Suffolk &amp; Cambs


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why">WHY? </h2>



<p>That should really be why not? Who wouldn’t want to live in one of Suffolk’s most attractive villages with its long high street filled with independent shops, art galleries, cafés and pubs, and bookended by Tudor mansions? Situated between Sudbury and Bury St Edmunds, on the edge of the Dedham Vale area of outstanding natural beauty, you won’t be short of landscape photo opps.&nbsp; &nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-eat">EAT</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2023/05/black-lion-3.jpg" alt="Restaurant at The black Lion Hotel Long Melford" class="wp-image-32778" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2023/05/black-lion-3.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2023/05/black-lion-3-800x534.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2023/05/black-lion-3-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2023/05/black-lion-3-787x525.jpg 787w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The Black Lion</figcaption></figure>



<p>So great is the demand for loose-leaf tea in china cups and clotted cream, jam and scones, <a aria-label="Long Melford Tea Room  (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.facebook.com/longmelfordtearoom/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Long Melford Tea Room</a> expanded into the cottage next door. Plus there is the relatively new <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ivyandbond27/">Ivy &amp; Bond tearoom</a> (as well as an ice cream parlour from the same owners), <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Tiffinsmelford/?locale=en_GB">Tiffins Tea and Coffee House</a>, and another recent addition, Scandi-style <a href="https://www.facebook.com/p/Cafe-Hygge-100089821384616/">Cafe Hygge</a>. </p>



<p>Converted 15th-century coaching inn <a aria-label="The Black Lion (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.theblacklionlongmelford.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Black Lion</a> serves next level food (the Sunday roast is unbeatable) and has the cosiest of courtyards for summer sips, while other good locals include the <a aria-label="Hare Inn (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.hareinn.com/index" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hare Inn,</a> <a href="https://www.greenekinginns.co.uk/hotels/suffolk/bull-hotel">The Bull</a> and <a href="https://www.greeneking.co.uk/pubs/suffolk/cock-and-bell">The Cock &amp; Bell</a>. <a aria-label="https://www.scutchers.com (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.scutchers.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scutchers</a>, on the road out of Long Melford towards Cavendish, is a classy joint with crisp white tablecloths and menus featuring such deliciousness as hand-dived scallops on a spinach risotto with a curried lobster bisque. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shop">SHOP</h2>



<p>Word is that the high street (Hall Street) in Long Melford is the longest in the UK at 2.5 miles. Records aside, what we love most is that it’s lined with independents, from places like <a aria-label="The Woolpatch (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.thewoolpatch.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Woolpatch</a>, for fabrics and haberdashery, to chic clothes at the <a aria-label="Clothes Lounge (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.facebook.com/clothesloungex/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Clothes Lounge</a> and <a href="http://www.nutmeglongmelford.co.uk/">Nutmeg</a>, gifts at Little Nook or unique furniture at <a href="https://www.longmelfordantiquescentre.com">M</a><a href="https://melfordantiquesandinteriors.co.uk">elford Antiques</a>. There&#8217;s also the lovely <a href="https://www.cherry-lane.co.uk/static/store-long-melford.html?srsltid=AfmBOopGzjviVw9Cfu9C3YD7CKtlaKLpBmVWKkbD-56O8-KMUS2qiwYT#">Cherry Lane Garden Centre</a> on the edge of the village for all your horticultural, gift and leisurely lunch needs. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-health-amp-wellbeing">HEALTH &amp; WELLBEING</h2>



<p>You just have to walk down Hall Street to find three top-notch salons &#8211; <a href="https://www.thebeautycave.co.uk">The Beauty Cave</a>, <a href="https://casabella.uk.com/">Casabella Beauty &amp; Aesthetics</a> and <a href="https://onlywayisbeauty.co.uk/">Only Way Is Beauty</a>. For exercise there&#8217;s <a href="https://www.facebook.com/bouncelongmelford/?locale=en_GB">((Bounce)) Long Melford</a> in the Village Hall, <a href="https://www.longmelfordyoga.co.uk">Long Melford Yoga</a> and <a href="https://eoeyogaschool.co.uk">The East of England Yoga School</a>, where you can learn to become a yoga teacher yourself.  </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-community">COMMUNITY</h2>



<p>There&#8217;s loads to get involved in here including the annual <a href="https://leestock.org">LeeStock Music Festival</a> at Kentwell Hall, regular music recitals in the wow-factor <a href="https://www.longmelfordchurch.com/the-arts/concerts/">Holy Trinity Church</a>, a monthly antiques and vintage fair, and seasonal events at <a href="https://www.kentwell.co.uk/whats-on">Kentwell Hall</a> such as the Apple &amp; Conker Weekend and a Dickensian Christmas. Historically the fireworks night event here has been out of this world. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nearby-attractions">NEARBY ATTRACTIONS</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2021/03/kentwell.jpg" alt="Kentwell Hall in Long Melford surrounded by daffodils" class="wp-image-20961" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2021/03/kentwell.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2021/03/kentwell-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2021/03/kentwell-720x480.jpg 720w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2021/03/kentwell-150x100.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2021/03/kentwell-788x525.jpg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Kentwell Hall</figcaption></figure>



