Suffolk

Properties and events in Suffolk

Before heading out for your Heritage Open Days visit, please check entries for last-minute changes.

Print selected events below

Imogen Holst House: 9 Church Walk

9 Church Walk, Aldeburgh, Suffolk, IP15 5DU
In person
Pre-booking preferred

A special opening of the Aldeburgh home of composer, conductor, and educator Imogen Holst. It is open for timed slot entry to explore her one-bed bungalow which is a fascinating mid-century capsule designed and built by HT ‘Jim’ Cadbury-Brown.

Ipswich 100

County Library, Northgate Street, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP1 3DE
In person
Pre-booking not required

September 2024 is the centenary of Ipswich County Library. During the Heritage Open Days you will be able to view an exhibition curated by Suffolk Libraries and Suffolk Archives and take part in our Stone Seeking Quest.

Felixstowe Ferry Walk

Felixstowe Ferry, Felixstowe, Suffolk, IP11 9RZ
In person
Pre-booking required

A stroll around the Ferry; a delightful hamlet full of history and seafaring stories. The walk starts and ends at St Nick's Church.

The Master's House, Ipswich

Master's House, 19 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4 1AQ
In person
Pre-booking preferred

Master's House is a 16th Century building and the business 'home' of Ipswich Central. It has a blue plaque for Co-operative Movement pioneer William King (1786-1865).

Cotman 4

Cobbold Road, Felixstowe, Suffolk, IP11 7SP
In person
Pre-booking required

A delightful stroll along Old Felixstowe's seafront, viewing historic buildings along the way. Visitors should meet at Harvest House and the walk will finish at Cranmer House.

St Edmundsbury Cathedral Ancient Library Tour

Angel Hill, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, IP33 1LS
In person
Pre-booking required

Come and learn more about our Ancient Library and the books in the Cathedral’s collection.

Lowestoft Maritime Museum

Whapload Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR32 1XG
In person
Pre-booking not required

A celebration of the area's rich maritime heritage. Enjoy extensive displays and much more in this ingeniously laid-out museum.

The Hamilton Gardens House

7, Hamilton Gardens, Felixstowe, Suffolk, IP11 7ET
In person
Pre-booking required

A fascinating talk and tour around the exterior of this 1860s house in one of the most popular roads in Old Felixstowe. No. 7 Hamilton Gardens has an interesting history and retains external period features.

Suffolk Archives - Behind the scenes tour of The Hold

131 Fore Street, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4 1LR
In person
Pre-booking required

A free behind-the-scenes tour showcasing the amazing collections at The Hold, Ipswich.

Communicating local history through music

12 Trinity Street, Bungay, Suffolk, NR35 1EH
In person
Pre-booking not required

Local musicians spreading history through music. Held in a Saxon. Part of a weekend of Folk Music.

Fore Street Pool

Fore Street, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4 1JZ
In person
Pre-booking not required

An elegant Victorian design with a fully glazed roof. Officially opened on the 1st March 1894 by the Mayor of Ipswich Samuel Anness. The first year saw over 42,000 people use the facility. The population of Ipswich was only 57,000 at the time.

Guided Tours of Ipswich Town Hall, Mayor's Parlour and Corn Exchange

Town Hall, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP1 1DH
In person
Pre-booking not required

Fifty minute guided tours around Ipswich Town Hall, The Mayor's Parlour and the Corn Exchange.

The MCP Chapel

Maybush Lane, Felixstowe, Suffolk, IP11 7LL
In person
Pre-booking required

The Felixstowe Ladies' College Chapel has been beautifully renovated by MCP who have graciously allowed access to the public for the first time.

Ipswich School Heritage Open Morning

25 Henley Road, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP1 3SG
In person
Pre-booking not required

Ipswich School will be opening its doors for a fascinating tour of the school’s long history on Saturday 7 September, as part of Heritage Open Days 2024.

Woodbridge Quay Church

Woodbridge Quay Church, Quay Street, 4 The Malt Yard, Woodbridge, Suffolk, IP12 1FL
In person
Pre-booking not required

Discover the oldest non-conformist church in Woodbridge. The present building was erected in 1805 with internal changes in 1897 and 2013. Grade II listed.

The Martello Tower U Talk

Felixstowe Ferry, Felixstowe, Suffolk, IP11 9RZ
In person
Pre-booking required

A fascinating talk about the history of Martellos and the experience of living in one of these iconic buildings.

Meet the Tudors at Christchurch Mansion

Christchurch Mansion, Soane Street, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4 2BE
In person
Pre-booking not required

7/8th September 2024 Meet the Withypolls at Christchurch Mansion 11 – 4 Saturday and Sunday Find out how the Tudors lived at the Mansion with a costumed guide from The Friends of the Ipswich Museums. Will Queen Elizabeth I be visiting?

