East of England
A gentle rural landscape of classic English countryside, ancient Anglo-Saxon settlements and old medieval towns and villages.
The East of England stretches from the north east of London , through Cambridge and Essex and a huge bulk is made up from the region of East Anglia. As the name would suggest the region is a historic bastion of Anglo-Saxon settlements since they arrived in the Dark Ages pushing the Britons to the far west corners of Cumbria, Wales and Cornwall . The Sutton Hoo treasure, priceless artefacts in a royal burial site uncovered in a huge ship grave in 1939 outlines the areas rich Anglo-Saxon history.
The area was later to be constantly raided and invaded by Vikings, in one famous instance Martyring the Saxon King Edmund, who was later canonised and is commemorated since the 10th Century in the town Bury St.Edmunds. Throughout the Middle Ages, the area around Norfolk was built up under a strong Earldom in defence against invaders. The town of Norwich was its base, it’s Castle, Cathedral and Saxon town planning dating back from this time.
The gentle Suffolk countryside around Stour Valley was the subject of the great 18th Century landscape painter John Constable and the area around Dedham Vale is still as beautiful and timeless as it is in Constable’s paintings, punctuated by charming country villages and timber fronted towns like Dedham and Lavenham.
The University town of Cambridge needs no introduction, a delightful collection of college quads dating back to the 13th Century, centred around a vibrant, cosmopolitan and green town. King’s College Chapel is a must see and no visit would be complete without a gentle condola cruise along the river Cam, by the college ‘Backs’.
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