Lavenham is one of the best preserved medieval wool towns in England. It has a proud history of being one of the foremost cloth making centres in England from the 14th to the 16th century and was famous for its blue broadcloth. The many magnificent buildings that remain are a testimony to the town being one of the wealthiest in England at the time. By the late 15th century the town was among the the richest in the British Isles, paying more in taxation than larger towns like York and Lincoln.
Like many East Anglian settlements, Lavenham was home to an airfield in World War II.
The town is now one of the most beautiful villages in England. It blends the old with the new to make a modern, thriving community filled with charm and history….I visited with friends on an overcast May Day. Come for a walk through lovely Lavenham.
We first passed this great looking pub on our way to St Peter and St Paul church across the road.
We passed this beautiful pink house and walk through the cemetery to the church entrance.
The church dates from between 1486 and 1525. It was financed mainly through the contributions of several rich Lavenham clothiers, Lohan de Vere, Lord of the Manor and the 13th Earl of Oxford. It is excessively large for the size of the village. Its tower stands at 42 metres, making it the highest village church tower in Britain.
The interior is well preserved.
I was particularly impressed by this coat of arms.
The facade of the church has wonderful decoration.
Then it was off down the main street to discover more delights.
The gorgeous houses appear to fall into each other. I don’t think I saw a single right angle.
We saw some great doorways and street decoration and a lovely driveway.
We went to a seriously cute place for lunch. It was tiny, but packed with delights. The husband and wife team who own and run the place must work day and night to create this great space.
The dining room is small, just a handful of tables.
Menu was excellent. It was difficult to choose between the delicious sounding dishes. The owner/chef told us how he seeks out local produce to inspire is menu. We were all delighted with our lunch.
After lunch we were about to explore some of the inviting shops, when rain stopped play…
I would return to Lavenham if only for another delicious lunch…and a bit more shopping.
Thank you Anup and Poorna for a great day out.
Good morning Debra. MY family was very involved in the town of Lavenham and other areas of Suffolk and Ireland and was one of the families (Sir Thomas Spring), who donated for the building of the church.
The family has a very extensive history and we have that history back to approximately the 1400s.
By: Cheryl Conroy on December 22, 2025
at 12:14 am
Wow! That is exciting. It is a gorgeous town. I would love to have spent more time ther, but it began to rain heavily after lunch and our umbrellas were all in the car at the other end of town. It was a quick dash to the car and then home.
By: Debra Kolkka on December 22, 2025
at 3:30 am
Enjoyed looking at the wonderful photos of Lavenham & it’s history. Also must say the pub lunch looks superb.
By: Camillus Davall on December 23, 2025
at 2:18 am
Lunch was amazing. I would go back just for that. I am trying to recreate the beetroot dish.
By: Debra Kolkka on December 23, 2025
at 3:52 am