Cycling Around Discover the HEART OF SUFFOLK Eye Cycling Around Discover the HEART OF SUFFOLK Eye Eye is an ideal base for exploring North Suffolk. You are never far from quaint villages, countryside amenities and many places of interest. Explore the rich architectural history of Eye by following the Town Trail Walk, then go further afield by bicycle, using the cycle routes which have been designed to capture the essence of rural Suffolk. For further information on the area, including accommodation, attractions, and cycle hire, please contact the MID SUFFOLK TOURIST INFORMATION CENTRE Museum of East Anglian Life, Stowmarket IP14 1DL Tel: (01449) 676800 Fax: (01449) 614691 Email: tic@midsuffolk.gov.uk Web: www.visitsuffolk.org.uk Local information is often available in parish churches and at local shops. Some churches are left open while many are locked but there will usually be a notice stating when the church is open or where a key can be obtained. This leaflet was produced by Mid Suffolk District Council and the Discover Suffolk Project. The route was researched and original text drafted by Anthony Wright. Some text and information has been amended and updated in 2006. To the best of our knowledge all information and details were correct at the time of print. However MSDC and the Discover Suffolk Project accept no responsibility for inaccuracies or omissions. Whilst all due care has been exercised in compiling the route, Mid Suffolk District Council accepts no liability for loss or injury caused to any person following the route.
2 Cycling Around EYE Discover the HEART OF SUFFOLK 3 Introduction The Eye area is now quiet, ideal for exploration by bicycle, but it has been prominent in the past, and prospered from the wool trade. In its history many names recur St Edmund, Barons Malet and Bigod, Henry II, the Earls of Suffolk and Norfolk, and in the 19th Century General Sir Edward Kerrison. A book on the history of Eye by Clive Paine is published by Benyon de Beauvoir. Come to enjoy the countryside which can be pleasant for cycling at any time of the year. There are no major hills, but the countryside undulates sufficiently to make the journey interesting. Bring booklets to help identify the many trees and flowers that you will see and the crops in the fields. The soil in the area is mainly boulder clay but there are sands and gravel in the river valleys. The cycle routes in this leaflet are divided into three easy day rides which can be completed in one day by the energetic. The ordnance survey map extract provided makes it easy to plan detours, short cuts or alternative routes. Unless specifically indicated, none of the places mentioned in this booklet are open to the public. Please respect the privacy of people who live there. There is easy access to the area by rail to Diss, which is on the main Intercity London-Norwich line. Bicycles can be carried on ONE RAILWAY TRAINS (subject to prior booking as there is limited capacity). Tel 0845 600 7245 www.onerailway.com for details. For those travelling by car, there are free car parks in Eye, one at Cross Street and one in Buckshorn Lane. There are public toilets in Cross Street car park. The area is not far from the Harwich-Hull National Cycling Route. Sustrans' vision is a world in which people choose to travel in ways that benefit their health and the environment. Sustrans is the charity behind practical and innovative solutions to some of the UK's biggest transport challenges, including the award-winning National Cycle Network, Safe Routes to Schools, Bike It and TravelSmart. To find out more, visit www.sustrans.org.uk Ride with caution. The roads are not particularly busy but can carry fast traffic. Roads are busiest near towns. Ensure your bike is roadworthy. Avoid riding along the A140 and main B class roads. Wear high visibility clothing and an approved well fitting helmet. Carry spares. Watch out for thorns on the road from hedge cutting which can cause punctures. Bicycle Recovery Service For One Railway ticket including cycle rescue for one day, please call 0845 600 7245. For annual cycle insurance including recovery service, please call The Environmental Transport Association for a quote on 0800 212 810 Cycle Route from Diss Railway Station to Eye The most cycle friendly route from Diss railway station to Eye is via Palgrave and the quiet lanes to Thrandeston, Mellis and Yaxley, as indicated on the map. (7 miles signed Heart of Suffolk cycle route link) From the railway station head East with care along the B1066, then cross the carriageway to join Rose Lane, formerly the A143 to Palgrave. As this road has been by-passed this route to Palgrave is not signed. Take care crossing the new A143 road, and the A140. Cross the A140 to the footpath on the right hand side, which leads to the road to Eye.
