A Country Pub Life
Cozy day drinking is part of the English heritage
My mom was just in town for the last week and a half, which means we spent a fair bit of time in the pubs of Suffolk, from Ipswich and Woodbridge up to coast to Aldeburgh and Walberswick, both of which have several excellent old pubs to choose from. The pubs of Suffolk are a simple joy, and a truly communal experience. People really do talk to strangers, but if you don’t want to talk, you don’t have to — just choose a quiet corner or get out the book you’re reading and stick your nose in that, and you’ll be sending the message that you don’t feel like chatting and people will leave you be.
In the countryside of Suffolk, it seems one of every ten pubs references a swan in its name, and it’s easy to see why because swans are everywhere. The Henny Swan in Great Henny in Sudbury, the inland area of Suffolk north of Colchester, is often included on lists of the county’s best pubs and this is a deserved distinction. This cozy historic old pub is situated along the riverfront of the River Stour, with namesake swans never far from sight. It has a deck out over the river and an updated interior that maintains its historic charm. Inside are several fireplaces and a few cozy rooms from which to choose from to eat and drink in. You can also come to this pub by boat, or hire kayaks and canoes from the bar.
The Butt and Oyster is another classic Suffolk pub right on the River Orwell just ten minutes from Ipswich. With terracotta floors and rustic ambiance maintained throughout, this is the perfect day drinking pub. Choose a picnic table out by the River Orwell and discuss 1984. Or maybe don’t. It can be depressing to see how much of Orwell is reality in our world today, especially the post-covid world. See? I told you to leave out the 1984 talk. Instead, focus on the life of the river — still much used by fishermen and barges much like it was in the 19th century.
My two favorite pubs in Suffolk would have to be the Anchor in Woodbridge, which feels like the true center of this quaint but real Suffolk town. Sit on the front porch of the Anchor between 4:30 and 6pm and you’ll see the entire town out and about — on foot, in cars and bikes, and at the tables out front across from the old cinema, the train station, and the River Deben harbor. If you ever wanted to get to know a town quick, this is the way to do it. The Anchor is a fun pub, a used pub, a loved pub. It attracts all types, and all age groups, which always helps. The bartenders are funny and kind, and the food is delicious. The owners also own the Table, a great old pub transformed into an Asian street food restaurant with a lovely garden just a couple buildings up Quay Street toward the high street.
My other favorite is the Oyster Inn in tiny Butley, an agricultural village alongside the Rendlesham Forest just a ten minute drive (or hour long walk) from Woodbridge. It’s named the Oyster because the nearby Butley River has many oyster beds. The Oyster is housed in a grand, but cozy old 14th century Tudor affair, with low ceilings, creaky wooden floors, tinu windows, and big fireplaces shoring up each of the main two rooms of the pub. There’s also a patio in the back, beautifully lined with butterfly bushes, poppies, and flowering plants of all kinds. The two or three tables out front are great for watching the village go by, but sooner or later, you’ll want to tuck inside as candles and the fireplaces are lit. Find a book from the pub’s decent library or choose a game (they’ve got at least 30) from the stack by the back door near the bar. After our first drink kicks in, you’ll begin to feel a rare content — and a sense of history because so many others have done exactly what you’re doing here for hundreds of years in the same building. Just keep your drink of choice flowing, but go slow, and order some curry at some point. They do it well here, even though there are no Indians in the kitchen.
There’s something about these country pubs that makes my imagination soar. The coziness, the easy comradery, and the idea that these are true public houses that you can spend the entire day in if you want to. The fact that most of these publicans are preserving 13th to 15th century buildings and by doing so, preserving and enhancing the life of the villages around them makes them an almost honorable affair — a combination between a capitalist business concern and a community service. And all you have to do to support them is buy a pint of ale. I might just try to buy one. Don’t be surprised if I hit you up soon for a fundraiser.