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The County of Suffolk
*** The county of Suffolk in east England covers about 1,500 square miles and has a population of little more than half a million. The name Suffolk is of Anglo-Saxon origin and means the 'Southern folk' (as opposed to the 'Northfolk' of Norfolk!). The county's main products are sugar beet and cereals, fertilizers, farming machinery and the famous Suffolk Punch breed of horse.
Suffolk is a county of pastoral views and picturesque villages with thatched, colour washed, timber framed cottages. The country lanes wind their way across the landscape as if they are in no hurry to get anywhere and can't quite make up their mind where they want to go. It has vinyards, a 12th century castle, a medieval village, the birthplace of the artist Thomas Gainsborough, a moated tudor mansion, a windmill in working order and a 13th century chapel with a thatched roof and, like Essex, is bordered by the North Sea
Suffolk has always been an agricultural county, growing rich from its variety of crops and produce. Wind and water mills dot the landscape, once busy with corn grinding. The Middle Ages saw the start of the prosperous cloth/wool trade. This reached its height in the late 15th C. when beautiful churches and timber-framed buildings were built. Flint has also played a major part in the county's past - extracted from mines since neolithic times, and used for tools and building. Brandon was the last British home of the gun flint industry.
On the coast, the rich pickings of the sea saw busy ports appear at Aldeburgh, Orford and Southwold, but today only a handful of boats remain. Lowestoft, once one of the UK's major fishing (herring) centres, is now noted for North Sea gas/oil production. To the south is the imposing Sizewell Power Station, and the Port of Felixstowe, the UK's largest container terminal.
Ipswich, a port since the 6/7th C. is home to administration, financial and hi-tech companies. While to the west of the county is Newmarket, world-famous centre for the racing, breeding, sale and training of horses. There are three famous Suffolk brewers, Adnams, Greene King and St. Peter's. Famous names include - Birds Eye Walls, British Telecom, Haywards Pickles and Wisdom (toothbrushes).
Dating back to Saxon times, the county town of Ipswich is one of England's oldest towns. Historic buildings include twelve medieval churches, the 16th C. Christchurch Mansion, and the Ancient House renowned for its plasterwork. The wet dock area has restaurants and bars to enjoy. Following the River Orwell east you reach Felixstowe, noted as both a popular seaside town and as Britain's leading cargo and container port. Take a walk along the promenade with its south-facing gardens.
On its North Sea coast, Norfolk has shingle shores, sandy beaches and low cliffs and attracts a variety of birdlife. At Minsmere Bird Sanctuary, avocets and other wading birds can be seen. Inland picturesque villages nestle in the softly undulating landscape. Suffolk is largely farmland with some wooded areas with many crops cultivated alongside the cattle farms and smallholdings. In the west there is some high wooded (mainly pine) heathland around the racing town of Newmarket.
Suffolk's county town is Ipswich which was a prosperous trading port in the Middle Ages. Despite some poor later urban planning, Ipswich's tourist attractions include 16th century Ancient House with its exceptional plasterwork decoration and Christchurch Mansion. Bury St Edmunds, the capital of the Saxon kingdom of Anglia, and the ports of Felixstowe and Lowestoft are Suffolk's other main towns. British horse racing's headquarters is at Newmarket in the west of the county.
Suffolk has no cities but makes up for it with plenty of historical towns and villages to explore such as beautiful Lavenham with its fine timber-framed buildings and Blundeston, a village just north-west of Lowestoft which has connections with Charles Dickens who was a visitor to the area and used 'Blunderstone' as the birthplace of David Copperfield.
With thanks and due acknowledgements to the authors of the above.
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