Eye, the showstopper Suffolk market town that locals have been keeping secret

Hidden among the green fields and lanes of northern Suffolk, the town of Eye is a showstopper. Its curving streets are crammed with medieval timber-framed houses, as well as Georgian and Victorian buildings in shades of mustard, rose and cream. And watching over everything are two erstwhile centres of power: Eye Castle and the Church of St Peter and St Paul.

Taking its name from the Old English word for island, the town is elevated on land above marsh and has been shaped by the motte-and-bailey castle’s huge grounds, with handsome Church Street and Castle Street curling around the elliptical bailey.

The castle itself, built between 1066 and 1071 by William Malet, wingman to William the Conqueror, can be reached via Castle Hill – if the gate is locked, you can pick up a key from pink Fen House, diagonally opposite. Check out the remaining original curtain wall of the inner bailey and climb to the Victorian-built folly keep for 360-degree views of the town.

Dominating the eastern end of Eye is the church, dating from the 14th century, with eye-catching flint-and-stone flushwork and a 31 metre-high tower. Sir Ninian Comper, Scottish gothic revival architect, designed the dazzling pinnacled font cover and partially rebuilt the jewel in the crown: a 15th-century rood screen with royal and holy figures painted in gold leaf, crimson and blue.

Next door, the beautiful timbered and jettied Guildhall is now a private home, but you can admire a depiction of the Angel Gabriel on an angle-post, plus its ornately carved oriel window.

In the heart of the town is the Bank Arts Centre, a non-profit community creative hub, busy all year with music, art, performances and history talks, plus some of the cheapest creative workshops in the country (open Wed-Sat 10.30am-3.30pm). And a half-mile walk from town stands Abbey Hall, an arts centre whose rolling programme includes ballet, theatre and craft fairs.

This weekend, more than a dozen gardens and allotments will welcome visitors for Eye Open Gardens, with an exhibition and market stalls at the town hall. And “literary fringe” event Foreword Festival takes place from 19-21 June, with a line-up of writers including John Hegley and Ashley Hickson-Lovence.

The Eye Love campaign launched late last year to encourage visitors to the town, but Eye has long drawn admirers, with architectural historian Sir Nikolaus Pevsner writing that it merited a “perambulation”. You can walk the historic streets with the self-guided Eye Town Trail, available to download from eyesuffolk.org.

Quick guide

• Nearest station: Eye is 4.2 miles south of Diss station, served by Greater Anglia trains from London Liverpool Street to Norwich. Simonds’ bus no 72 runs once daily from the rail station to Eye.

• Transport: Bus 112 runs from Waveney Road, Diss to Eye several times a day from Monday to Saturday. Green Car Taxis can take you from Diss station to Eye for £15.
• Stay: The gorgeous Chamomile Cottage is a timber-framed B&B with hearty breakfasts. The Grade II listed The Oaksmere, is five minutes drive away and has a pub and restaurant.
• Eat: Cocoa Mama, Caféye, The Bank Arts Centre, Forge Café, The Orangery Restaurant at the Oaksmere
• Drink: The Queen’s Head, Bar 14
• Shop: Dream On, Green Door, English & Continental Antiques, Studio 37, The Handyman, Beards Deli
• Visit: Eye Castle, Church of St Peter and St Paul, Guildhall, Eye Open Gardens, Eye Town Trail, The Eye Circular, Thornham Estate, Mid Suffolk Grazing Walk
• More: eyesuffolk.org.

The best place to stay

Tucked down a lane, 15 minutes’ walk from the town centre, Chamomile Cottage is a gorgeous timber-framed 17th-century building with two bedrooms and a hearty breakfasts featuring East Anglian sausages and bacon. B&B doubles from £110; small, well-behaved dogs are welcome.

The Oaksmere, a Grade II listedcountry house with a Tudor core and Victorian extension, is a five-minute drive north of Eye. Set in lovely gardens, it’s home to a classic pub plus The Orangery Restaurant. There are 14 rooms (including one accessible); those in the Tudor wing have low ceilings with exposed beams. B&B doubles from £139; ground floor rooms with private terraces are dog-friendly.

The best places to shop

Dream On sells beautiful women’s clothes and accessories, with all profits going to the Blossom Charity, which offers makeovers to people recovering from cancer. Find antiques, collectibles and second-hand books at family-run Green Door, fine furniture at English & Continental Antiques, and the work of Suffolk artists and ceramicists at small-but-colourful Studio 37. The Handyman is a wonderful old-fashioned hardware store, and over at Beards Deli, you won’t want to swerve the ample cheese counter.

The best cafés

Cocoa Mama is a chocolatier selling artisanal bonbons made on site from South American cocoa and serving divine hot chocolate in the courtyard café and small barn. Caféye in the market square is a lovely spot for grilled halloumi and flatbread or a panini made with Turkish sujuk sausage and cheese. Find delicious pies, soups and jacket potatoes for lunch, along with coffees and cake, at The Bank Arts Centre.

The best places for an evening drink

At one time Eye had 14 pubs, five beer houses and two breweries, but the last pub standing is The Queen’s Head, a quirky timber-framed place with a roaring fire in cold weather and a separate games room with a pool table. At Bar 14, above Caféye, Turkish mixologist Cem has created an inviting space to taste his delicious cocktails (try the passionfruit daiquiri).

The best place for dinner

The Orangery Restaurant at the Oaksmere has tables overlooking the lawn and a menu featuring top-quality local and regional produce, like Blythburgh pork and Gressingham duck. The tapas are winning, and fans of pub grub will love the steak and Guinness pie or beer battered cod fillet.

The best summer walks

The Eye Circular is an easy four-mile ramble, crossing the River Dove, west of town, passing Abbey Hall and farmland. Looking to stretch your legs farther? Try one of the 12 walks around the Thornham Estate, four miles south-west of town; the on-site Forge Café is open Wed-Sun. Take the Mid Suffolk Grazing Walk map with you for tips on other foodie stops.

Three things you might not know about eye…

1) On Lambseth Street, a snaking “crinkle-crankle” wall conceals Chandos Lodge, formerly home to Sir Frederick Ashton, one-time director of the Royal Ballet.

2) The town’s business park is partially built on the site of a US Army Air Force Station, where the 490th Bombardment Group was stationed during the Second World War. A memorial to the 490th sits on Progress Way, while the nearby Red Feather Club is home to the 95th Bomb Group Heritage Association, known for its jitterbug nights.

3) The 17th-century Linden House was once home to sisters Mary and Margaret Thompson, who fought for women’s suffrage in the early 20th century.