4 Cycling Around EYE Discover the HEART OF SUFFOLK 5 Eye Town 1. Eye Town A leaflet on the Eye Town Trail can be obtained from the Mid Suffolk Tourist Information Centre on (01449) 676800 or from various outlets in the town. You will find several places to eat in Eye, including a tea shop, restaurants and a pub. Eye has many splendid houses dating from the 15th century, a magnificent church and ruins of a Norman Castle and Benedictine Priory. Eye has declined since the 1850s when there were many thriving local industries an iron foundry, flax works, lace making and a number of breweries. The coming of the railway to Diss in 1849 adversely affected Eye s commercial importance. Eye remains however a vibrant Suffolk town with a population of about 2000, supporting one public house, shops, businesses and banks. Eyes name is derived from the Saxon word for island. It was a Saxon fortified encampment. Eye Castle After the Norman Conquest the Honour of Eye was given to William Malet who began building the castle. The honour included land in 8 counties and was one of the largest Norman Estates. William Malet had been entrusted with the Burial of King Harold at Battle, Sussex. The castle was rebuilt and strengthened in 1182 after repelling the forces of Hugh Bigod of Framlingham in 1173. Attacked again in 1265 the castle was left in ruins and its remaining structure used as a prison. In 1561 a windmill was built on the castle motte. Demolished in 1844, General Sir Edward Kerrison replaced it with the present folly which contained a cottage, given for life to the man who saved the Generals life at the battle of Waterloo. The castle grounds are open to the public. A viewing platform provides superb views of the town. Open Easter October 9am dusk. The White Lion The White Lion, a 17th century coaching Inn has a 15th century timber frame, part of which can still be seen jettied at first floor level. Church Eyes parish church of St. Peter and St. Paul is distinguished for its splendid panelled flint flushworked tower and south porch. The tower rises in four stages to 101 feet and is crowned by battlements with pinnacles at the corners. Both the tower and porch were built in the reign of Edward IV and paid for in part by the parish and by John de la Pole Duke of Suffolk. There is a rood screen which dates from 1480. The Pennings Picnic Area A short distance along the B1117 to the east is the Pennings Local Nature Reserve and picnic site at the Ludgate Causeway. It is a tranquil setting on the banks of the river Dove, a traditional water meadow with views of Eye church and castle. TO NORWICH B1117 MAGDALEN STREET LAMBETH STREET TOILETS CAR PARK TO IPSWICH (Lorry Route) 1 1 B1017 CROSS STREET 1 BROAD STREET Arrows indicate direction out of Eye for cycle routes. Eye Town Hall BUCKSH ORN LANE C H U R C H S T R E ET CAR PARK 2 Castle Hill CASTLE STREET EYE TOWN EYE CASTLE CHURCH PICNIC AREA PRIORY Priory of Eye For information on Invitation to View visits contact the TIC on 01449 676800. The Priory of Eye has been known for the past 200 years as The Abbey, Eye. The remains of the Benedictine Priory was founded by Robert Malet in 1080. EYE TOWN CENTRE Eye Castle IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII Eye School & Guildhall Church of St Peter & St Paul R I V 3 E R D O H OXNE R O A D V E EYE TOWN The Pennings (Picnic Site) TO STRADBROKE
6 Cycling Around EYE Discover the HEART OF SUFFOLK 7 Route 1 18 Miles - Eye, Mellis, Thorndon Circular Route 1 meanders for seventeen miles through Suffolk s arable heartland s fields, where corn and beet dominate the agricultural scene. The route passes through many picturesque villages and hamlets. Head to the West out of Eye towards Yaxley. Avoid the B1077 and B1117 which are main lorry routes. Take care when approaching the A140 as lorries use this short section of road to get to the Airfield Industrial Estate. Bear left before the A140 and take the old road and footpath to cross with caution opposite the road to Yaxley. Signs on the A140 warn drivers of cyclists crossing. 2. Yaxley Yaxley sits astride the old Roman road to Norwich. Its Anglo-Saxon name means cuckoo clearing. Images of this bird appear on both faces of the village sign. The Victorians bisected the village with the Mellis to Eye branch railway line in 1849 but all that now remains is a hump back bridge. At the cross roads in the centre of the village is Yaxley s only pub, The Cherry Tree, built in red brick with blue brick diamonds. At the southern end of the village is the 13th century church of St Marys. The church has one of the finest 15th Century porches in Suffolk, rich with carvings and with stone seats on the sides. Another interesting external feature of medieval architecture is the flying buttress used to stabilize the chancel wall. Inside is a sextons wheel, an iron contraption once used to