2 Best Sights in Woodbridge, East Anglia

In 1938, at the Tranmer House estate, a local archaeologist excavated a series of earth mounds and discovered a 7th-century burial ship, probably that of King Raedwald of East Anglia. A complete replica of the 90-foot-long ship stands in the visitor center, which has artifacts and displays about Anglo-Saxon society. Nothing can quite make up for the fact that the best finds from one of Britain's most significant archaeological sites have been moved to the British Museum in London, but it is, nonetheless, all quite fascinating. Trails around the 245-acre site explore the area along the River Deben.

From the outside, this moated castle looks much as it would have in the 12th century. Upon entering, however, you'll notice that the keep is missing. In addition, although it still has 13 towers along the curtain wall, most of the chimneys along the same wall are Tudor additions meant to give the impression to passersby that this was a great mansion. Today Framlingham is a peaceful place, except in summer, when it's an occasional venue for open-air concerts.

The castle gradually fell into disrepair in the mid-1500s but not before it played its part in a pivotal moment in English history. After the death of Edward VI (Henry VIII's 15 year-old son), a succession crisis ensued, as, for the first time in English history, the only heirs to the throne were women. This sparked a battle between Mary (Edward's Catholic older sister) and Jane Grey, her teenage cousin, who was declared Queen by Protestant lords hoping to stage a coup. Mary, who was hopelessly outnumbered, fortified herself at Framlingham. Within just nine days she had rallied the great lords and ordinary folk alike to her cause, won the war, and taken back the crown.