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 href="https://www.instagram.com/brownsugar_lm/?hl=en-gb" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Long Melford Tea Room</a> expanded into the cottage next door. Plus there is <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ivyandbond27/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">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" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tiffins Tea and Coffee House</a>, and another semi-recent addition, Scandi-style <a href="https://www.facebook.com/p/Cafe-Hygge-100089821384616/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Café Hygge</a> and the absolute must-visit <a href="https://www.instagram.com/brownsugar_lm/?hl=en-gb">Brown Sugar</a> – the cinnamon buns are worth the trip, trust us!</p>



<p>Converted 15th-century coaching inn <a href="https://www.greeneking.co.uk/pubs/suffolk/cock-and-bell" 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 href="https://www.greeneking.co.uk/pubs/suffolk/cock-and-bell" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hare Inn,</a> <a href="https://www.greenekinginns.co.uk/hotels/suffolk/bull-hotel" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Bull</a> and <a href="https://www.greeneking.co.uk/pubs/suffolk/cock-and-bell">The Cock &amp; Bell</a>. <a href="https://www.greenekinginns.co.uk/hotels/suffolk/bull-hotel" 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>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1270" height="1272" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2025/10/CLOTHES-LOOUNGE-LONG-MELFORD.jpg" alt="CLOTHES LOUNGE LONG MELFORD" class="wp-image-46265" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2025/10/CLOTHES-LOOUNGE-LONG-MELFORD.jpg 1270w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2025/10/CLOTHES-LOOUNGE-LONG-MELFORD-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2025/10/CLOTHES-LOOUNGE-LONG-MELFORD-998x1000.jpg 998w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2025/10/CLOTHES-LOOUNGE-LONG-MELFORD-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2025/10/CLOTHES-LOOUNGE-LONG-MELFORD-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1270px) 100vw, 1270px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Clothes Lounge</figcaption></figure>



<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 href="https://www.thewoolpatch.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">T</a><a href="https://melfordantiquesandinteriors.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">he Woolpatch</a>, for fabrics and haberdashery, to chic clothes at the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/clothesloungex/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Clothes Loung</a><a href="https://melfordantiquesandinteriors.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">e</a> and <a href="http://www.nutmeglongmelford.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">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" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">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 – <a href="https://www.thebeautycave.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Beauty Cave</a>, <a href="https://casabella.uk.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Casabella Beauty &amp; Aesthetics</a> and <a href="https://onlywayisbeauty.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Only Way Is Beauty</a>. For the best hair cut across Suffolk &amp; Cambs, Long Melford is home to Muddy Award-winning hair salon, <a href="https://mellowsalon.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mellow</a>. For exercise there&#8217;s <a href="https://www.facebook.com/bouncelongmelford/?locale=en_GB" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">((Bounce)) Long Melford</a> in the Village Hall, <a href="https://www.longmelfordyoga.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Long Melford Yoga</a> and <a href="https://eoeyogaschool.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">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" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">LeeStock Music Festival</a> and <a href="https://www.tasteofeastanglia.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Taste Of East Anglia</a> food fest at Kentwell Hall, regular music recitals in the wow-factor <a href="https://www.longmelfordchurch.com/the-arts/concerts/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Holy Trinity Church</a>, a monthly antiques and vintage fair, and seasonal events at <a href="https://www.kentwell.co.uk/whats-on" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">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="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2024/03/melford-hall-suffolk-daffodils.jpg" alt="Melford Hall" class="wp-image-39087" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2024/03/melford-hall-suffolk-daffodils.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2024/03/melford-hall-suffolk-daffodils-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2024/03/melford-hall-suffolk-daffodils-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2024/03/melford-hall-suffolk-daffodils-400x267.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Melford Hall</figcaption></figure>



<p>The privately owned, moated Tudor mansion <a href="https://www.kentwell.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">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" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">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/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">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/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Holy Trinity Church</a>. Antiques are big business in Long Melford so you&#8217;ll find <a href="https://www.melfordantiquesfair.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">regular antiques fairs</a> running at The Old School throughout the year too. Just outside Long Melford in Sudbury, you&#8217;ll find a brilliant and newly refurbished art gallery and museum, <a href="https://gainsborough.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gainsborough&#8217;s House</a>, the birthplace of artist Thomas Gainsborough where you can see important works of art, and enjoy workshops, talks and visits to the café and historic garden. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-average-house-prices">AVERAGE HOUSE PRICES&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="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2025/10/BPTL-Cambs-19.png" alt="Property for sale in Long Melford. This Grade II-listed thatched cottage is on the edge within easy reach of the historic village of Long Melford. On the market for £700,000." class="wp-image-46228" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2025/10/BPTL-Cambs-19.png 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2025/10/BPTL-Cambs-19-800x533.png 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2025/10/BPTL-Cambs-19-1000x667.png 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2025/10/BPTL-Cambs-19-400x267.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">This Grade II-listed thatched cottage is on the edge within easy reach of the historic village of Long Melford. <a href="https://www.fennwright.co.uk/property/high-street-long-melford-sudbury-suffolk-co10-9bd/?address_keyword=long%20melford&amp;radius&amp;property_type&amp;officeID&amp;minimum_price&amp;maximum_price&amp;minimum_bedrooms=0&amp;department=residential-sales&amp;permalink=66692" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">On the market for £700,000</a>.</figcaption></figure>



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



<p><a href="https://www.longmelfordprimaryschool.co.uk/nursery/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">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" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">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" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">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/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">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 Seventies 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>. Rumour has it that <em>Game Of Thrones</em> star, Kit Harington lives nearby – our Suffolk ed once spied him shopping in Sudbury Waitrose!</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, or 30 mins to Colchester, Bury St Edmunds and Ipswich.&nbsp;</p>



<p><em>View the full <a href="https://muddystilettos.co.uk/best-places-to-live/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Top 260 Best Places to Live</a>.</em></p>


Long Melford

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