We were on a weekend trip to Aldeburgh with a group of friends. The previous day was spent walking via the beach all the way to Thorpeness and exploring Aldeburgh. Read my previous post, “Aldeburgh and Thorpeness – The perfect places to spend a great day”.
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The plans today were to visit the “Red House” and to go to Southwold, a coastal town about 40 minutes by car from Aldeburgh.
We had tickets booked to visit the “Red House” at 10 am, so after breakfast at the house, we left around 9:45 am. The “Red House” is about a 10-minute walk from the house we were staying at, so it was a quick walk there.
When we arrived, we visited the museum (The Archive) behind the ticket office first, and after that, we were greeted by a guide who accompanied us on a tour of the house.
Below is a map showing the places we visited on that day:
The Red House
The Red House in Aldeburgh, Suffolk, was the home of world-renowned composer Benjamin Britten and his partner, tenor Peter Pears, from 1957 until their deaths in 1976 and 1986, respectively. Today, it serves as a museum, archive, and research centre dedicated to their musical and artistic legacy, maintained by Peter Pears Art.
Key Features of the Site
The five-acre site offers a personal look into the lives of two of the 20th century’s most influential musicians:
- The House: A Grade II-listed 17th-century farmhouse. The interiors are preserved to reflect how they looked in the 1950s and 60s, filled with the couple’s eclectic collection of art, furniture, and roughly 1,300 personal objects.
- Composition Studio: Located in a converted mid-19th-century cart-shed, this is the “creative heart” where Britten composed masterpieces such as “War Requiem” and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”.
- The Library: A stunning space designed by Peter Collymore in 1963 to house the couple’s vast collection of books and music. It still hosts intimate recitals today.
- The Archive: An award-winning building housing an extensive collection of Britten’s original manuscript scores, letters, and costume designs. It is considered one of the UK’s most important centres for music research.
- The Gardens: Five acres of tranquil grounds, including a kitchen garden and orchard, which Britten and Pears enjoyed for peace and inspiration.
Visitor Information
The Red House is open seasonally and is currently closed for the winter, scheduled to reopen on 2 April 2026.
- Standard Opening Hours: Thursday to Sunday, 10:30 am – 4:30 pm (last entry at 3:30 pm).
- Tickets: Approximately £11 for adults (includes an annual pass), while under-18s typically enter for free.
- Tours: You can book 90-minute guided tours that cover the house, studio, and library. Specialised art tours are also available.
- Location: Golf Lane, Aldeburgh, Suffolk IP15 5PZ.
We enjoyed our visit to the Red House very much. It is a beautiful property, and it was very enriching to learn so much about these two characters of the world of music.
We walked back to our house to meet the other people who hadn’t visited the house. From there, we took the cars and headed to Southwold.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOUTHWOLD
Southwold is a quintessentially British seaside town on the Suffolk coast, often described as a “time capsule” for its preserved Victorian charm. Situated within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, it is nearly an island, bounded by the North Sea, the River Blyth, and Buss Creek.
Iconic Landmarks
- Southwold Pier: Originally built in 1900, this 190-metre pier is famous for its eccentric, handmade arcade machines and the Water Clock, which features cheeky automatons that “relieve” themselves every 30 minutes.
- Southwold Lighthouse: Standing 31 metres tall in the middle of a residential street, this working lighthouse has guided ships since 1890. You can book tours to climb its 113 steps for panoramic views.
- The Beach Huts: The promenade is lined with over 300 brightly coloured beach huts, some of which are famously valuable, selling for the price of a small flat.
- Gun Hill: A cliffside green featuring six 18-pounder cannons that commemorate the “Battle of Sole Bay” (1672), fought offshore against the Dutch.
Local Institutions & Culture
- Adnams Brewery: Established in 1872, Adnams is the town’s largest employer. You can take tours of the brewery and distillery or sample their famous beers and spirits in the many local pubs they own, such as The Swan.
- St Edmunds Church: A Grade I listed medieval church considered one of Suffolk’s finest. It features the “Southwold Jack,” a 15th-century mechanical figure that strikes a bell to signal the start of services.
- The Electric Picture Palace: A nostalgic 70-seat cinema opened in 2002 to recreate a 1912 movie-going experience, complete with a rising Wurlitzer organ and the National Anthem after screenings.
- Literary Connections: George Orwell lived in Southwold for several years during his 20s and 30s, writing “A Clergyman’s Daughter” while there. A mural of him can be seen near the pier.
History & Geography
The town’s unique layout of spacious “village greens” is a result of the Great Fire of 1659, which destroyed most of the town; when it was rebuilt, these open spaces were created as firebreaks. Southwold remains relatively unchanged because its surrounding marshes and river prevent modern expansion.
