Hadleigh Threads Trail

Back in Lockdown 2, I came across the Suffolk Threads Trails, a series of short walks around Suffolk's old Wool Towns. Each made a nice 1/2 day excursion and I did them in turn. But there was one I didn't do at the time as there was an outbreak of COVID there, that was the one in Hadleigh.

Time to finish the collection, I thought, but, alas, the link from the Visit England site is broken as the page is no longer there on the Visit Suffolk site. But the links I had saved to the downloadable walk leaflets still worked so I was able to guess the URL for the Hadleigh one and successfully downloaded and did the walk today.

"Hadleigh is an ancient  Suffolk market town set in the fertile valley of the River Brett. It one of the  significant Wool Towns that prospered from the Woollen Cloth Trade during the late 15th to the 17th Century. We are fortunate that the town has preserved its past and its character with 250 listed buildings.  Amongst these are the fine Guildhall, St Mary’s church and Deanery Tower that create a unique setting. Six buildings of architectural merit, covering six different centuries can be seen from this place.", says the Town Tours leaflet. 

It was a lovely crisp and sunny winter's day for it. This was my route....

...beginning as suggested at the Magdalene Street Car Park. Here are a few of my photos.

The trail starts by going up George Street, which has plenty of impressive old houses.

It passes the Row Chapel...

...which the guide describes thus "William Pykenham left money for the building of 

Almshouses in George Street, including a chapel already on the site, dedicated to the Blessed Mary Magdalen and to St Catherine. This chapel was refurbished on the late 19th century. "

And here are the almshouses.

The route returned along Angel Street, which also has some fine old houses.

This is on the High Street just round the corner from the end of Angel Street.

Then it was across the bridge and along the Riverside Walk by the River Brett.

There were still a few lingering mist patches.

The river was slowing peacefully.

Then it was back across the river at Toppesfield Bridge, "built in the 14th century and widened in 1812, said to be the oldest working bridge in the county". 

I had visited the buildings in the centre of the town before (see here, for example). This is the Grade 1 listed  Deanery Tower, dating from 1495. "It was built by the Rector, William Pykenham, in the late 15th century as a gatehouse to the mediaeval rectory."

It stands next to St. Mary's Church. "One of the largest parish churches in Suffolk, the first stone

church was built in around 1250, the tower being the last obvious part. The flint and stone church was enlarged in the 14th and 15th centuries. During the Commonwealth period the church was stripped of its ornamentation, and in the 19th century the exterior and interior of the church were restored. The church clock, with its exterior bell, has been in position since at least 1584."

Across from the church is  the Town Hall and Guildhall., shown at the top of the post. "The building fronting the churchyard is the Market House, probably built in the 1430s and either incorporating or replacing the original Market House. In the 1450s, part of the market lands were purchased for the building of the Guilds Halls. Following the reformation, these Halls were purchased for the town and

joined to the Market House."

Just round the corner from the church I admired these chimneys.

I hadn't noticed the milepost on the High Street before.

The last noteworthy point on the walk was Viscount Bayning’s House on the High Street.

As you can see, it is no longer an estate agents' office, so I couldn't do as the trail leaflet suggested and go in and look at the wall painting depicting Potifer’s wife rescuing Joseph from the well. But never mind. At just about 2 1/2 miles, it was a short but very pleasant walk and took me just over an hour. A lovely walk for a winter's morning. 

You can see more of my photos here on Flickr and more details of my route here on MapMyWalk, But you may prefer to print off and follow the brochure for the walk, which you can find here.