Halesworth

Halesworth is a small market town (population of around 6000) in the north east corner of Suffolk, England. It is located 15 miles south west of Lowestoft, and straddles the River Blyth, nine miles upstream from the unspoilt, traditional seaside town of Southwold. The town is served by Halesworth railway station on the Ipswich-Lowestoft East Suffolk Line. Halesworth is twinned with both Bouchain in France and Eitorf in Germany.

Related Topics:
Suffolk - England - Lowestoft - River Blyth - Southwold - Halesworth railway station - Ipswich - East Suffolk Line - Bouchain - France - Eitorf - Germany

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A Roman settlement in origin, Halesworth has the beautiful St Mary's Church (medieval with Victorian additions) and a pleasant pastiche of houses, from early timber-framed buildings to the dignified remnants of Victorian prosperity. The distinctive former

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almshouses now house Halesworth & District Museum, open from May to September. The recently opened and well demarcated Town Trail offers a pleasant walk, discovering the history of Halesworth.

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Halesworth is primarily centered on a pedestrianised, shopping street know as the Thoroughfare. "Thoroughfare" is an East Anglian term for the main street of a town. What would be commonly known elsewhere in the UK as the "High Street". Each year the Thoroughfare hosts a popular food, drink and craft fair, termed the "Thoroughfair", to raise money for good causes. Thousands attend.

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Halesworth's New Cut Arts, a centre for arts in the community, offers arts, music, theatre, dance, comedy, cinema, workshops and Art Exhibitions to the local area. It has a cafeteria and licensed bar. New Cut Arts is a registered charity with no central funding, relying on the support of the local community and its 500 Club benefactors.

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Halesworth boasts the largest Millennium Green in the UK with around 44 acres of grazing marsh providing a beautiful haven for wildlife close to the town centre. The surrounding countryside is easily accessible for walkers and cyclists. The rivers in this area are home to heron, kingfisher and otter. Deer roam Dunwich Forest and the RSPB Nature Reserve at Minsmere is home to all manner of wildlife.

Related Topics:
Dunwich - RSPB

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Halesworth's most famous resident is George Lansbury, founding member of the Labour Party, pacifist and grandfather of the actress Angela Lansbury. An interesting anecdote is that Halesworth used to issue its own banknotes! A five-guinea banknote, issued by the Suffolk and Halesworth Bank in 1799, has recently been recovered.

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Nearby villages include Cratfield.

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