To the south lies Southwold Harbour, a busy area of fishing boats and huts where you can find fresh seafood at the Sole Bay Fish Company. From here, a traditional rowboat ferry operates seasonally across the River Blyth to the neighbouring village of Walberswick.
VISITING SOUTHWOLD
When we arrived, we parked at Southwold Pier Carpark, the closest to the pier. We walked to the pier and explored the little souvenir shops, ice cream shops and cafés on the pier. It was a warm day, and the pier was very busy. There were many people enjoying the beach as well. We looked at the Water Clock and walked on the pier all the way to the end and back.
We continued in the direction of the centre of town and explored the town centre, passing in front of the Lighthouse and the Adnams Brewery. We stopped in a café for a light lunch as everyone was a bit hungry by that time.
Southwold Pier
Southwold Pier is a 190-metre (623-foot) structure that serves as a focal point for the Suffolk coast. Known as “Britain’s only 21st-century pier,” it was almost entirely rebuilt between 1999 and 2001 after decades of damage from storms and war.
The pier is famous for its eccentric, handmade entertainment, largely designed by inventor Tim Hunkin.
- The Under the Pier Show: A collection of nearly 20 unique, satirical arcade machines. Highlights include “Whack A Banker,” “Rent-a-Dog” (a virtual dog-walking simulator), and “Micro-break,” which simulates a holiday in seconds.
- The Water Clock: A copper sculpture built in 1998 as a water recycling project. Every 30 minutes, two metal figures “perform punctually” by squirting water at each other and “peeing” into a toilet.
- The Quantum Tunnelling Telescope: A quirky periscope at the end of the pier that offers a humorous look at life beneath the waves.
History & Resilience
Originally opened in 1900 as a 247-metre (810-foot) landing stage for steamships from London, the pier has survived a series of major setbacks:
- 1934: A violent storm destroyed the original T-shaped landing stage.
- 1940–1941: During WWII, sections were deliberately exploded to prevent enemy landings, and a drifting sea mine further damaged the structure.
- 1979: A massive storm reduced the pier to a mere 18-metre (60-foot) stump.
- Rebirth: Purchased privately in 1987, a major reconstruction began in 1999. The current T-end was added in 2002, once again allowing ships like the PS Waverley to dock.
Dining & Facilities
- The Boardwalk Restaurant: Offers panoramic sea views and serves fresh local seafood and seasonal dishes.
- The Clockhouse: A recently refurbished coffee shop known for cakes and light lunches.
- The Pier Fish & Chip Shop: A traditional seaside essential located right on the structure.
- Shopping: Includes the “Treasure Chest” for souvenirs and “Seaweed & Salt” for textiles and ceramics.
The pier is free to enter and open year-round, except for Christmas Day. Well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome on the deck.
Adnams Brewery
Adnams is the heart of Southwold, a family-run brewery and distillery that has been brewing on the same site for over 670 years. Founded in 1872 by brothers George and Ernest Adnams, it has evolved from a traditional Victorian operation into a world-class, award-winning producer known for its coastal identity and independent spirit.
Brewery & Distillery Experiences
Adnams offers several immersive ways to explore their Southwold home:
- Brewery Tour: A 1.5-hour journey through the brewing process, from raw ingredients to racking. It concludes with a guided tasting of their famous beers.
- Distillery Tour: Explore the Copper House Distillery, where Adnams produces its world-class spirits. Visitors can see the copper pot stills and learn about the “grain to glass” process.
- Make Your Own Gin: A popular hands-on experience where you take control of a mini-still to create a unique bottle of gin to take home.
- Whisky Experience: An in-depth exploration of their English whisky production, including a tour of the brewery, distillery, and dunnage.
- Lighthouse Tour: Adnams also manages tours of the Southwold Lighthouse, offering panoramic views of the town and coastline.
Sustainability & Innovation
Adnams is a leader in eco-conscious business, having won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise: Sustainable Development three times.
- Eco-Distribution Centre: Located in nearby Reydon, this building features one of the UK’s largest “living roofs,” lime-hemp walls for insulation, and a rainwater harvesting system.
- Closed-Loop Systems: The brewery recovers over 90% of the steam it produces to heat the next batch, and the distillery captures high-temperature waste water to reduce energy and water use by 50%.
- Bees and Biodiversity: The distribution centre is home to approximately 500,000 honeybees; the honey produced is used in Adnams’ local hotels.
