News and events for summer 2019 Bedfordshire | Cambridgeshire | Essex Hertfordshire | Norfolk | Suff olk Thanks to you his is shaping up to be quite a year for In Suff olk, Sutton Hoo is home to one of the Moving into the heart of the region at Wimpole Now you can ease off and enjoy some smooth the National Trust and it’s all thanks to greatest archaeological discoveries of all time Estate near Cambridge you’re well underway with sailing as we head towards the gateway to the you. Whether you realise it or not, this and the best Anglo-Saxon story out there. a whole new way to arrive at Wimpole. It’s one of Norfolk Broads. You have helped restore Horsey Tsummer you’re uncovering, restoring, You’ve helped to release that story for everyone the most exciting chapters in this magnifi cent Windpump, which stands proud once again in conserving, protecting, transforming, and if that to learn and let their imaginations run wild by estate’s history. You’ve already created a new the landscape. You can now even enjoy the wasn’t enough you’re also raising a roof. totally transforming what you can see and do home for our splendid Shire horses and by the time amazing view from the top. there. You’re inspiring tomorrow’s storytellers, you’re fi nished everyone will arrive at a robust new The support you give through coming to historians, archaeologists and explorers, while car park, be given a proper Wimpole welcome in a Wherever your adventures take you this summer see us, holidaying with us, renewing your sparking some curiosity today. new building and enter the historic parkland as it we invite you to look up, down, inside and out at membership, donating or tucking into a slice was always meant to be experienced. You won’t be all the wonderful things you’re a part of as we of cake makes some truly remarkable things Exploring further into Suff olk at Ickworth fi nished until the end of the year, so keep going. give you a warm and sunny, sincere thank you. happen. So, thank you. you’re uncovering our iconic rotunda roof. From the very top of the rotunda to a series of Come on up to Norfolk where Oxburgh Hall’s roof You’ll be enjoying better experiences at our underground vaults, there’s a programme of tiles, timbers and brickwork are in need of urgent Turn the page to fi nd out more about how places around the region and you’re also helping work which will help keep Ickworth safe and repair, which isn’t surprising when you think you are helping bring Sutton Hoo to life. to create these for everyone else. Take a look at secure well into the future. they’ve been up there for over 500 years. You’ll what you’ve already achieved. soon be making a start on these important repairs. Did you know you can share your pictures Facebook.com/EastofEnglandNT with us? Find us on Facebook, Twitter or Twitter: @East_England_NT Instagram, where you can share your favourite spots. instagram.com/eastofenglandnt Make more of your membership – join your local centre, association or volunteer group. Call 01284 747500. Hoo’s waking up... News in Brief We’re all going on a summer holiday The East of England has long been an idyllic and versatile part of the country This year, we’ll be completing a £4 million project to transform your experience of to go on holiday. Our iconic coastline visiting Sutton Hoo. It’s the bigg est investment we’ve ever made here and it’s all thanks off ers a great place to enjoy a vibrant break with the family or to escape the to the generosity of National Trust members like you, donations, fundraising and a hustle and bustle of daily life with a £1.8 million grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. loved one. With holiday cottages dotted along the Norfolk and Suff olk coast, we can off er you a home from Our plans are ambitious, yet simple home experience. A special year, a at heart - we want to help you trail, River View Walk. With stunning discover this very special place and views across the River Deben, this Venturing further inland, we have a unlock the stories of its past – from will be a chance to indulge in some small number of hidden gems across the special anniversary the Anglo-Saxons who buried their peaceful exploration. There are region that pose the perfect opportunity king here, to those who made the opportunities to take a walk out to to enjoy a break in a quaint town or incredible discovery in the 1930s and the Royal Burial Ground too, hear tucked away on one of our estates. the people who have continued to more about the project, discover what Over in Cambridgeshire you can also unearth Sutton Hoo’s secrets. will be coming next and to meet the take advantage of our camping sites, team behind the work. where you can either pitch up your own Because there are so many tent or campervan, or enjoy one of our different elements, we’re gradually The new-look Kings River Café boutique camping pods. revealing them through the spring is serving delicious treats and a and summer. much-needed cuppa before you It’s not too late to treat yourself to browse in the new Sutton Hoo shop, a few nights away: see our full list Early visitors will be able to see not to mention the arrival of an of properties at: lots of behind-the-scenes work incredible, full-size sculpture of King continuing, whilst those planning Rædwald’s ship, waiting to welcome www.nationaltrust.org.uk/holidays/ their visit for the end of the summer you in the courtyard. east-anglia-cambridgeshire-and- will be able to explore the complete lincolnshire. This year not only marks the new experience. From late June we’ll be unveiling completion of our major new Tranmer House, the former home of re-telling of the Sutton Hoo story, it’s Throughout spring, we’re all about Edith Pretty. This new experience will Welcome to Wimpole, also the 80th anniversary of the celebrating the incredible landscape at explore archaeology , discovery and a transformation archaeological dig that fi rst revealed Sutton Hoo, and we’ve started the Sutton Hoo landscape. just how special this place is. unveiling some of our new Work to transform Wimpole is now a experiences, including a new walking In the Exhibition Hall, we’ll be few months in, and our ambition to Curious to discover more about a sharing more about the Anglo- improve your journey on the estate is series of mounds that she could see Saxons, the lives of those who went well underway. Our iconic Shire horses from her house, landowner Edith on to be buried at Sutton Hoo, as already have their new purpose-built Pretty appointed local archaeologist well as exploring their wider world Stables, allowing you and your family Basil Brown to investigate further. and culture. There’ll be new to get closer to these gentle giants. Little did both of them know at the Within the burial chamber of the 27 installations to discover and time, that this would lead to a metre long ‘ghost’ ship- the acidity of activities to take part in. discovery that changed history. the soil having rotted away its timbers- The £6.4 million project, funded by the archaeologists discovered precious The fi nal piece of the puzzle will be our members, donors and property objects of gold and silver as well as the a 17metre observation tower, late fundraising, will now see a brand new fragments of the now famous Sutton in the summer, which will give views entrance into the estate including a Hoo helmet. These objects were fi t for over the entire Royal Burial Ground, new visitor welcome building and car royalty and are thought to have revealing the fascinating story park as well as the restoration of belonged to King Rædwald who lived of this evocative landscape. Grade 1 listed parkland. The entire around 1400 years ago. project has been designed to help Make sure you keep an eye orientate you as visitors on your This year, we’ll be celebrating this on the Sutton Hoo website for journey, from start to fi nish. anniversary at Sutton Hoo, marking details about what you’ll be able the key moments in the dig and linking to see – and when. With work continuing throughout with the British Museum as together the summer, we are off ering sneak we mark a very important anniversary. previews of Wimpole’s future: www.nationaltrust.org. exploring snippets of the vital work Original photography from the National Trust collection, reproduced with thanks to the Pretty family uk/sutton-hoo we continue to do as part of the project around the estate. For more information, please visit: Conservation in action www.nationaltrust.org.uk/wimpole- estate/projects/welcome-to-wimpole Admit it, we are all a bit nosey. private, only to unveil the fruits of Island; improving the environmental The popularity of fl y on the wall their labour in the spring. But today conditions of the library at Blickling documentaries, such as Alan we care for our places in full view of Hall and repairing the roofs at Titchmarsh’s Secrets of the National our visitors. Oxburgh Hall and Ickworth. Trust, is proof that we all have an innate interest in people and their This year there is more conservation As well as feeding your curiosity, lives.