To most first-time visitors, the Suffolk coast seems a sleepy kind of place. Cut off by a lack of main roads (either refreshing or frustrating, depending on your perspective), its Constable landscapes remain largely unchanged, its coastal towns and villages yielding to a bygone idyll of rowing boats (Thorpeness), faded Victorian architecture (Aldeburgh) and wind-whipped walks and crabbing (Walberswick). It seems peculiar that an area such as this, so obviously ripe for swooning urbanites, has so few decent places to stay – other than full holiday houses or chintzy B&Bs.
But beyond the old-fashioned facade is a bubbling undercurrent of modernity and progressive ideas. You can see it in Yoxford’s new Rowe & Williams art gallery and in HighTide, an “adventurous” festival in Aldeburgh showcasing new plays. And you can find it at Five Acre Barn, a remarkable new place to stay, hidden behind trees and a sea of wildflowers just a few miles from the coast, outside the town of Leiston.
When Bruce and David arrived from Peckham a couple of years ago, the barn was hidden by a wall of conifers and marred by a 1970s extension. They soon got rid of those and, with architects Blee Halligan (of C4’s The House That £100K Built), created a bold, zigzag-roofed, cedar-shingled building that now houses five bedrooms, with a huge shared living and dining area in the old barn. It’s strikingly beautiful from the outside, I think, as they welcome us with scones and tea out on the deck (a covetable black-painted thing that probably didn’t come from B&Q). As their dog Ruby bounds about and we discuss the merits of Mary Berry’s scone recipes, it could hardly be more bucolic.
But inside all is modern, almost spartan. “If people want ‘Ye Olde Suffolk’, there are plenty of places they can go,” says David. “We wanted to do something contemporary.” And contemporary it is, with plywood walls, polished concrete floors and soaring white ceilings. For the price, it’s surprising to get a room that’s so big – an airy living area downstairs, with beds on a mezzanine upstairs and really spacious bathrooms (no baths, though), kitted out with Bramley products (all British, all natural). Room 5 is the star, for its huge open-plan layout and gorgeous views over David’s lovely prairie-style planting.
Those who like mid-century furniture are in for a treat. There’s Ercol everywhere, much of it rescued and reupholstered by David. Though there’s not much else in the way of adornment, the couple’s careful consideration is evident in what there is – local art, pleasing selections of pottery and knick-knacks on carefully curated shelves. You would worry about the kids putting their mucky hands on things, but they can’t come here until they’re 12, though dogs are welcome.
Necessities are as beautiful as they are practical – wood-handled kettles and shiny, copper coat hangers. My only gripe is the safety firelight, which bathes the room in a green glow by night. Bring an eye mask if you need total darkness. Apart from that, the place feels both personal, perhaps because David and Bruce did so much of the work (including plastering and plumbing) themselves, and soothingly anonymous. It’s easy to lose an hour just listening to the swishing breeze, or staring at the clouds from the bed.
Breakfast, by contrast, is a convivial affair, with guests chatting around a chunky communal table, while Bruce whips up poached eggs and regales us with stories of his time in the navy. We share suggestions about things to do – doughnuts at the famous Pump Street Bakery, checking out the boats and art at nearby Snape Maltings, mooching along the shingle at Aldeburgh, or dining at the pub up the road in Thorpeness. This latter, mock-Tudor village must have seemed visionary in its time, though is now, much like I hope Five Acre Barn becomes, another much-loved place to visit among this eccentric and creative area’s many charms.
• Accommodation was provided by Five Acre Barn (doubles from £100 B&B, 07788 424 642, fiveacrebarn.co.uk)
Ask a local
James Jenkins, tweed weaver, Mabel & Co
• See
In Yoxford, Rowe & Williams is an amazing contemporary gallery run by Matthew Rowe (formerly at Tate St Ives) and Hilary Williams (from the Crafts Council). It features local artists and makers.
• Walk
One of the most desolate spots in East Anglia, Orford Ness nature reserve used to be a nuclear test site but it’s now one of the quietest places you could ever experience.
• Eat
It’s worth searching out Maple Farm in Kelsale, owned by William Kendall, the founder of Green & Black’s. It’s in the middle of nowhere but sells fantastic organic fruit and veg.
