First off Saturday a visit to David's church in Lexden, it has a long history here but the original church was demolished in the 1800's and rebuilt on it's present site. A very nice Victorian church.

Then to Lavenham yet another of "the most beautiful villages in the UK" although this one does live up to the title. Along the main street it has many superb building dating from the medieval period, there has been something of a restoration project to repaint them in original colours. After a stroll through the village it was time for a light lunch and liquid refreshments.

Long Melford has a main street nearly a mile long, hence the name. At one end though there is a 15th century church dedicated to the Holy Trinity, it constructed between 1467 and 1497 in the late Perpendicular Gothic style, it is a noted example of a Suffolk medieval wool church, founded and financed by wealthy wool merchants in the period as impressive visual statements of their prosperity. It is full of interesting historical memorabilia ranging from a stained glass window that was used as the inspiration for the artist who illustrated the original Alice Through the Looking Glass. He drew the Duchess from the portrait incorporated in the window. In 1436 the Lord of the Manor, William Clopton gave land to the town for a guildhall and a market in exchange for a rent of one red rose per annum, it is still paid by the local mayor and the rose displayed on William's tomb, this makes it the longest rent contract in the world. It also has the longest nave of a parish church in the UK.

We finished the day in Sudbury for a Costa and a look round, statue of the painter Thomas Gainsborough in the main square.

Day 72 - Saturday - St Leonards Lexden - Lavenham and Long Melford