Start at the Tourist information Centre at the station . . .
Turn right towards the cinema. Note the Victorian ironwork lattice bridge. Imagine the Victorian tourists on trains heading for Aldeburgh, Southwold and Lowestoft. First class in luxury and third class passengers sat on wooden benches with their feet on loose straw. Freight trains carried smoked herrings (kippers and bloaters) to London.
Cross the road carefully at the zebra crossing . . .
To your right spot the house (originally known as the Ship Inn) allegedly a notorious smugglers’ den. Note down the date on this house as you will need this number later.
Walk up Quay Street and spot a Suffolk pink house. The origin of this colour was chalk mixed with pig’s blood. Look for the white and blue building on the left, which once housed the town’s coffin makers. The doorbells give this secret away.
At Cross Corner turn left down Cumberland Street . . .
- Look for Cumberland House (on the left) a magnificent 16th century house visited by the Earl of Cumberland. Can you find his hidden coat of arms?
- Marston and Gordon Houses (on the right) were named after officers who fought in the Napoleonic War and were home to a famous artist. Further down Cumberland Street (on the left) is Barton’s Cottage, once the dwelling of a well known Woodbridge poet of the 18th century.
- Look out for 31 Cumberland Street, which famous art movement is reflected in its design?
- Take the path on the left just before the Abbey School gates that almost goes back on your route.
- This is Turn Lane. Up here you will find the Quaker Burial Ground (through the gate on the left).
Continue along Turn Lane until you reach Church Street . . .
- Notice the red bricks made from rough local clay fired in kilns heated by massive internal wood fires. Suffolk red bricks were used to restore London’s St Pancras station.
As you exit Turn Lane look across the road and find the laughing head. Now turn left and go up Church Street and look out for a huge plane tree with maple-shaped leaves. The plane tree has peculiar flaking bark which sheds pollutants. Plane trees line Berkley Square in London.
St Mary’s church is now ahead of you . . .
- Go into the churchyard. Notice the flint walls along here. Flints have been used for building since medieval times and were used to create the spark that sets off gunpowder.
- St. Mary’s church is built in the perpendicular style and was started just over 600 years ago.
- Can you find the bread cupboard in the porch used until 1970 to distribute bread to the poor?
- Go inside the church and look up – the 15th century roof vaulting is spectacular with massive wooden ribs. It is somewhat similar to an upside down boat. Woodbridge is still renowned for its boat building. There is a guide book to the church available for sale here.
- Find the tomb of Thomas Seckford who was a Tudor courtier of Queen Elizabeth 1st.
- He invested a lot of time and money in the development of Woodbridge including the Shire Hall (which you will see shortly), and some almshouses and a hospital along Seckford St.
- Look out for the millennium frieze created by local needlewomen to celebrate the year 2000.
Go outside St Mary’s Church . . .
Take the steps and narrow cobbled path leading to Market Square and there you will see the iconic Tudor Shire Hall.
To complete your wander follow New Street down to Woodbridge’s high street the ‘Thoroughfare’.
