Thetford, Norfolk

via Aldeburgh & Southwold, Suffolk

Copy Free feature February 2012

Updated: 16th April 2013 Issue: 1

Page 1 of 4

Quick Links : 2 : 3 : 4

Aldeburgh High Street

1. Aldeburgh High Street

A wide High Street from which run narrow side roads & alley ways towards the seafront

Aldeburgh High Street

2. Aldeburgh High Street

Pleasant homes share the road with ...

Aldeburgh High Street

3. Aldeburgh High Street

... a good range of traditional local shops, cafe's ...

Aldeburgh High Street

4. Aldeburgh High Street

... restaurants & galleries

Aldeburgh Seafront

5. Aldeburgh Seafront

Doesn't boast the prettiest of seafronts, but it provides a popular brisk promenade for all comers

Fishing Boat Guard

6. Fishing vessel 'Guard'

Aldeburgh beach with small boats

7. Aldeburgh with small fishing boats hauled up onto the steep beach

Beach Shelter

8. This beach shelter ...

Beach Shelter detail

9. ... erected to commemorate the coronation of King George V

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Southwold Pier

10. Southwold Pier

Southwold foreshore

11. Southwold foreshore & lighthouse, centre from the pier

The Pier

12. The privately owned pier

Is a magnet for all, has the obligatory ammusment hall but a refreshing number of shops, kiosks, cafe's all hold special events throughout the year particularily in school holidays

Water Clock

13. On the pier, the water clock

Made from old plumbing fittings & fixtures

On the pier you'll find - The Boardwalk, The Clockhouse, Promenade Cafe, The Curlew, Seaweed & Salt, The Treasure Chest, Buckets & Spades

Water Clock detail

14. Amusement of all

The garden gets well & truly watered On the hour & half hour!

Built in 1900 the original 810' pier was a pick-up point for Belle Steamship trips to London Bridge, the business declined in 1933 & the Belle Company turned to Motor Coaches

Pier End

15. End of the pier

By 1934 the pier head was swept away & never replaced. In 1937 a two story pavillion & concert hall with amusement arcade were constructed. Like most piers Southwold was sectioned in fear of German invasion, hit by drifting mine in 1941 a further section was taken out

Pier Fendering

16. 'Be lucky' coins tosted onto the pier's steel fendering caps

£30,000 was spent in 1948 on repairs & making good deck holes. A storm in 1955 took away the much-weakened end half of the pier & in 1979 the pier was reduced by storms to 60'

Cold War telescope Cold War telescope heritage sign

17. Cold war telescope
18. Fully functional, a £1 coin operates

Purchased in 1987 rebuilding commenced in 1999 completed in 2001. The 623' pier is a privately owned family run business & once again has historic steamers docking to take people to London just as the Belle Steamers did 100 years ago

Southwold Pier, North Parade, Southwold, Suffolk, IP18 6BN telephone 01502 722 105

Southwold Pier

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Thetford the Saxon Capital of East Anglia is full of surprises, it's rich in history & European culture

The Portuguese who originlly came the UK from 1550 & again through the 1960's looking for seasonal work, migrated to Thetford from the late 1990's & along with the Polish make up 30% of the population

Bell Inn, Thetford

19 An Old English Inn, The Bell Inn, Bridge Street, IP24 2AZ in Thetford town centre

N.B The town centre has been pedestrianised, some Sat' Navs' take you to within yards of the Inn but you might find yourself on the wrong side of town, even though just yards from the Inn you can't access by car

The best way to find The Bell Inn is to use the postcode for Barclays Bank, IP24 3AB

Bell Inn, Thetford plaque

20. The Bell Inn plaque

Green King's Old English Inn's are steeped in history, The Bell being no exception

Like many old coaching Inn's it's said to be haunted

Bell Inn, Thetford oil painting

21. Picture of the Bell Inn hangs in reception, taken from a small painting it was enlarged during redecoration

Dad's Army cast at Thetford

22. The Bell Inn's most famous guests

The Thetford Town, affectionatly renamed Walmington-on-Sea played host to the cast & crew who stayed 6-7 weeks whilst filming between 1968 - 1977

Filming Dad's Army

23. Filming Dad's Army

Written by Jimmy Perry & David Croft the classic British Comedy series Dad's Army was filmed in & around Thetford

I feel a walk coming on ......

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