Is Lavenham Worth Visiting?

Who knew such a small village in England could be so fascinating!?!?

While just recently becoming popular, one might be surprised to know that Lavenham was a happening place to be back in the 15th and 16th centuries. Lavenham was very wealthy and known for its wool trade, as it produced the desirable blue broadcloth. By the 15th century, Lavenham became one of the wealthiest towns in Britain. This small town even paid more in taxes compared to major towns like York. Lavenham was a place for the wealthy to flaunt their money. They constructed their extravagant St Peter and St Paul church with its 141 foot tower along with a row of beautiful timber framed open hall houses.

While King Henry VIII was on the throne, he raised taxes to help cover the finances for the war with France. Lavenham resisted these high taxes and created an uprising of more than 10,000 men to spread into the nearby districts of Cambridgeshire and Essex. However, the Dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk suppressed their actions. During this time, Dutch and Italian refugees were moving to nearby towns and villages. These refugees were creating their own wool as well as cottons and silks. They were going for cheaper rates than Lavenham’s, so they were producing more business than their competitor. These more reasonable offerings were becoming more fashionable during their time, and Lavenham was not able to keep up. Eventually, Lavenham no longer prospered as they once had.

For the next couple hundred years, Lavenham became impoverished. The homes began to house larger families who did not have as much wealth as the previous owners. Neglect and severe poverty is actually the reason why so many of these buildings are preserved, hence why some of them look wonky in appearance.

Lavenham has been featured in many films and television, such as The Thirteen Chairs, The Canterbury Tales, and Playing Away. More famously, the image above is the famous Godric’s Hollow from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1.

People come from near and far to travel to Lavenham and see its unique charm. You can take a walk around the town, enjoy its many cafes, restaurants, and pubs, or casually stroll around its quaint gift shops. Lavenham is definetely a place you will not want to miss.