Beccles

Six miles East of Bungay, on the buff of the Suffolk bank of the River Waveney, lies Beccles (river-pasture), an ancient market town with excellent town museum and very good shopping area and market. The streets and lanes are peppered with fine Georgian town houses. Down by the river is the quay and a series of landing stages – a wonderful place for a walk or a boat trip.

Just outside the town lie two fine old houses, Roos Hall, a lofty Elizabethan fragment and Worlingham Hall, a late 18th century mansion, its rich interior by Francis Sandys.

Roos Hall is said to be the most haunted house in England.

Beccles was granted its Charter in 1584 by Elizabeth I.

Once a flourishing Saxon seaport, it lies in the Waveney valley and is a popular boating centre. It is dominated by the detached 14th century bell tower of St. Michael's church.

Like the main body of the church, the tower is perpendicular in style and is 97 foot tall. The interior of the church was badly damaged by fire in 1586. It has a 13th century font.

It was at this church in 1749 that Catherine Suckling married the Reverend Edward Nelson. Later she gave birth to one of the greatest naval commanders in history: Horatio Nelson.

There is an unusual 18th century octagonal Town Hall.

Beccles Museum is housed in Leman House, a Grade I listed building and has a collection of agricultural, industrial and domestic items, including collections of tools, boat building, printing, costumes and natural history.

Beccles has strong connections with the printing trade. The firm of William Clowes was once the town's biggest employer and also the largest printing firm in the world. A printing museum contains many examples of composing and printing equipment.

Nowadays the plastics industry provides most of the jobs in the Beccles area.

Worlingham is a suburb of Beccles.

Until 1960 the Beccles to Yarmouth Railway ran across the marshes.

Beccles is twinned with Petit Couronne in France.