Heritage Skills Market

Triangle Market, St Peter's Street, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR32 1QA
In person
Pre-booking not required

A day of learning about and experiencing a range of heritage skills, delivered my local traders.

Ipswich Institute Reading Room and Library

Reading Room & Library, 15 Tavern Street, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP1 3AA
In person
Pre-booking not required

Have you ever walked past the blue door hidden on Tavern Street in Ipswich and wondered what was behind it? Now is your chance! We will be opening our buildings to non-members to explore the Ipswich Institute, local history and heritage.

Guided Tours of Ipswich Regent Theatre

3 St. Helens Street, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4 1HE
In person
Pre-booking required

Bookable free guided tours will lead you behind the curtain of East Anglia's largest theatre and see parts of the building not normally open to the public. Tours are limited to 20 people, and tickets must be booked in advance.

St Peter's by the Waterfront & The Ipswich Charter Hangings

College Street, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4 1BF
In person
Pre-booking not required

Visit this historic mariner's church which has links to Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, view our heritage displays and the Ipswich Charter Hangings.

Ipswich Maritime Trust on board Sailing Barge Victor

outside Old Custom House, Common Quay, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4 1BY
In person
Pre-booking not required

Come on board the iconic Sailing Barge Victor, meet members of the Ipswich Maritime Trust, and discover more about our maritime heritage.

The Two Sisters Arts Centre

High Road, Trimley St Mary, Suffolk, IP11 0SP
In person
Pre-booking not required

This vibrant Arts Centre is hosting a Living History experience rooted in local people and events in Trimley and the surrounding area.

Book Binding from he 15th Century - Fisher Theatre

Fisher Theatre, 10 Broad Street, Bungay, Suffolk, NR35 1EE
In person
Pre-booking not required

Bungay's printing heritage from the 1700s is being relived with a hands on demonstration

Radio Caroline and Felixstowe and Offshore Radio

Hut on the Prom, Felixstowe, Suffolk, IP11 7SF
In person
Pre-booking not required

Felixstowe and Offshore Radio will have a display of mainly local archive photos, material and memorabilia focused on Radio Caroline and its local links.

Suffolk energy-from-waste facility

Suffolk energy-from-waste facility, Lodge Lane, Great Blakenham, Suffolk, IP6 0JE
In person
Pre-booking required

Join us to learn more about waste in Suffolk, as well as taking a guided tour of the facility which will explain the energy from the waste process from start to finish.

The Red House, Aldeburgh

The Red House, Golf Lane, Aldeburgh, Suffolk, IP15 5PZ
In person
Pre-booking preferred

A chance to explore Benjamin Britten's life and work at the Aldeburgh home he shared with his life partner, Peter Pears.

Felixstowe Museum

View Point Road, Felixstowe, Suffolk, IP11 3TW
In person
Pre-booking not required

An award-winning museum houses a comprehensive collection of artefacts and photos related to Felixstowe's history.

Fairfield School

High Road West, Felixstowe, Suffolk, IP11 9JB
In person
Pre-booking required

Generations of Felixstowe residents have been educated as this school, opened towards the end of the nineteenth century. This delightful building combines original features with modern learning facilities.

Book Binding from the 15th Century - Town Hall

Bungay Town Hall, 1A Broad Street, Bungay, Suffolk, NR35 1EE
In person
Pre-booking not required

Bungay's printing heritage from the 1700's is being relived with a hands on demonstration

The Old Lloyds Bank Building

225 High Street, Walton, Felixstowe, Suffolk, IP11 9DT
In person
Pre-booking not required

A 1929 bank building which has been impressively renovated, retaining original features, was a popular attraction in 2014 so its return to the programme is very welcome.

The Spa Pavilion

Undercliff Road West, Felixstowe, Suffolk, IP11 2DX
In person
Pre-booking required

Backstage tours, including practical demonstrations of technical equipment, are offered in Felixstowe's popular theatre.

Martello P

Martello Park, Felixstowe, Suffolk, IP11 2GB
In person
Pre-booking not required

This fortification, built in the early nineteenth century, is one of the few which remain along the east coast.

Felixstowe Town Hall

Undercliff Road West, Felixstowe, Suffolk, IP11 2AG
In person
Pre-booking required

An impressive late nineteenth century civic building retaining some original features. Tours and an exhibition of archive material rarely seen are added attractions.

Landguard Fort

Viewpoint Road, Felixstowe, Suffolk, IP11 3TW
In person
Pre-booking not required

A Grade 1 listed building with a rich military and maritime heritage.

Harvest House

Cobbold Road, Felixstowe, Suffolk, IP11 7SP
In person
Pre-booking required

An iconic 1903 architectural gem on the Felixstowe cliffs which features plenty of original Edwardian features and a delightful garden.