establish by random selection a weekly fasting day. The 16th century diplomat Francis Yaxley of Mellis was sent to the Tower for giving away State secrets. Upon his release he was sent by Mary, Queen of Scots to Spain to seek support against Elizabeth, but unluckily he was drowned on the homeward voyage. You will find the Cherry Tree public house in the village. For information on cycle friendly accommodation and places to visit in the area please contact Mid Suffolk Tourist Information Centre. Tel (01449) 676800 or go to www.visit-suffolk.org.uk email tic@midsuffolk.gov.uk 3. Mellis, Village Mellis has one of the largest commons in the country. It is a vast area of grass land grazed by cattle and there is abundant wildlife. Look carefully and you will see many varieties of wild flowers, some quite rare. In 1644, in the Civil War, the green was used to train Parliamentarian men in battle skills. The training was so realistic that one of the number was shot dead and many more wounded during the manoeuvres. The Railway Tavern is an 18th century inn which was once known as the Railway Hotel and is the soul surviving pub in Mellis. Tourist Information available Memorial Hall Near the railway crossing is the corrugated iron Mellis Memorial Hall built in memory of the village s losses in the Great War. St Mary The Virgin, Mellis Most of the Mellis church dates from the 15th century. Five bells were lost when the tower collapsed in 1730. The remaining east wall of the tower with its brick bell-cot addition now houses a thirty inch diameter bell brought from Thwaite church in 1859. At the west end of the Nave hangs the Royal Arms of King Charles I, one of only five in England. ROUTE 1 EYE YAXLEY MELLIS, VILLAGE
8 Cycling Around EYE Discover the HEART OF SUFFOLK 9 Route 1 4. Gislingham, Village Gislingham s long main street is flanked with a mixture of colour washed thatched cottages and modern houses. Mid way along The Street the Six Bells is to be found close by the village Post Office and General Store. In Mill Street you will pass the old Guildhall. At the northern end of the village is St Mary s church. Gislingham, Church The Porch, nave and chancel of St Marys, Gislingham are 15th century and built of flint with the nave and porch plastered over. The nave has a low pitched double hammer beam roof. A three decker pulpit is set above the tower arch. Within the church there are many monuments, the finest being an effigy of Anthony Bedingfield, shown kneeling in academic dress. He died in 1652 leaving money for the poor and for mending highways. Above the tower arch is the coat of arms of George III. The Thornham Estate The 2,500 acre Thornham Estate has been the home of the Henniker family since 1756. It includes the villages of Thornham Magna and Thornham Parva. 5. Thornham Magna Village Thornham Magna is blessed with many thatch and plaster cottages, painted traditionally pink. At its northern end stands its 15th century church, a shrine to the Henniker family. The southern end terminates at the 12th century inn. A wide ditch runs parallel with the street on its eastern edge. All the cottages on that side are linked to the road by small bridges. On the western side many cottages are built with their front doors opening right on to the street. Thornham Parva Church St Marys, Thornham Magna The churchyard is a wildlife conservation area. In summer it is a mass of colour, alive with butterflies and many other insects. The 15th century church was restored in 1851 and has a fine embattled pinnacle tower. The Hennikers are remembered throughout. Most striking is John Kendrick s monument to Lord and Lady Henniker, who died in 1821. This imposing marble features two graceful female figures supporting an urn on which are the profiles of Lord and Lady Henniker. Four Horseshoes, Thornham Magna The Four Horseshoes is a 12th century thatched Inn on the outskirts of Thornham Magna looking out across the surrounding fields. The Inn dates from 1150. It has a timber oak frame with walls of mud and daub, and a thatched roof of Norfolk reed and straw. Thornham Walks and Walled Garden The 12 miles of waymarked footpaths within the Thornham Estate wind through beautiful countryside taking visitors into ancient parkland, woodland, farmland and water meadows. The walks also include a surfaced path suitable for pushchairs and wheelchairs which leads for half a mile to the Victorian Walled Garden, passing the renovated hermitage and pets cemetery. Thornham Walks may be closed occasionally between October and January. Thornham Walled Garden as part of the Thornham Field Centre Trust has been restored and redesigned and now offers courses and training to people with disabilities. Maintained by a group of volunteer gardeners, it is open daily for visitors to Thornham Walks. Plants for sale. 6. Thornham Parva Thornham Parva is a former estate village. The tiny thatched Norman church stands in the middle of fields. 