Pictures of Framlingham

About Framlingham

Pleasant Suffolk market town with narrow winding streets showing beautiful colour-washed cottages beneath red-tile hung roofs - the best place to see these is in the area around Market Hill.

The town's finest feature is the late Perpendicular church dedicated to St. Michael, this contains the tombs of the Howard family, including that of the Duke of Richmond, brought to Framlingham from Thetford Priory. Other features of the church include a hammer-beam roof enclosed in false wooden fan vaulting, a magnificent organ case of 1674, and the 18th century monument to Jane Kerridge, this is by noted sculptor Roubiliac. In the pretty churchyard there are a number of ancient graves and tombstones.

Framlingham is also the site of a once great castle, this was originally a fortified dwelling house given by Henry I to Roger Bigod in around 1100. Hugh Bigod, Ist Earl of Norfolk, later expanded the building into a military castle. When the Bigod family fell from grace the castle reverted to the crown, as king followed king so the castle changed hands and it was not until the reign of James I in 1613 that it was restored to the Howard's. In 1655 it was sold to Sir Robert Hitcham who bequeathed it to Pembroke Hall in Cambridge in the following year. Visitors find Framlingham fascinating, it is well worth the walk up the spiral stairway in one of the towers - this leads to the wall-walk from which you can enjoy good views over lovely Suffolk countryside.

Of note are quaint shop fronts on Market Hill and in Castle Street, also Framlingham College built in the Gothic Revival style, this was founded in 1863 and was paid for out of money left over from public subscription towards the Albert Memorial fund.

Framlingham is best explored on foot, there are many delights for the visitor both in the town and in the rolling green acres beyond.