Cream Of The Country: Framlingham

This pretty Suffolk town has a patchwork of architecture to suit all tastes

The picturesque East Suffolk town of Framlingham is steeped in history. Records of a settlement here go back to Anglo-Saxon times; it was a regular haunt of William the Conqueror, it warranted a lengthy entry in the Domesday Book, and Mary Tudor twice lodged at its castle.

The picturesque East Suffolk town of Framlingham is steeped in history. Records of a settlement here go back to Anglo-Saxon times; it was a regular haunt of William the Conqueror, it warranted a lengthy entry in the Domesday Book, and Mary Tudor twice lodged at its castle.

It is a vibrant town with a population of 3,000, regularly swollen by visitors from its 15 or so outlying villages. The centre is a conservation area at whose hub is Market Hill - setting for a bustling market held here since medieval times.

The town has three top-ranking schools: Sir Robert Hitcham's primary and Thomas Mill High School in the state sector, and Framlingham College public school. Trains from nearby Campsey Ash connect with services from Ipswich to London, and the airports at Norwich and Stanstead are within easy reach.

The town is surrounded by glorious countryside. The River Ore runs through the town centre, while four miles to the south is the picturesque village of Cretingham, on the upper reaches of the River Deben.

Framlingham is a 15-mile drive from a superb stretch of coastline. There is the popular sailing resort of Aldeburgh - former home of composer Benjamin Britten, whose legacy is celebrated at the nearby village of Snape Maltings every June with a music festival.

Then there is the 1930s spa town of Thorpeness, with its converted water tower, known locally as "the house in the clouds", as well as the charming village of Dunwich, half-submerged in the sea and home to the wildfowl of the Minsmere Bird Sanctuary. There is Southwold with its pier and fleets of old-fashioned fishing boats, and there are the magnificent sandy beaches of Walberswick.

Framlingham's architecture is a dazzling patchwork of styles. The 12th-century castle is built from five different kinds of stone and has been added to and recycled extensively. The Crown Hotel, on Market Hill, is a former coaching inn whose 18th-century facade masks a Tudor interior. The half-timbering of the cottages lining Queens Head Alley dates from the 15th-century. The stylish Double Street area has rows of stubby, 16th-century cottages commanding fine views of the castle, and elegant Regency town houses.

Framlingham has become an increasingly popular place to buy. "Property prices have doubled since 1997," reports Michael Simpson, of estate agent Clarke and Simpson. "We are only an hour-and-a-half away from London and, in spite of price rises, Framlingham still represents extremely good value for money."

Fact box

Cost of living: one-bed house from £100,000; two-bed house from £150,000; three-bed from £200,000; four-bed from £340,000; and five-bed from £500,000.

Attractions: Framlingham Castle; market on Tuesdays and Saturdays; bowling green; good schools; low crime rate; local sports club with tennis courts and football; live music and comedy at the Crown Hotel; Airfield Museum at Parham; Shawsgate Vineyard.

How to get there: Trains from Campsey Ash eight miles away connect with services from Ipswich to London Liverpool Street.

Framlingham's USP: Architectural diversity and widechoice of period properties.