Lavenham Holiday Cottages

Once a thriving Medieval wool town, Lavenham is famed for its beautifully preserved buildings, now home to an eclectic mix of galleries, shops, boutiques and some superb tearooms and restaurants. The perfect destination for a day out or longer stay...

To stay in Lavenham is to step back in time and immerse yourself in a day-to-day life that feels a world away from the stresses of modernity. Leave behind soulless supermarkets and buy a freshly baked loaf from the award-winning Sparling & Faiers bakery in the Market Place, or stroll along the High Street, where you will find an excellent butchers and East of England Co-op stocked with all manner of local produce.

Further up the High Street there is a charming ice cream parlour, and along the way you might want to dive into Munnings Tea Room at the Crooked House for a cream tea, or book yourself a treatment at Weavers’ House Spa.

Lavenham’s unique appeal is its array of beautifully preserved Medieval architecture, undoubtedly some of the finest you will find in England, ranging from quaint crooked cottages to grander timber-framed dwellings, many leaning at precarious angles. Some are private dwellings and holiday lets while others play host to a variety of independent businesses - art galleries, antique shops and clothes boutiques among them.

These ancient buildings (more than 300 in total) serve as a reminder of Lavenham’s prosperous past. Once a thriving Medieval wool town, Lavenham became famous for its blue broadcloth, which was produced here and exported during the reign of King Edward III. Many wealthy wool merchants settled in Lavenham and by 1524 it had become the 14th richest town in the country, paying more in tax than the likes of York and Lincoln.

Delve deeper into the village’s fascinating past by visiting the National Trust owned Guildhall of Corpus Christi, overlooking the Market Place. And take the chance to visit the magnificent church of St Peter and St Paul, a building of cathedral-like proportions which was financed by the 13th Earl of Oxford together with a number of wealthy cloth merchants.

Cottages in and around Lavenham