Quaint English market town with unusual sausage festival where you might spot a famous singer in the pub
A SMALL market town is home to a very famous celebrity – who you might spot at the pub.
Framlingham in Suffolk is mainly known for its huge 12th century castle, once home to Mary Tudor.
But it is also home to singer Ed Sheeran, who grew up in the town.
Having since moved back, he often frequents the town’s pub The Station where he was spotted with Taylor Swift back in 2013.
His time in Framlingham is even thought to have inspired his 2017 song Castle on the Hill.
The town is home to just over 4,000 people, although it was named one of the best places to live earlier this year.
Alexander McNab, at Savills Suffolk said: “There are some excellent restaurants – the Italian Watson and Walpole, which is in both the Michelin Guide and Good Food Guide, is one of my favourites and has perhaps the tastiest tiramisu I’ve ever had.”
If you want to visit the town’s main attraction Framlingham Castle yourself, the outside is free but will cost you to go in.
There are even knight tournaments on the grounds every year, as well as frequent tours.
One previous guests said it was an “enchanting step back in time” while others praised the staff.
It also lays claim to two unusual records – one being the town with the oldest functioning Post Office boxes in the UK (dating back to 1856).
It is also home to one of the smallest houses in Britain called the Check House, measuring just 2.21m x 6.1m on the ground floor.
Visit in October for the town’s annual sausage festival, where a trophy is given to the best sausage of the area.
Or every Tuesday and Saturday through the year is market day to pick up some food and drink.
Sadly there is no train station in town – while one opened in 1859, it closed back in 1952.
It is around 1hr30 to Cambridge by car, or 1hr14 to Norwich.
And if you want to stay in town you have just one choice – The Crown Hotel with a small number of cosy rooms.
If you want to explore more of Suffolk, it is also home to one of the UK’s best hotels – here’s what we thought when we visited.
Other pretty villages with famous locals
Baltonsborough, in Somerset, has a population of just 864 people.
However, film star Nicolas Cage currently lives there, buying a home in the village a decade ago.
Sonning often proves itself to be one of the most crowd-pleasing, with several A-list celebs choosing to making it their home.
Perhaps most famous among them is George Clooney, who bought a huge home there with his wife Amal in 2016.
Biddenden is often overlooked as a holiday destination in favour of coastal destinations like Margate, Whitstable and Folkestone.
TV presenter Denise van Outen and Coldplay drummer Will Champion have both lived in the Kent village.
Or the seaside town of Lowestoft is the first spot in the UK to see the sunrise every day,
We also stayed at The Swan in Lavenham – here’s our review.