Visit Long Melford and discover the stories behind the village green

(7 reviews)

Suffolk audio tour: Visit Long Melford and discover the stories behind the village green

This is a 1.3mi walking tour

It takes an average of 35 mins to complete.

Suffolk

The United Kingdom

$5.99

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Reviews

About the Tour

Visit Long Melford with this tour for anyone who wants to discover more of the village than just it’s views. Join me on this walk around the green, get to know the village like a local and hear how it got its start in the wool trade. Along the way, you’ll hear a few of the stories that get talked about when the locals get together in the pubs.

You’ll hear about:

The Abbots of St Edmunds
Where John Lennon caused a flood
What caused the riot act to be read for the last time in England
And why a man had butter melting under his hat

There is a whole way of life around the green to discover. You might even fancy a bit of ordinary at the end of the tour.

Tour Producer

Suffolk Guide

5 tours

No matter if you are in Suffolk for the day or you are in Suffolk everyday, you will see more with a Suffolk Guide. The name Suffolk Guide reflects my wide interest and knowledge of Suffolk, not just a town here or a town there but the county of Suffolk.
I have lived and worked in Suffolk all my life. I love local history but I also love any stories and facts about Suffolk villages in any period of time. The perfect venue for all these stories is a guided tour in front of where the story takes place.
I first began by sharing my enthusiasm for Suffolk with school children. I worked in a number of locations in the county, so I built up a mental filing cabinet of stories for all of these locations.
On my tours, you get a lifetime of stories handed down about the sites that we pass and also stories found in research.. Some of these stories were from centuries ago and some of these stories were from decades ago. I won’t bother you with a story about something that’s not there. My ITG training stressed the need to talk about something that you could focus on.
I always leave you with ideas for other landmarks to explore and activities that you could do after the tour.

Preview Location

Location 30

The Bull Hotel, Long Melford

You've reached the Bull Hotel and the end of our tour.

This prestigious hotel has had many celebrities stay here. John Lennon even caused a flood when he allowed his bath to overflow.

The hotel was one of the jewels in the Trust House Forte chain of hotels and was exte... You've reached the Bull Hotel and the end of our tour.

This prestigious hotel has had many celebrities stay here. John Lennon even caused a flood when he allowed his bath to overflow.

The hotel was one of the jewels in the Trust House Forte chain of hotels and was extensively refurbished. The building surrounding the front door is the oldest building here. It was probably built originally for a rich wool merchant.

An inn was on this site from the late 1400s and in early maps, it is shown as a fine timbered building, just as you can see it today. The timbers were then hidden, as tastes change, by a fine Victorian front, but this was removed in 1935 to reveal this stately timber-framed house.

Many find it hard to believe that the building to the right of the S-shaped tie rod, was added in the 1960s. It is well worth going inside to explore when we're done, you will see a variety of mouldings in the ceiling beams.

Ghost hunters like to frequent the Bull to look for any sign of ghosts. It was well recorded that a Richard Everard was stabbed by a Roger Greene here in 1648. The ghost hunters like to tell you that the body was laid out in the lounge overnight but it had vanished by the morning. They will also tell you that an empty coffin was buried in the churchyard. I am not sure about those last bits of the story.

This is the end of my tour. You have some hard decisions to make now about where you are going to get some refreshment. Melford is proud of the wide range of tea rooms, pubs and restaurants that it can offer stretching away down the street. But perhaps you might want to put your feet up and mull the options available over a drink in the Bull.

Do check out what is available here before you move off. It would be rude not to. Don’t forget that the Heritage Centre, the Church, Kentwell Hall and Melford Hall are all worth exploring as well.

If you have enjoyed this tour then please leave a comment and a rating. Don't forget to check out my other tours available nearby.

Cheerio. Read More

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Major Landmarks

Long Melford Holy Trinity Church
Long Melford Holy Trinity Hospital
Long Melford Hall
Long Melford Green

Getting There

Route Overview

VoiceMap tours follow a route from a set starting point. It’s how we give turn-by-turn directions and tell a story greater than the sum of its parts.

Start location
Long Melford, Sudbury CO10 9JQ, UK
Total distance

2km
Final location
Hall St, Long Melford, Sudbury CO10 9JG, UK
Distance back to start location

94.53m

Directions to Starting Point

Long Melford is on the A134, the road from Colchester to Bury St Edmunds, it is part of what is called Constable Country. In the main street, the Bull Hotel sticks out, making it easy to find the lane opposite to the Bull Hotel. A sign will point to the Village Hall and Heritage Centre. Follow the signs for parking. My tour starts at the entrance to that car park.

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Tips

Places to stop along the way

Long Melford Heritage Centre, Long Melford Holy Trinity Church, Long Melford Holy Trinity Hospital, Long Melford Hall, Bull Hotel.

Best time of day

Any time of day and at any time of year.

Precautions

I would suggest sensible footwear and keep an eye on the weather forecasts to ensure that you have appropriate clothing. Stay clear of the to and from school and work rush hour to avoid a busy main road.

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App Store Review

“Great app. walk around at your own pace, stop where you want, move on or speed up when you want. Read the script before you go or during the commentary, speed it up or replay it. Repeat the tour whenever you like.”

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Questions and Reviews

4.6 / 5

7 Ratings

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