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Ipswich (/ˈɪpswɪtʃ/ (listen)) is a large port town and borough in Suffolk, England, of which it is the county town.^[1][2] The town is located in East Anglia about 10 miles (16 km) away from the mouth of the River Orwell and the North Sea. Ipswich is both on the Great Eastern Main Line railway and the A12 road, and is 67 miles (108 km) north-east of London, 45 miles (72 km) east-southeast of Cambridge, and 40 miles (64 km) south of Norwich. Ipswich is surrounded by two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB); Suffolk Coast and Heaths and Dedham Vale.

Ipswich's modern name is derived from the medieval name Gippeswic, probably taken either from an Anglo-Saxon personal name or from an earlier name given to the Orwell Estuary (although unrelated to the name of the River Gipping).^[3][4] It has also been known as Gyppewicus and Yppswyche.^[5] The town has been continuously occupied since the Saxon period,^[5] and is contested to be one of the oldest towns in the United Kingdom.^[6] Ipswich was a settlement of great economic importance to England throughout its history, particularly in trade.^[7] The town's historical dock, present-day Ipswich Waterfront, was known as the largest and most important dock in the kingdom.^[7][8]

Ipswich is a non-metropolitan district and is a large settlement despite its town status. The urban development of Ipswich overspills the borough boundaries significantly, with 75% of the town's population living within the borough at the time of the 2011 Census, when it was the fourth-largest urban area in the United Kingdom's East of England region, and the 42nd-largest urban area in England and Wales.^[9] In 2011, the town of Ipswich was found to have a population of 133,384,^[10][11] while the Ipswich Built-up area was estimated to have a population of 178,835.^[12]

The town is divided into various quarters, with central and the waterfront drawing the most footfall.^[13] Central is home to the town's retail shopping and the historic town square, the Cornhill. The waterfront is located south of the town centre on the bend of the River Orwell and is a picturesque setting housing the town's impressive marina. The waterfront was historically an industrial port but has since been transformed into a trendy area lined with high-rise apartment buildings, restaurants, bars and cafés. The waterfront is also home to one of the UK's newest universities, the University of Suffolk, which was formed in 2016.^[14]

Ipswich has become a tourist hotspot in the UK with 3.5 million people reported to have visited the county town in 2016.^[15] In 2020, Ipswich was ranked as an emerging global tourist destination by TripAdvisor.^[16] Ipswich was voted as the 7th most desirable place to live and work in England by the Royal Mail in 2017.^[17] In 2007, Ipswich was awarded the cleanest town award,^[18] and in 2015, Ipswich was rated as the third happiest place to live in the UK.^[19]

Harleston is a town 16 miles (26 km) from Norwich,^[1] in the civil parish of Redenhall with Harleston, in the South Norfolk district, in the county of Norfolk, England. In 2018 it had an estimated population of 5067.^[2] Harleston is on the Norfolk/Suffolk border, close to the River Waveney.^[3] Harleston has 2 markets every Wednesday.^[4]

Harleston is an electoral ward comprising the civil parishes of Needham, Redenhall with Harleston, and Wortwell. At the last election, in May 2019, two Conservative councillors were elected to South Norfolk Council. The name "Harleston" possibly means "Heoruwulf"^[5] or "Harolds Stone".^[6] Harleston was recorded in the Domesday Book as Heroluestuna.^[7] Harleston was a chapelry in Reddenhall parish.^[8]

The right to hold an eight-day fair during the period of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist was granted to Roger Bigod, 4th Earl of Norfolk by Henry III in 1259.^[9]

Many Georgian residences and much earlier buildings, with Georgian frontages, line the streets of Harleston. Although there is no record of a royal charter, Harleston has been a market town since at least 1369 and still holds a Wednesday market.^[10][11]

One of the plots to assassinate Queen Elizabeth I was to be launched on Midsummer Day 1570 at the Harleston Fair by proclamations and the sound of trumpets and drums.^[12] The Elizabethan play Friar Bacon and Friar Bungay features this in one of its scenes.^[13]

