Pictures of Laxfield

About Laxfield

Laxfield, with its wealth of timber-framed buildings is widely regarded as one of the most attractive villages in north Suffolk. It has a variety of charming properties which range from Black and White cottages to the small 'gentry' house. An ancient mule track skirting the churchyard, is flanked by a row of early 19th-century brick cottages. The village has houses of both this beautiful orangey-pink brick and of the more conventional Suffolk colour of creamy white. The colour of the properties depends on the lime and iron content of the clay-more lime produces a paler brick. The relatively small pockets of different clays found in East Anglia provide these interesting contrasts.

Laxfield was the scene of the martyrdom of John Noyes on the 22nd September 1557. Rather than accept Catholic doctrine, he elected to be burned at the stake.

The parish church of All Saints, is a little unusual for Suffolk in that it is faced in stone; knapped flint has been used only sparingly. This is a grand church and it houses many treasures-it has three of the finest Seven Sacrement fonts in the Kingdom. These fonts are the height of catholic imaginary, and were produced at the highest moment of Catholic popularity and practice in the middle of the 15th-century. Should these fonts be in the Victoria and Albert museum there is little doubt that people would flock from all over to gaze at their wonderful form.

There is a fine museum in the Guildhall if you are here in high summer. Otherwise you should visit the Royal Oak which has a rather majestic Oak of its own standing outside.

Of interest to collectors of Railway memorabilia is the fact that this pleasant village was the final stop on the 'Middy' the Mid-Suffolk Light Railway line, which connected to the rest of the world at Haughley, near Stowmarket.

Laxfield is surrounded by other delightful villages that are interspersed between the fertile farmlands of Suffolk. Civilization, however, has not disturbed Laxfield much since the 1950.s - infact, one could almost say 'civilization' luckily left Laxfield alone!

You are not too far from the lovely Suffolk Heritage Coast, the River Yox flows close-by and at nearby Bruisyard there is a Winery and Vineyard