England Guide
East Anglia
Southwold
Perched on robust cliffs just to the north of the River Blyth, SOUTHWOLD was once a busy fishing port. A small fleet still brings in herring, sprats and cod, but today this Suffolk town is primarily a seaside resort, a genteel and appealing little place with none of the crassness of many of its competitors. There are fine old Georgian buildings, a long sandy beach overlooked by row upon row of candy-coloured huts, open heathland, a dinky harbour and even a little industry – in the shape of the Adnams brewery – but no burger bars and certainly no amusement arcades.
The harbour is an idyllic spot, where fishing smacks rest against old wooden jetties and nets are spread out along the banks to dry. A tiny passenger ferry crosses the river to Walberswick.
The town's architectural pride and joy is the handsome fifteenth-century church of St Edmund (daily: June– Aug 9am–6pm; Sept– May 9am–4pm; free), whose solid symmetries are balanced by its long and elegantly carved windows.