Orford, Suffolk
Encyclopedia
Orford is a small town in Suffolk
, England
, within the Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB.
Like many Suffolk coastal towns it was of some importance as a port and fishing village in the Middle Ages. It still has a fine mediaeval castle
, built to dominate the River Ore
.
The main geographical feature of the area is Orford Ness
, a long, wide shingle
spit
at the mouth of the Ore. Orford Ness has in the past been used as an airstrip testing facility and in the early 1970s it was the site of a powerful radar station as part of the Cold War defences against low flying attacking aircraft; today it is a nature reserve run by the National Trust
.
Orford provides the only point of access to the nature reserves of Orford Ness and Havergate Island
. Both sites can only be accessed via ferry boat from Orford quay. The Orford Ness ferry runs on selected days between April and October and the Havergate Island ferry on selected Saturdays.
Orford now mainly exists on tourism and as a weekend and holiday home. It has grown significantly in the last 20 years with an increasing new build to accommodate second home-owners; its population greatly increases during the summer months due to its flourishing sailing club. As well as the Castle, Orford's attractions include river cruises, a number of pubs and hotels, a traditional post office which sells fresh bread, a smokehouse, and two restaurants; the Butley-Orford Oysterage and the Crown and Castle Hotel, owned by food writer tv personality Ruth Watson
.
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, within the Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB.
Like many Suffolk coastal towns it was of some importance as a port and fishing village in the Middle Ages. It still has a fine mediaeval castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
, built to dominate the River Ore
River Ore
The River Ore is the name of the final section of the River Alde in Suffolk, England from just above Orford to the sea. It has one tributary, the River Butley, and Havergate Island is found at their confluence....
.
The main geographical feature of the area is Orford Ness
Orford Ness
Orford Ness is a cuspate foreland shingle spit on the Suffolk coast in Great Britain, linked to the mainland at Aldeburgh and stretching along the coast to Orford and down to North Wier Point, opposite Shingle Street. It is divided from the mainland by the River Alde, and was formed by longshore...
, a long, wide shingle
Shingle beach
A shingle beach is a beach which is armoured with pebbles or small- to medium-sized cobbles. Typically, the stone composition may grade from characteristic sizes ranging from two to 200 mm diameter....
spit
Spit (landform)
A spit or sandspit is a deposition landform found off coasts. At one end, spits connect to land, and extend into the sea. A spit is a type of bar or beach that develops where a re-entrant occurs, such as at cove's headlands, by the process of longshore drift...
at the mouth of the Ore. Orford Ness has in the past been used as an airstrip testing facility and in the early 1970s it was the site of a powerful radar station as part of the Cold War defences against low flying attacking aircraft; today it is a nature reserve run by the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
.
Orford provides the only point of access to the nature reserves of Orford Ness and Havergate Island
Havergate Island
Havergate Island is the only island in the county of Suffolk, England. It is found at the confluence of the River Ore and the River Butley near the village of Orford. It is a marshy nature reserve run by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and is known for its population of avocets and...
. Both sites can only be accessed via ferry boat from Orford quay. The Orford Ness ferry runs on selected days between April and October and the Havergate Island ferry on selected Saturdays.
Orford now mainly exists on tourism and as a weekend and holiday home. It has grown significantly in the last 20 years with an increasing new build to accommodate second home-owners; its population greatly increases during the summer months due to its flourishing sailing club. As well as the Castle, Orford's attractions include river cruises, a number of pubs and hotels, a traditional post office which sells fresh bread, a smokehouse, and two restaurants; the Butley-Orford Oysterage and the Crown and Castle Hotel, owned by food writer tv personality Ruth Watson
Ruth Watson
Ruth Watson , is an English hotelier, broadcaster and food writer.-Early life and career:Born in London, Ruth Watson was educated in London and at Westonbirt School in Gloucestershire...
.
External links
- Photographs and more details about Orford
- A Fishy Tale of Orford
- The Wild Man of Orford - An animated version of the 12th Century myth
- "My Orford" by Charlie Underwood M.B.E. - An interesting insight into village life in Orford.