13th century wall paintings depict the infancy of Christ and the story of St Edmund, the martyr king. A recent addition to the church is a Medieval altar painting, known as a retable, discovered in 1927 in Lord Henniker s stables. There is some evidence to suggest that it may have originated in the Royal Workshops at Westminster Abbey, commissioned for Thetford Abbey. 7. White Horse, Stoke Ash Take great care crossing the A140 at the Old Coaching Inn. 8. Braiseworth Beyond the A140 you head east through open countryside. Turn left as shown on the map and head north to Braiseworth through a series of narrow lanes lined with gnarled trees. At Braiseworth there is a redundant church. From there, weave south through a wooded landscape before again meeting the Thorndon Road. Tourist Information available ROUTE 1 GISLINGHAM THE THORNHAM ESTATE THORNHAM MAGNA THORNHAM WALKS THORNHAM PARVA WHITE HORSE, STOKE ASH BRAISEWORTH
10 Cycling Around EYE Discover the HEART OF SUFFOLK 11 Route 1 9. Bridleway Ride North of Braiseworth there is a pleasant offroad bridleway route through Steggals Wood to the Bull Auberge on the A140 and thence to Thornham Parva. Take care crossing the A140 and note that the B1117 is a main lorry route. 10. Thorndon At its western approach is the former Kerrison Approved School founded in 1866 now the Kerrison Conference and Training Centre. Remains of a bronze age settlement were found here. Bronze tools found are displayed in the British Museum. You will find the Black Horse Inn in the centre of the village. All Saints Church, Thorndon Surrounded by a ring of elms the church stands east of the main settlement at the junction of the Rishangles and Hestley lanes. The church is entered by its south facing 14th century tower off set from the long nave and chancel which are joined under one roof. Immediately within the tower arch a wooden staircase leads to a bell loft. There is a 15th century font, trefoiled piscina and old colourful windows. 11. Thorndon Loop 4 1 /2 miles It is well worth taking time to ride this loop to see the pleasant and varied countryside which is passed through. 12. Shorts Farm This magnificent working farmhouse can be viewed from the lane. It is elegantly half timbered with elaborate stepped gables and transomed windows. 13. Return to Eye - Ancient Fishponds At the junction near Park Farm you can either return to Eye or continue on the second route. As the road climbs towards Cranley there is a panoramic view of ancient fishponds before the road hurriedly decends to cross the River Dove. Route 2 21 Miles - Horham, Hoxne 14. Occold In the Domesday survey of 1086 the village is identified by its old English name of Acholt meaning oak wood. Today there still remains several fine oaks in the surrounding area. Behind the church in the grounds of Church Farm there once stood a Nunnery. St Michael, Occold The original church was begun by the Normans. Over the centuries its structure has changed. One addition is its fine 15th century tower enriched with battlements and turrets. Two 13th century doors grace the nave. In the chancel a misericord is finely carved with angels and a musician playing a viol. Beaconsfield Arms This is the sole remaining public house in Occold. A good place to rest on this route. 15. Bedingfield The village of Bedingfield is a small quiet rural community set in the heart of prime farmland. St Marys, Bedingfield To reach the church you must first cross the stream that runs along the southern side of the churchyard. The banks of the stream are home to many varieties of wild flowers and trees making the approach very picturesque. St Marys is a fine 14th century church built of stone and flint. Of the same period is the double hammerbeam roof with collar beams of the nave. Near the priest door is a brass bearing fifteen names of the Bedingfield family from 1371 to 1872. 16. Fleming s Hall (Not open to the public) A short detour south of Bedingfield is one of the most beautiful houses in Suffolk, rebuilt in 1589. The entrance from the road is through grand wrought iron gates. The long low timber framed house has elegant chimneys, curved brick gables and a moat. The Bedingfields lived here from about 1309 until the last century. The family s main seat is now Oxburgh Hall, Norfolk. BRIDLEWAY RIDE THORNDON LOOP RETURN TO EYE BEDINGFIELD ROUTE 1 & 2 THORNDON SHORT S FARM OCCOLD FLEMING S HALL
Cycling Around EYE 12 13 Discover the HEART OF SUFFOLK