Southwold is a charming north Suffolk seaside town on the Suffolk Heritage Coast. Almost an island, being bounded by the North Sea to the East, by the River Blyth and Southwold harbour to the South–West and by Buss Creek to the North, there is just the one road in to and out of Southwold, approached through neighbouring Reydon. The town offers much of interest, but it is the sea and Southwold’s links with it that make this a wonderful destination at any time of the year. Come and sample the Southwold sea air! All the attractions of the working lighthouse, beach huts, award-winning pier, busy harbour, cliff top cannon and of course the beach, combine to make Southwold a quintessentially English resort town. Take a look at Southwold from a different viewpoint and learn a little about it from the photo captions on our Panorama feature. Accommodation in Southwold features self-catering cottages and houses, bed and breakfast establishments, guest houses and pub accommodation as well as the camping and caravan site near the harbour. Maybe stay close to the town, abandon the car and relax by just walking the coast and footpaths. For details of local events visit our what’s–on calendar. Venture across the River Blyth by foot ferry to Walberswick, perhaps crossing back by the footbridge, in so doing exploring the trackbed of the old Southwold Railway.

Aldeburgh is world-renowned thanks to its connection with Benjamin Britten, the founder of the Aldeburgh Festival, which takes place in June every year. Pastel-coloured 19th Century holiday villas line the promenade and to the east, the pebble beach with fisherman’s huts selling the daily catch.

DID YOU KNOW?

The town gets its name from ‘Alde’ and ‘burgh’ meaning ‘old fort’ and is a former Tudor port given borough status by Henry VIII himself. The town and its shipbuilders were responsible for the creation of several famous vessels; Sir Francis Drake’s Golden Hind and the Virginia Company’s Sea Venture, to name but a few.

Aldeburgh has a rich cultural identity and is home to the Aldeburgh Literary Festival, multiple galleries and iconic sculptures as well as the Aldeburgh Music Club started by Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears in 1952.

Keep your eyes peeled for some of the well known people who call Aldeburgh home, from former Manchester United and Ireland midfielder Roy Keane to Peter Sinfield, founding member and lyricist for 70’s prog rock band King Crimson.

The town is famous for its outstanding fish and chips with the local fish and chip shop, owned by the Cooney family having received rave reviews from national publications.

The Martello tower in Aldeburgh is recorded as the largest in the UK, being made up of four towers joined together, it has been converted into holiday accommodation and is a unique place to stay when visiting the town.

WOODBRIDGE IS A BEAUTIFUL AND VIBRANT MARKET TOWN ON THE BANKS OF THE RIVER DEBEN

One of the ‘gems’ in Suffolk’s crown, Woodbridge combines excellent shops with superb pubs and restaurants and numerous activities both indoors and out. On the edge of an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Woodbridge is the perfect base from which to explore the Suffolk Coast and its many tourist attractions.

DID YOU KNOW?

Woodbridge lies along the River Deben, and about 8 miles from the coast. It is associated with the most important Anglo Saxon site in the UK; Sutton Hoo. Chronicled most recently in the Netflix series ‘The Dig’, in 1838-39 archeologists unearthed an Anglo Saxon ship burial with a wealth of artefacts, most iconic of which- the Sutton Hoo helmet- now reside in the British Museum.

Woodbridge has a history of rope-making, sail-making and boat-building and Sir Francis Drake had his fighting ships built at Woodbridge.

The town has a working Tide Mill -one of only two in the UK and the earliest. Rendlesham Forest, close to RAF Woodbridge was the site of a supposed UFO sighting in 1980 when unexplained lights were seen in the sky and a disturbance was reported in the forest.

Framlingham is a small market town and home to the magnificent twelfth century castle belonging to the Earls and Dukes of Norfolk through the centuries. It is said that Mary I spent time here in 1553, before going to London to reclaim her throne from Lady Jane Grey.

Visit Saint Michael’s church where you can see the tomb of Henry Fitzroy - the illegitimate son of Henry VIII. You’ll notice the tomb is decorated with heraldic iconography, showing how important he was to his father.

Famously the multi-award winning singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran grew up in Framlingham and began writing songs inspired by the local area. His 2017 single ‘Castle on the Hill’ was inspired by the castle in his hometown.