Leiston and Thorpeness Area Guide

You get a real sense of history around this area, with the ruins of 14^th century Leiston Abbey and the tall tales of smugglers in years gone by, sneaking their wares through tunnels carved out of the marshes.

In the 19^th and 20^th century, Leiston was a hub of manufacturing, with Richard Garret and Sons having the world’s first flow assembly line to make portable steam engines. The company also made tractors and other farm machinery, as well as munitions during both World Wars. The factory closed in 1981 and is now a museum.

There was an RAF base here in the Second World War and Leiston holds a memorial service and flying display each spring.

Neighbouring Thorpeness is a unique place. A Scottish barrister, Glencairn Stuart Ogilvie bought up much of the land and built his fantasy holiday village – his idea of a quintessential English village – letting friends and family stay here. The attractive mock Tudor houses still stand remarkably unspoilt. He also had a huge artificial lake dug out, the meare, where you can rent a boat and explore the tiny islands, each one named by J. M. Barrie, author of Peter Pan, a family friend of the Ogilvies. The meare hosts a regatta with firework display every summer.

Perhaps the most famous building in Thorpeness is the ‘House in the Clouds’. Originally built as a water tower, it was disguised with cladding and later converted into residential accommodation.

Did you know?
Much of Thorpeness remained privately owned by the Ogilvie family right up until 1972.

Amenities

Anyone active will love the facilities in this area. Leiston has an Olympic-size pool at the leisure centre, with soft play for little ones and regular fitness classes. Leiston also has a football club, athletics association and a sports and social club.

There’s also opportunity for outdoor pursuits, whether birdwatching, walking or cycling, across beaches, heathland, woods and forest.

You’re sure to have worked up an appetite after all that activity, so head on over to one of the many popular restaurants, tea rooms and cafes in the area to sample their wares. There are also several shops within Leiston and Thorpeness themselves, with a large supermarket a couple of miles away in Saxmundham.

Leiston also has Suffolk’s oldest purpose-built cinema, dating back over 100 years.

Education

Famous free school Summerhill can be found in Leiston, and the village also has both primary and secondary schools. The latter was recently named one of the most improved schools in England, having turned itself around. It’s now highly-regarded and the sixth form is a specialist technology college with strong links to Sizewell.