14 Cycling Around EYE Discover the HEART OF SUFFOLK 15 Route 2 St Andrews, Redlingfield Access to this tiny church is by way of a narrow footbridge over a deep moat like a roadside ditch then through a field. The church s barn-like appearance owes much to its fallen tower. Originally the Tudor brick tower housed three bells but over time two were lost and for 200 years one tolled alone. Recently the remaining bell has been joined by one from Debach s redundant church. The inside of the church is gleaming white, clean and with simple furnishings. Its one jewel is its 15th century font. 20. Horham It is generally thought that the Saxons were the first people to settle here. The place name means muddy enclosure or place. 17. Bedingfield Hall (Not open to the public) The Hall is a large Elizabethan farmhouse, with plaster walls, tiled roof and tall chimneys. It comprises two dwellings at right angles, each facing outwards to the moat and inwards to a courtyard. Its moat is impressive forming an island of about four acres, with a causeway access, on which the Hall stands. 18. Redlingfield St. Andrews Church, Redlingfield Is steeped in both religious and agricultural history. Farming still dominates the village. Redlingfield Hall Farm and Church are built on the site of the Benedictine Nunnery founded in 1120. Three hundred years later the Prioress Isabella Hermyte was at the centre of a scandal and forced to resign, for sleeping in a room with a novice nun and being alone with the Baliff Thomas Langelong in compromising circumstances. All that remains of the Nunnery is its flint and buttressed infirmary now used as a barn. The south porch faces the last remains of the 12th century nunnery. In the porch stands the village stocks which were removed from the village green for their safekeeping. 19. Athelington Athelington is a pleasant, rural backwater. Church Farm dates from the 16th century and the Moated Athelington Hall from the 17th century. At its tree lined centre is a small good looking church, built in the reign of Edward III. The remainder of the small settlement is scattered far and wide within its old parish boundaries. St Peters, Athelington The Church is small but well proportioned, the nave and chancel have a single roof and the tower of brick and flint has a south stair turret, topped with a pyramid roof. The Mid Suffolk Light Railway from Haughley to Cratfield passed through Horham. The line, opened in 1904 was of standard gauge but had small type 0.6.0T locomotives. Except for the war years the line was under-used and eventually closed in July 1952. Horham s station has been transported to Mangapps Farm Railway Museum in Essex for restoration. During 1943-45 the American Airforce operated from an airfield at Horham. On completion of 200 missions the Glenn Miller Band came to Horham and performed a concert in their honour. The Post Office, standing at the crossroads east of the church, is thought to be the sole remaining building of the ancient Manor of Horham. Also at the crossroads is Dragon House formerly The Green Dragon one of two public houses that once served the village. The composer Benjamin Britten lived in the village for some time before moving to Aldeburgh. It is said that he composed many of his finest works to a backdrop of Horham fields. St Marys Horham St Marys Horham is proud to hold the oldest peal of 8 bells in the world. A simple wooden church was recorded in the Domesday survey of 1089. The Normans replaced wood with stone, about 1100 AD, and we still enter the church by their south doorway, protected from the elements by an 18th century brick porch. Originally the tower housed four bells but between 1533 and 1673 four more were added. Between 1911 and 1989 the bells were silent but in December 1990 the eight bells were restored and are now rung regularly. Within the church there are many treasures. A painting of St Veronica circa 1565 by El Greco or one of his students bought in 1840 was deemed too valuable to remain and has been replaced by a copy. The original hangs in the Cathedral Treasury at Bury St Edmunds. The painting was restored in about 1961 by Tom Keeting who spent twenty five years as a restorer and at the same time produced over 2000 fake works of art in the styles of Rembrandt, Constable, Degas, Renoir and Turner. Many of his fakes may be still undetected. Village Sign, Horham Opposite and facing the church is the carved wooden village sign, which shows the old Horham Mill. War Memorial, Horham In Horham is a memorial to the members of the 95th Bombardment group and to those who gave their lives during the Second World War. The Grey marble memorial symbolizes the tail plane of an American B52 bomber. ROUTE 2 BEDINGFIELD HALL REDLINGFIELD HORHAM