Eye Town Hall Eye Heritage Pop up Museum

1 Broad Street, Eye, Suffolk, IP23 7AF
In person
Pre-booking not required

The Victorian building is Grade II * listed and is a meeting place for the Council also used as a Wedding and community hire. Paintings & artefacts are on display and a 'pop up' local history museum on Sunday September 8th.

Bawdsey Radar Museum

Bawdsey, Woodbridge, Suffolk, IP12 3BA
In person
Pre-booking preferred

The first World War 2 operational RADAR station. Visit us to find out more.

Bungay and the History and Demise of the Railway

Riverside, Staithe Road, Bungay, Suffolk, NR35 1EU
In person
Pre-booking not required

Display and history of Bungay's railway. Demonstrations and hands on exhibits

Ipswich Citadel Salvation Army celebrate 140 years

558 Woodbridge Road, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4 4PH
In person
Pre-booking not required

A warm invitation to explore the past and present life of our Corps (church) as we celebrate 140 years of the Salvation Army in Ipswich.

St Margaret's Church, Ipswich

Soane Street, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4 2BE
In person
Pre-booking not required

For over 700 years, St Margaret’s has been at the heart of Ipswich. See our magnificent 15th century roof and our 21st century bellringing gallery. Self-guide with a leaflet (including one for children) and see our exhibit of old prints.

Woolverstone Hall

Woolverstone, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP9 1AZ
In person
Book on day

Built in 1776, and now home to the prestigious Ipswich High School, the magnificent Woolverstone Hall tells its story of being a family home, a World War II military base and a revolutionary boarding school for underprivileged boys in the 1950s

River Church Ipswich

St. Mary At The Quay, Key Street, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4 1BZ
In person
Pre-booking not required

River Church will be open for anyone to come and have a look around. Our coffee shop will be open for visitors to purchase refreshments.

Lowestoft Seafest 2024

Hadenham Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR33 7NF
In person
Pre-booking not required

Lowestoft Seafest taking place this September

How far would you travel for your faith?

Halesworth Road, Walpole, Halesworth, Suffolk, IP19 9AZ
In person
Pre-booking not required

We are creating a map, based on the first edition of the OS 1” to show how far people had to travel to worship at the oldest Independent Chapel in the county, as there was nowhere else for them to go. We are using our Baptism Records dated 1706-1835,

Unitarian Meeting House - Ipswich

Friars Street, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP1 1TD
In person
Pre-booking not required

Grade I listed non-conformist Meeting House built in 1699 and still almost as it was then - open access for all. Pulpit in the style of Grinling Gibbons, wig pegs, spy hole, brass chandelier, box pews, and a Grade II Hall to visit next door.

Ipswich Magistrates Court

Elm Street, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP1 2AP
In person
Pre-booking not required

Open day for the general public - with mock sentencing exercises, opportunities to speak to Magistrates and representatives of other agencies involved in the criminal justice system and behind the scenes tours of the court cells.

Broomhill Pool, Ipswich.

Broomhill Pool, Sherrington Road, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP1 4HT
In person
Pre-booking not required

One of just 17 listed lidos in Britain. This "Art Moderne" pool building is one of the most attractive Lido style open-air pools in Britain and has an unrivalled position on the edge of Broomhill Park in Ipswich.

A Common Thread

Community Centre, Old Grammar Lane, Bungay, Suffolk, NR35 1PU
In person
Pre-booking not required

The connections of the river to Bungay depicted in a new textile project.

Historical Importance of the River Waveney to Bungay

Riverside, Staithe Road, Bungay, Suffolk, NR35 1EU
In person
Pre-booking not required

Bungay, known as Little London in the late 1800s, was a major trader and textile producer. The river gradually became un-navigable which led to loss of trade for Bungay. There will be displays, talks and 'hands on' exhibits.

Suffolk Lacemakers - display and demonstration of bobbin lacemaking

Christchurch Mansion, Soane Street, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4 2BE
In person
Pre-booking not required

Suffolk Lacemakers will be promoting and demonstrating the heritage craft of bobbin lacemaking See lacemakers at work, look at a display of their work and try for yourself at the 'Have A Go' lace pillow

Eye Parish Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul

Old Vicarage, Church Street, Eye, Suffolk, IP23 7BD
In person
Pre-booking not required

This beautiful Church is one of the grandest in Suffolk, not only on the outside, but also with regards to the treasures within. The great flint-encrusted tower was rebuilt in the second half of the 15th century and took over 40 years to build.

Aldeburgh Museum

Moot Hall, Market Cross Place, Aldeburgh, Suffolk, IP15 5DS
In person
Pre-booking not required

Housed in the iconic Grade 1 Listed, timber framed, Tudor Moot Hall and home of the Town Council, the museum displays artefacts about the rich and diverse history of Aldeburgh from the Anglo-Saxons to today, through digital and manual displays.