Popular Products
| Type | Product Name | Highlight |
| Beer | Ghost Ship (4.5%) | Their best-selling citrusy pale ale with a “crack of rye spice”. |
| Beer | Broadside (6.3% bottle) | A rich, full-bodied amber ale named after the Battle of Sole Bay. |
| Low Alcohol | Ghost Ship 0.5% | An award-winning low-alcohol version of their classic pale ale. |
| Gin | Copper House Dry Gin | Named “World’s Best Gin” at the 2013 IWSC. |
| Vodka | Longshore Vodka | Declared “World’s Best Vodka” at the 2014 IWSC. |
The Adnams Store & Café in the town centre stocks their full range of drinks, along with kitchenware, gifts, and a selection of wines.
The Lighthouse
In Southwold, “The Lighthouse” typically refers to the town’s iconic white tower that stands as a working maritime beacon in the middle of a residential street.
The Landmark: Southwold Lighthouse
Built in 1887 and first lit in 1890, this Grade II listed structure was constructed by Trinity House to replace local lights under threat from coastal erosion.
Distinctive Location: Unlike most lighthouses found on remote cliffs, Southwold’s stands in the heart of the town, surrounded by houses and directly opposite the Adnams Brewery.
The Climb: The tower is 31 metres tall (37 metres above sea level) and features a spiral staircase with 113 steps.
The Light: Now fully automated and monitored from Harwich, its 180-watt LED main light has a range of 24 nautical miles (approximately 28 miles). It flashes white every 10 seconds.
Visiting & Tours
Tours of the lighthouse are managed locally by Adnams and depart from the Adnams Tours Centre in the Swan Courtyard.
- Tour Highlights: Guides provide history on Trinity House and the town’s seafaring legacy. Successful climbers often receive a voucher for a free half-pint of Adnams Ghost Ship at the nearby Sole Bay Inn.
- Footwear: Sensible shoes are required; no flip-flops are permitted for the climb.
- Children: Must be at least 1.1 metres tall and generally 7 years old.
After lunch, we continued exploring the centre of Southwold, looking at the shops and strolling through the streets with beautiful buildings. We stopped to visit St. Edmund’s Church, which is a beautiful church and is worth the visit.
St Edmund’s Church
St Edmund King & Martyr is a Grade I listed 15th-century parish church in Southwold, widely considered one of the finest examples of Perpendicular Gothic architecture in Suffolk. Built between approximately 1430 and 1490, it replaced a smaller 13th-century building that was destroyed by fire.
Architectural Highlights
- Flushwork Exterior: The church is a “showpiece” of East Anglian flint work, featuring intricate designs of napped flint and stone. The west tower includes flint lettering that reads “SCT. EDMUND ORA P. NOBIS” (“St Edmund pray for us”).
- South Porch: A grand two-storey porch with a parvise chamber above the entrance. It features a modern statue of St Edmund, depicted bound and targeted by arrows.
- Angel Roof: The interior features a magnificent hammerbeam roof decorated with carved angels, many of which were restored in the 19th century.
Interior Treasures
- The Roof Screen: Dating to around 1480, this elaborate screen stretches across the entire width of the church. It is a national treasure, featuring medieval paintings of the twelve apostles, nine orders of angels, and Old Testament prophets.
- Southwold Jack: A rare 15th-century mechanical “Jack of the Clock.” This 4-foot-tall wooden figure in armour strikes a bell with his axe to signal the start of services. He is the original inspiration for the Adnams brewery logo.
- Font and Cover: The medieval font was badly damaged by Puritans in 1643. It is surmounted by a spectacular 1930s-reproduced cover that stands 24 feet high, believed to be the tallest in the country.
- Stained Glass: Most medieval and Victorian glass was lost to 17th-century iconoclasm or a WWII bomb that landed nearby. Significant modern additions include the vibrant east window by Sir Ninian Comper (1954) and a 1971 engraved window by John Hutton depicting St Edmund’s martyrdom.
Local Traditions
- The Rose Rent: Every 24th June, the church pays a symbolic rent of a single rose to the high altar. This tradition acknowledges a 1458 land gift from the Prior of Thetford.
- The Alfred Corry: A model of Southwold’s former lifeboat hangs from the nave ceiling in memory of the crew and coxswain Sam May.
The church is open daily for visitors from 10:00 to 16:00 (or later in summer).
After seeing everything we wanted in Southwold, we headed back to the pier and to the car park to drive back to Aldeburgh.
When we arrived back in Aldeburgh, we still had some time in the end of the afternoon to go to Martello Tower at the end of the beach.
Martello Tower
The Martello Tower at Aldeburgh (specifically known as Martello Tower CC) is a unique coastal fortification that stands at the foot of the Orford Ness peninsula, between the North Sea and the River Alde.