<p>The privately owned, moated Tudor mansion <a href="https://www.kentwell.co.uk/">Kentwell Hall</a> sits in 30 acres of gardens and parkland on the edge of the village and has all kinds of things on, from family days and outside cinema to halloween and Christmas events. Ditto <a aria-label="Melford Hall (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/melford-hall" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Melford Hall</a>, which is run by the National Trust and has plenty of activities, great grounds for a picnic and a lovely tea room.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-culture">CULTURE</h2>



<p>Does a Brewery tour count as culture? You know it does! <a href="https://nethergate.co.uk">Nethergate Brewery</a>, an independent Suffolk brewery, has a factory you can visit in Long Melford and holds regular events, There&#8217;s also a shop on site selling local produce. The <a href="https://melfordheritage.org.uk/">Long Melford Heritage Centre</a> at the Village Memorial Hall is also worth a visit and there are regular classical music recitals by Melford Music, as well as art exhibitions by the Suffolk Art Society, at the <a href="https://www.longmelfordchurch.com/">Holy Trinity Church</a>. Antiques are big business in Long Melford so you&#8217;ll find <a href="https://www.melfordantiquesfair.co.uk/">regular antiques fairs</a> running at The Old School throughout the year too. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-average-house-price-nbsp">AVERAGE HOUSE PRICE&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Pretty reasonable (for the lovely area) at £370,261. You can snap up a detached house for an average of £416,300, semis sell for £342,400 and terraced houses for around £348,818. &nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hot-property">HOT PROPERTY </h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="768" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2023/11/52651_100424026065_IMG_00_0000.jpeg" alt="Long Melford Country house for sale" class="wp-image-41080" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2023/11/52651_100424026065_IMG_00_0000.jpeg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2023/11/52651_100424026065_IMG_00_0000-800x600.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2023/11/52651_100424026065_IMG_00_0000-1000x750.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2023/11/52651_100424026065_IMG_00_0000-400x300.jpeg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Sweep down the drive to this 5-bed house with large garden. <a href="https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/150489929#/media?id=media0&amp;ref=photoCollage&amp;channel=RES_BUY" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">On the market for £1.645m</a>.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nurseries">NURSERIES</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.longmelfordprimaryschool.co.uk/nursery/">Long Melford Primary School </a>operates a nursery from 8:45am until 3:10pm, or for longer hours there&#8217;s the <a href="https://www.woodpeckers-nursery.co.uk">Woodpeckers Private Nursery</a> on the Long Melford side of Sudbury that stays open until 5:45pm. <a href="https://www.brighthorizons.co.uk/our-nurseries/crocus-great-cornard-nursery-and-preschool">Bright Horizons</a>, a 62-place nursery in Great Cornard, offers the longest hours for commuting parents from 7am – 6pm. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-schools">SCHOOLS</h2>



<p><a aria-label="Long Melford C of E Primary School (opens in a new tab)" href="http://www.longmelfordprimaryschool.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Long Melford C of E Primary School</a> is rated Good by Ofsted. <a aria-label="Stoke College (opens in a new tab)" href="https://suffolkcambs.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/stoke-college-suffolk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stoke College</a> is a co-ed day or boarding school for children aged 11-18 yrs in beautiful Stoke-by-Clare around a 15 min drive away, read our review <a aria-label="here (opens in a new tab)" href="https://suffolkcambs.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/stoke-college-suffolk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>. <a href="https://suffolkcambs.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/school-reviews/kids-school-reviews-old-buckenham-hall-suffolk/">Old Buckenham School</a> is a very well regarded rural prep school, just 20 mins away, with a strong musical heritage and amazing grounds. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-best-kept-secret">BEST KEPT SECRET</h2>



<p>Francis Bacon used to visit Long Melford in the 70s when his lover’s brother, David Edwards, owned Westgate House.&nbsp;Also, Long Melford was the background star of the TV series <em>Lovejoy</em>. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-commute">COMMUTE </h2>



<p>Sudbury Station is just over 2 miles away, and the journey to London Liverpool Street takes 80 mins via a change at Marks Tey. It’s an hour’s drive to Cambridge and Bury St Edmunds, or 30 mins to Colchester. </p>



<p><em>View the full <a href="https://muddystilettos.co.uk/best-places-to-live">Top 300 Best Places to Live</a></em>.</p>


Long Melford

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