16 Cycling Around EYE Discover the HEART OF SUFFOLK 17 Route 2 21. Denham Denham is a small village, once thriving which has now declined. At the turn of the century the village had its own school and supported a general store, blacksmith, wheelwright, and the Green Man public house. St Johns, Denham It is thought that there was once a religious college here associated with Hoxne Abbey a mile to the north. A Norman church on the site was replaced in the fourteenth century but it has not worn well and all that remains is a nave and chancel. 22. Hoxne Cross Street and the adjoining settlement of Heckfield Green This settlement has many old traditional Suffolk cottages. At the junction with Nuttery Vale stands the old village well which is now enclosed. An oak frame supports a weather vane and way marks. 23. Hoxne Village Pronounced Hoxen it is thought to mean a hook shaped piece of land. Mostly Hoxne is associated with the legend that surrounds the martyrdom of Edmund King of East Anglia. The chronicles tell us that Edmunds was slain at Haegelisdun in 870 which is said to be Hoxne although no one is quite sure. In the 10th century, St Ethelbert s Church at Hoxne was one of the two East Anglian cathedrals. The other was at North Elmham. For over a century the Bishops of Norwich retained the seat until it was moved to Thetford in 1078. Hoxne was also the site of a thriving Anglo Saxon market, until William Malet set up a market at Eye and gained much of Hoxnes trade. The town of Eye prospered while Hoxne became the pleasant backwater we see today. In its turn, Eye has now been surpassed by Diss. The Hoxnian interglacical period 3,000,000 years ago is referred to by geologists and palaeontologists. This time zone originates from the discovery by John Frer, in 1797 of prehistoric remains in the clays of the brickfields near the road to Eye. ROUTE 2a The Swan Swan Bridge TO OAKLEY ROUTE 2 CROSS STREET Old Well Head HOXNE The Old Forge (Modern Pargetting) St. Peter & Pauls Kerrison Almhouses The Old Butchers Shop Goldbrook Bridge 3 ROUTE St. Edmund s Monument Abbey Farm TO DENHAM HECKFIELD GREEN St Peter and St Paul, Hoxne At the top of the hill overlooking the village stands the elegant church with its embattled tower soaring almost 100 feet into the sky. The tower, built by the second Duke of Suffolk, John de la Pole in 1450, contains a ring of five bells and a clock. The church is thought to occupy the site of the former St Ethelberts. Although parts of the church building are earlier, most of the church is perpendicular in style, 1335 to 1530. The Victorians during 1847 to 1853 rebuilt the chancel and refurbished the tower. On the north wall of the nave and above the six low arches are wall paintings of about 1395. They were rediscovered in 1926 and restored by Professor E Q Tristram. The Swan, Hoxne The 16th century coaching Inn is a mass of exposed beams, low doorways, solid oak floor and inglenook fireplaces. At the rear is a large garden bounded by the river. Old Butchers Shop Opposite the Swan is the wooden fronted old butchers shop with its original coloured trade windows. Goldbrook Bridge (Rebuilt in 1878) St Edmund is said to have put a curse on Goldbrook bridge. After being defeated in battle by the Danes at Thetford, Edmund escaped from the field. He took refuge at Hoxne and hid under Goldbrook Bridge in an attempt to evade his pursuers. A wedding party crossed over the bridge and the newly married couple saw the reflection of Edmund s gold spurs in the river. Hoping to gain a reward they told the Danes of his hiding place. Hoxne On his capture he is believed to have uttered a dreadful curse on all newly weds who might cross the bridge from that day forward. The belief of the curse is so strong that even today newly married couples avoid crossing the bridge on their wedding day. St Edmunds Hall, Hoxne Originally built as a village reading room and library by General Sir Edward Kerrison. The spacious red brick and flint building has a gable end topped by a statue of St Edmund and below a circular stone is carved to show him hiding under the bridge while the wedding party crosses above. A memorial stone tablet is engraved Near this spot St Edmund the King was taken prisoner and slain by the Danes in AD970. ROUTE 2 DENHAM HOXNE CROSS STREET HOXNE VILLAGE
18 Cycling Around EYE Discover the HEART OF SUFFOLK 19 Route 2 St Edmunds Cross, Hoxne The marble cross bears the inscription St Edmund, King and Martyr, November 20th, AD870. It is here that according to legend, Edmund was dragged, then securely tied to an oak tree. He was instructed that if he renounced his Christian faith, his life would be spared. His refusal was met with a volley of Danish arrows and then the dying King was beheaded. His head was thrown into the woods in the belief that if lost it would prevent Edmund being given a Christian burial. When the Danes departed the King s followers recovered the body and searched the thicket for the head. They heard a cry of here, here and found the head between the paws of Edmund s wolfhound. Edmund was buried near the site of Abbey Farm and a wooden chapel built over the spot. For over a thousand years Edmunds Oak stood near the Goldbrook bridge, growing over twenty feet in circumference and with a spread of eightyfour feet. When it