Sudbury is often referred to as “the perfect market town” combining a most attractive
environment, good shopping and excellent amenities, plus the opportunity to enjoy
a vibrant social life.

Many high street names and small specialist shops are to be found in the old listed buildings clustered around Market Hill. The popular twice weekly market, held on Tuesdays and Saturdays, is around eight minutes walk away, as is the Waitrose food store. A Farmers’ Market is held monthly. In addition to the excellent range of smaller shops in the town centre, there are a number of superstores on the outskirts of the town.

Enjoy a meal at one of the many fine restaurants and bistros or a drink in a contemporary bar or traditional pub. Stroll through picturesque Belle Vue Park, which is just a short walk from the town centre, or for a more relaxing way to while away the hours, take a picnic and watch the rowing boats on the banks of the River Stour.

Situated in a loop of the River Stour, this is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty that
has long attracted artists such as Gainsborough and Constable. Thomas Gainsborough
was in fact born in the town and there is now a museum, art gallery and education centre dedicated to him. The celebrated artist Mark Catesby, born in 1682, grew up in Sudbury and later, having travelled to the American Colonies where he studied the flora and fauna, became renowned for his superb detailed studies of birds and plants.

Around Sudbury itself, there are many areas of open space and miles of traffic free paths for walking and cycling. Nearby Friars Meadow is popular with walkers and anglers and is a haven for wetland flora and fauna. The town’s water meadows were recorded as long ago as the Domesday Survey of 1086. Also of interest are the historical towns of Long Melford and Lavenham, both of which are just a short drive away.

The area offers a good choice of leisure facilities, particularly at Quay Lane just a short walk from Catesby Meadow. Here you will find the picturesque cricket ground, rowing club, bowling green and tennis courts. At the end of the lane is the Quay Theatre which offers a year round programme of music, dance, film and drama. Sudbury offers a huge array of clubs and organisations including a symphony orchestra, choral society and national award-winning amateur dramatic society. Sports enthusiasts are well catered for with a top flight amateur football club, rugby club, the Kingfisher Leisure Centre with swimming pool and flume, ten pin bowling and golf course at nearby Newton Green.

There are schools for children of all ages including playgroups, nursery schools, primary and middle schools and Sudbury Upper School. A Church of England primary school is within a few hundred yards of Catesby Meadow. Further Education Colleges can be found at Ipswich, Colchester, Bury St Edmunds and of course the historic University City of Cambridge.

Catesby Meadow is also well placed for travel. A cross country drive takes you to Ipswich and the A12, with a direct route into London, the A120 to Stansted Airport and the M25. Colchester is approximately 16 miles away, with Bury St Edmunds around 17 miles and Cambridge just over 45 miles. For rail users, the local train service from Sudbury Station connects to the main Norwich to Liverpool Street line, offering a regular service to London with a journey time of around 85 minutes.