Pictures of Kedington

About Kedington

Set in the lovely valley of the River Stour this village possesses one of the most beautiful of all Suffolk churches. Walking into the church of St.Peter and St.Paul is like taking a step back into the annals of history. In the church is the family pew of the Barnardister family - one of Suffolk's most important and influential families who lived in the village for over 30 generations in an unbroken line. The family seat was Kedington Hall which was to the rear of the church until it was demolished in around 1790. As was the custom centuries ago, there are separate little pews for boys and girls, and one for governesses so that they could watch over their charges. There is a 17th-century screen and a triple Decker pulpit of the same date looks down on the uneven brick floor. Also interesting is a Saxon carved Crucifixion, and several monuments to the Barnardiston family dating from the 16th to 18th-centuries.

The Stour Valley footpath leads into Kedington which has several eye catching focal points, including a pretty arched bridge spanning the river and a lovely 18th-century water-mill. Interestingly, a watermill at Kedington was mentioned in the Doomsday Book and is commemorated by a plaque on the wall of the present mill in Mill Road. Looking around you will spot a couple of pleasant inns, The White Horse and The Barnardiston Arms. At the fringes of Kedington there are excellent footpaths and field tracks taking the walker through pleasant countryside including richly wooded areas with carpets of pretty wild flowers.

In Kedington there are opportunities for riding, fishing, walking and a ramble around the antique shops in the area is sure to reveal a bargain or two.

A good variety of overnight accommodation makes this an interesting destination for a quiet weekend away, or to use a base for exploring this pleasant part of Suffolk with its legacy of lands and buildings held by the same family for centuries.