fell, within the hollow part of the trunk about five feet off the ground an iron arrow head was reportedly found. This find was described in the Bury Post on 11th October 1848. Wood from the tree was used to make a screen in the church with carvings representing scenes from Edmund s life but this has since been removed. It was here that the saint s body lay buried in its chapel for thirty-three years before being transformed to Boedericsworth (Bury St Edmunds). Nothing now remains of the Priory. The Hoxne Treasure Before leaving Hoxne it would be wrong not to mention the great hoard found by chance by Mr Eric Lawes while searching in a field for a hammer. He reported his find to the Suffolk Archaeological Unit, whose personnel carefully excavated the treasure. The spectacular treasure consisted of 14,870 coins and 200 artefacts all of gold and silver making it the largest single find within the Roman Empire. There were twenty-nine items of gold jewellery, including six chain necklaces, finger rings and bracelets, one of which was engraved with an inscription wishing good luck to a lady called Juliana. Coins within the hoard date its burial to sometime after 407AD, just about the time when the Romans were abandoning their control of Britain. The treasure is now housed in the British Museum. The Heart of Suffolk Treasures Trail is a cycling or motor trail around the smaller villages and market towns to the east of the Mid Suffolk District. The trail is approximately 56 miles long and there is an accompanying Treasure Hunt for children with some treasure to be won similar to the Hoxne hoard coins. Available from Mid Suffolk Tourist Information Centre Tel: (01449) 676800. Return to Eye Route 2a Return to Eye via Oakley and Brome 24. Oakley Oakley, is a small settlement and St Nicholas s stands amidst fields, distant from the main settlement which is scattered along the B1118. Like Brome, its neighbour, the village is forever linked to the Cornwallis family. 25. Brome Brome became the home of the Cornwallis family in the 15th century. Thomas, knighted in 1548 for his services to the crown, built in 1590 a fine Elizabethan mansion, Brome Hall with gardens laid out in the Dutch style. The Cornwallis family lived there until 1823, when it was sold to Matthias Kerrison who remodeled Brome Hall s interior. As it was decaying, it was demolished in 1963 and replaced by a new structure. The Swan The Grange Motel B1077 A140 The Cornwallis Arms BROME ROUTE 2a Tudor Cornwallis Cottages remain next to the old village school, now the village hall. Near the A140 is the Cornwallis Arms, a country house hotel set in spacious grounds. At the junction of the A140 is Brome Grange, a hotel and restaurant, and The Swan Public House. St Marys Brome This church has a Norman round tower. The church was rebuilt in the 13th and 15th centuries and extensively restored by the Victorians in the 1860s. In 1875 a belfry to the tower was added. Internally the Church is a shrine to four hundred years of the Cornwallis family. The best is that of Sir John Cornwallis (1544) and his wife. He was knighted by Henry VIII for his bravery at the siege of Morlaix. There is a wealth of coloured glass. St Mary s Church Village Hall (Former Old School) TO HOXNE Abbey Farm, Hoxne From Hoxne you can either return directly to Eye (Not open to the public) via the road shown on the map or continue via The 16th century timber framed farmhouse stands Oakley and Brome. Caution is required however ROUTES 2 & 2A on the site of a Benedictine Priory founded to on the B1077 between Brome and Eye as it is well TO EYE commemorate Edmunds martyrdom. used by lorries, particularly to the Industrial Estate HOXNE RETURN TO EYE and Business Park on the old Eye Airfield. OAKLEY BROME BROME STREET Brome Hall 1963
20 Cycling Around EYE Discover the HEART OF SUFFOLK 21 Route 2a Continued 26. Eye Airfield, Brome At the centre of the old Eye Airfield, visible but inaccessible, is the Fibro Power Station. This is fuelled by poultry droppings, and supplies electricity to the National Grid. On the road you will pass over a major gas main from the Bacton North Sea Terminal to the Eye Gas Pressure Booster Station, next to the Fibro Power Plant. Gas is piped from there all over the country. Products from the Eye Industrial Area are exported all over the world. A pleasant fragrance in the air comes from the herb packing factory. The airfield was occupied by the 480th & 490th USAAF Bomb Groups during World World II. From Brome, return to Eye to complete the journey. Public Footpath Walks Around Oakley and Brome there are some pleasant public footpath walks, but note that bicycles should not be taken on public footpaths. Route 3 9 mile loop from Hoxne Route 3 takes you to Syleham and Wingfield. Carry on through Upper Weybread and return keeping as close to the River Waveney as the lanes