Dedham Vale - 4 Things to Know Before Visiting

Bridge Cottage is a 16th-century thatched cottage in Flatford. It was constructed as a single dwelling around a timber frame and the gaps between the frame were filled with daub and wattle, a mixture of twigs covered by a plaster made out of mud, straw and animal dung. The cottage is located just upstream from Flatford Mill which, along with neighbouring Valley Farm and Willy Lott's Cottage, are leased to the Field Studies Council; a group uses them as locations for arts-based courses.

FSC Flatford Mill is the first and original field study centre set up in the UK during the 1940’s. It is the Centre for Constable Country, set amidst the quintessentially English countryside of the Dedham Vale in Suffolk and sits on the banks of the River Stour. Flatford Mill runs residential field study visits for school students and provides a very wide range of natural history and art courses.

Willy Lott's House is a Grade 1, listed building. Willy Lott was a tenant farmer who worked the 39 acres around Flatford that made up Gibbeon's Gate Farm. He lived in a house attached to the farmland, which long after his death, became known as Willy Lott's House. Willy Lott's parents lived in this house, Willy and his sisters and brothers were born there.

Colchester Castle Park is situated to the northeast of Colchester Town Centre and is divided into the Upper Park and Lower Park by the Roman Wall that crosses through it east to west. The park not only encompasses much of Colchester's rich heritage within its boundaries but is much loved and used as a part of present-day life. the park includes historical sites including the Roman Wall, Victorian Bandstand, and the Castle itself. Hollytrees Museum sits within its grounds and tells a social histo

Hollytrees Museum is located in the beautiful grounds of Castle Park. This attractive Georgian town house, dating from 1718 houses the town's social history museum, showcasing three centuries of fascinating toys, costume, clocks and decorative arts. This Museum provides a great insight to how life in Colchester has evolved since the house was built.

Colchester Castle is one of England's most important heritage sites and is the largest Norman Keep in Europe. The keep of the castle is mostly intact and is the largest example of its kind anywhere in Europe, due to its being built on the foundations of the Roman Temple of Claudius, Colchester. The museum now houses a wonderful museum containing a wealth of history. There is plenty for visitors young and old including interactive exhibits.