Unique Architecture & Design
- Quatrefoil Shape: Unlike the standard circular design of most Martello Towers, the Aldeburgh tower is quatrefoil (clover-leaf) shaped. It is effectively four towers joined together, designed to hold four heavy guns instead of the usual one.
- Record-Breaking Scale: It is the largest and most northerly of the 103 defensive towers built along the English coast to resist a Napoleonic invasion.
- Construction: Built between 1808 and 1812, the structure reportedly used over one million bricks and features walls up to 13 feet thick on the seaward side.
Historical Significance
- Napoleonic Origins: It was constructed by the Board of Ordnance as part of a chain of coastal defences against Napoleon.
- The Lost Village of Slaughden: The tower is the sole surviving building of the fishing village of Slaughden, which was gradually washed away by the sea and storms by 1936.
- Restoration: After becoming derelict by the 1970s, it was acquired and restored by the Landmark Trust.
Staying at the Tower
The building is now a Grade II listed holiday let managed by the Landmark Trust.
- Accommodation: It sleeps up to four people in two bedrooms located on the ground floor.
- Atmosphere: The interior features a vaulted ceiling with an intriguing echo and a rooftop battery offering 360-degree views of the coast.
- Important Note: The interior is not generally open to the public unless you are a resident, though visitors can view the impressive exterior from nearby seawall footpaths.
After walking around the building and taking lots of photos, we went back to our house for some rest before going out again for dinner.
We had another restaurant booked for the evening in Aldeburgh, and it was “The Lighthouse” restaurant. It was booked for 8 pm, and by the time we arrived on the high street where the restaurant is located, the town was empty. Everybody had left, and the street was deserted with plenty of spaces to park the cars in front of the restaurant.
The restaurant was very busy, with all tables occupied, so it was good that we had a reservation. This was another restaurant worth trying. The food was delicious, and I enjoyed my dish of “gnocchi “more than the dish at the other restaurant, “crab” on the previous night. We also enjoyed a delicious wine from Sardinia and had a fabulous dinner there.
That was the end of our weekend in Aldeburgh. We returned to the house for more games and chatting before everybody retired for the night.
The next day, we checked out of the house by 9 am. My husband and I decided to stop in another town nearby, “Bury St. Edmunds” for a day visit.
We always heard good things about this town, and since we were not working on that Monday, we opted to visit the town as it was not too far from Aldeburgh. My next post will be about our visit to “Bury St. Edmunds”, keep an eye out for it.
I hope this post will give you some idea of what can be done in a day in Aldeburgh and Southwold and will help you plan your own visit there.
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HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR VISIT TO ALDEBURGH AND SOUTHWOLD
Below you will find a list of what to visit, where to stay and where to eat in Aldeburgh and Southwold. I classified each place as follows:
BOLD – Visited, tried and recommended
NOT BOLD – Not visited or tried, but planning to visit or try and heard very good reviews
RED – Visited and tried but do not recommend, avoid or be cautious
*** – Excellent
** – Good
* – OK
£££ – Expensive
££ – Fair and affordable
PLEASE NOTE: Every hotel, restaurants and attractions I mention on my blogs are not sponsored reviews and we always paid the full price when visiting. We give our own opinion of the place and detail our experience, good or bad.
THINGS TO DO IN ALDEBURGH AND SOUTHWOLD
ATTRACTIONS
1 – The Red House – Aldeburgh – ***
2 – Southwold Pier – ***
3 – The Lighthouse
4 – Adnams Brewery
5 – Southwold town centre – ***
6 – St Edmund’s Church , Southwold – ***
7 – Martello Tower, Aldeburgh – ***
WHERE TO STAY IN ALDEBURGH AND SOUTHWOLD
ACCOMMODATION
1 – Little Wisset – Aldeburgh – 4* – ** – ££ – (We stayed here)
2 – Lavender House – Aldeburgh – 4* – ££
3 – The Brudenell – Aldeburgh – 4* – ££
4 – Silver Shore – Southwold – ££
5 – 15 Victoria Street – Southwold – 4* – ££
6 – The Swan Hotel – Southwold – 4* – £££
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BEST PLACES TO EAT
RESTAURANTS
1 – The Lighthouse – Aldeburgh – ££ – (We ate here)
2 – The Aldeburgh Market – Aldeburgh
3 – Seafood Grill – Aldeburgh
4 – Coasters – Southwold
5 – Le Roc – Southwold
6 – The Canteen – Southwold
We only tried the ones in bold , the others are the result of my researches and ones that I would like to try. If you tried any of my recommendations above, please send me a message and tell me about your experience good or bad, so I can update the list accordingly. Thanks!
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