The Galley – Superb restaurant on the market square with an excellent reputation for fine dining in a relaxed manner.

The Tide Mill; iconic landmark in Woodbridge, Suffolk

You’ll see the Tide Mill on so many images of Woodbridge and it’s a place that a great many of our holiday cottage guests have visited when staying with us.

It’s open most of the week and gives a fascinating insight into one of the traditional industries in the heart of Suffolk from days gone by.

The Windmill in Woodbridge, Suffolk; Buttram’s Mill

An old six-storey windmill dating back to 1836. It is open to the public on specific days throughout the year, usually Sundays.

So that’s a brief insight into the wonderful old town of Woodbridge. Do visit when you are staying with us or even just visiting Suffolk, you won’t regret it.