WHY?

If you want the seaside lifestyle of the Suffolk coast but can’t afford the crazy price tags of Aldeburgh, aka Hampstead-on-Sea, try pretty Woodbridge on the Deben estuary instead. This town really is a wonderful place to live with independent shops and streets that are lined with candy-coloured historic cottages. Gorgeous countryside is all around and you can spend your spare time sailing on the water and enjoying riverside walks.

EAT

Plenty of places to keep foodies sated here. There’s a well-known gastropub in the area, The Unruly Pig, which regularly tops best pub lists in the East of England. Froize is a lovely rustic option in nearby Orford, choose The Anchor for good pub grub, and relaxed al fresco riverside dining can be enjoyed at The Maybush Inn, The Ramsholt Arms and The Tea Hut.

SHOP

Woodbridge has lots of independent shops to choose from including Barrett’s Department Store and several fashion boutiques. There’s also jewellers, gift shops and sweet shops. The area is well known for Antiques and has an Antiques Centre, perfect for finding furniture for all of the historic houses.

NEARBY ATTRACTIONS

Sutton Hoo, an Anglo-Saxon burial ground is a National Trust site just outside Woodbridge. There are loads of lovely walks and events year-round for kids and adults.

AVERAGE HOUSE PRICE

£422,694. Detached properties in Woodbridge sold for an average price of £621,120, with semi-detacheds going for an average of £389,318.

HOT PROPERTY

Property’s in high demand in Woodbridge, but we did manage to find this large four-bedroom family home with spacious gardens for £775,000.

SCHOOLS

The most convenient option is Woodbridge School, which has a great reputation and is Muddy approved. You can also reach Ipswich School (ages 3-18) from Woodbridge, it’s less than 20 minutes drive, plus there are school buses, which is well-known in the county for it’s excellent academic results and for being pastorally strong. Another brilliant option from Woodbridge is Royal Hospital School in Holbrook near Ipswich. This all-rounder school with incredible facilities is just 27 minutes away. A final option from this well-placed town is Framlingham College, a gorgeous day and boarding school that places a lot of emphasis on life skills alongside academics.

BEST KEPT SECRET

You might get a lovely wildlife surprise on a walk along the River Deben in Woodbridge – seals are sometimes spotted frolicking around in the water.

COMMUTE

London Liverpool Street is 87 minutes by train and Ipswich, Colchester and Chelmsford are an easy drive away.

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