allow passing Syleham Church and Monks Hall. 27. Syleham Syleham village is spread out. In 1174 Henry II camped in Syleham to build siege engines to attack Baron Bigod at Bungay Castle. Home Farm At Home Farm are the remains of a post mill. Not open to public. TO SYLEHAM Wingfield Castle ROUTE 3 Wingfield Village Sign TO HARLESTON Goulders Farm St Andrews Church Wingfield Old College WINGFIELD Syleham House On the River Waveney, overlooking the Mill Race and Old Toll Bridge between Norfolk and Suffolk. Mill F W Harmer and Co. Originally a water mill, converted in 1842 to produce linen and cotton cloths, later manufacturing clothes, now a private house. Syleham Manor Red brick Georgian house. St Mary s Church A round towered church on Saxon foundations standing alone in water meadows. Here Baron Bigod surrendered to Henry II in 1174, handing over his castles at Framlingham and Bungay. Monks Hall, Syleham A fine 16th century timber framed building. 28. Wingfield Wingfield village was associated with wealth and power throughout the middle ages. Further information can be found in literature on the Wingfield family and the Earls of Suffolk. De La Pole Arms can be found in the village. Wingfield Old College The college (1362) and Collegiate Church were founded on wealth obtained by Sir John Wingfield from the ransom of a French Nobleman captured in Poitiers in 1356. The building is medieval with Gothic timber framed hall, and Georgian façade. It is now a private house. St Andrews Church This has a fine buttressed tower and many monuments to the Wingfield and De La Pole families. The church is generally not left open, Goulders Farm A traditional timber framed building which may have once been the guildhall in the 15th Century. Wingfield Castle Now a private residence not open to the public. The castle was built in 1382. Its south face is well preserved with curtain walling, mullioned windows, central gatehouse and turrets all surrounded by a moat and gardens. The timber framed house dates from 1532. It is best viewed from The Green. 29. Stradbroke It is well worth the effort to ride to Stradbroke. At the centre of the village overlooking rows of pretty cottages is All Saints Church. Built with wealth from the medieval wool trade it has a four stepped flint tower complete with battlements and stair turret on top. Stradbroke is an old town with an Anglo Saxon name which means the place where a Roman road (strad) crosses a brook. At the time of the Norman conquest it had two churches. There is an indoor swimming pool at Stradbroke open all year round. Wingfield Old College ROUTES 2A & 3 EYE AIRFIELD SYLEHAM WINGFIELD STRADBROKE
22 Cycling Around EYE Discover the HEART OF SUFFOLK 23 For what to see and do and accommodation in the area please contact the Mid Suffolk Tourist Information Centre, The Museum of East Anglian Life, Stowmarket, IP14 1DL. Tel 01449 676800. tic@midsuffolk.gov.uk www visit-suffolk.org.uk Cycling Servicing and Accessories Cycle Shack Wills Yard, Chapel St, Diss, Norfolk IP22 4AN Tel: 01379 641212 W.S Cobb & Son Carmel Works, Denmark St, Diss, Norfolk IP22 4AS Tel: 01379 642760 More Cycle Trails in the Heart of Suffolk Cycling in the Heart of Suffolk A 125km circular route including Bungay, Halesworth, Framlingham, Debenham, Eye and Harleston. The Heart of Suffolk Treasures Trail a 56 mile discovery trail around the villages and market towns in the east of Mid Suffolk. Madgett Cycle 8, Shelfanger Rd, Diss, Norfolk IP22 4EH Tel: 01379 650419 Diss Cycleways 3 cycle routes of between 10 and 18 miles in length around Diss and the Waveney Valley. Discover Suffolk Discover Suffolk has been set up to help you find out what makes Suffolk special and to introduce you to a range of rural visitor attractions and facilities. The easiest way to find out more is to visit our website www.discoversuffolk.org.uk On it you will find everything you need to plan a visit or a walking or cycling holiday in rural Suffolk: route maps, visitor attractions and places to stay. There are several featured circular walks in the Eye area with downloadable maps; a leaflet ordering service; and information on other cycling routes in this part of Suffolk. Improvements are also being made to local paths around Eye to make them easier to use. We know you will enjoy discovering more about what there is to do and see in this unique and charming part of England and we are delighted to be able to share this information with you... so click away on www.discoversuffolk.org.uk and start 'Discovering Suffolk'. Bartons Bicycles (inc. hire.) Two days notice required. 5, Marriots Walk, Stowmarket, Suffolk IP14 1AF Tel: 01449 677195 Cycling Holidays Suffolk Cycle Breaks Tel:01449 721555 Email:info@cyclebreaks.co.uk Web: www.cyclebreaks.com Cycle Tours Anthony Wright Tel: 01359 242065 All available from Mid Suffolk Tourist Information Centre