Blaxhall and the local area

Blaxhall is a small village in east Suffolk, around 10 miles west of the North Sea coast. The closest coastal town is Aldeburgh, home at one time to composer Benjamin Britten. Renowned for good fish and chips, its ancient Moot Hall, the RNLI lifeboat, charming cottages and an unhurried atmosphere, Aldeburgh is well worth a visit. During the summer there is often work by local artists on display in one of the galleries, if not, it is but a short walk to see the striking sculpture by Maggi Hambling on the beach.

Flourishing from a seed sown by Benjamin Britten are Britten Pears Arts, who organise the very popular Snape Proms among other concerts and events, at the world class Snape Maltings concert hall, only 2 miles from Blaxhall.

Back to the coast and a few miles south of Aldeburgh lies the unspoilt village of Orford, its magnificent castle keep silently watching over quaint streets and pretty yachts. River trips are available from the quay, heading out around the RSPB reserve of Havergate Island and up river towards Aldeburgh.

North of Aldeburgh good swimming can be had at Dunwich during the summer, and the town’s fascinating history can be discovered in the museum. Southwold, although some 20 miles from Blaxhall, is well within reach for an afternoon jaunt and is home to the finest brewery on the planet, Adnams. Arguably the best place to enjoy a pint of Adnams is The Blaxhall Ship, the best pub in Blaxhall.

Also in the vicinity there is a gym/sports centre at Rendlesham, and Tunstall village hall has badminton courts. Leiston has both a sports centre and swimming pool, and further facilities can be found in Woodbridge.

Within the parish

Blaxhall has one of the largest playing fields of any village in the area, and it is very well kept. While it is the venue for the fete, and the annual village match, most of the year it is open for all to enjoy. There is a children’s play area including swings, tyres and a climbing frame; a slide has recently been installed on the grassy mound. Tennis courts have been discussed in the past but I understand that there were some objections and they now appear unlikely. There is a basketball hoop at the west end, and the Sherrif’s beacon in the southwest corner, where the annual fireworks are traditionally held.

The village hall, at present halfway through the extension project, is a popular venue for a variety of leisure activities. It also serves as the meeting place for the Parish Council and can be hired out for private functions.

Blaxhall Environment Group

During 2004 several volunteers got together and formed B.E.G. They have several projects under way:

• Sheep. In late 2003 Shell kindly donated some money to the group to enable sheep hurdles to be bought; forming a portable fence, they allow sheep to be kept in the churchyard and rotated as necessary.

• Hedges. 100 metres of hedge were planted by the group last year with another 100m planned for this year. The hedge planting scheme is supported in part by SCDC, but the group are all volunteers.

• Bird Boxes. Frank Pynn has been busy making bird boxes which have been going up around the village.

Blaxhall Environment Group now has a Co-op dividend number. So if you would like to support them in their work please give the number 266636 when you shop at the Co-op.

Blaxhall Common

Blaxhall Commons and Open Spaces Trust represents a vision for the management and ownership of public access land at Mill Common, Stone Common, and elsewhere in the village.

The common is a beautiful area of heathland situated between the old Youth Hostel and the Snape - Tunstall highway. Suffolk Wildlife Trust, who manage the common on behalf of the Parish Council, have been busy clearing virulent Birch trees to restore the traditional heathland habitat.

There are a handful of young oak trees remaining and the common is now more heathland than woodland. This is part of a project by the Forestry Commission and the Suffolk Wildlife Trust to develop a continuous area of heathland running south all the way to Hollesley. This allows the wildlife specific to this habitat to strengthen and grow, while providing a fantastic walk for visitors.