Why visit Beccles
Townapedia lists 23 museums and landmarks, 12 parks and trails, 49 places to eat, 1 place to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Beccles Public Hall and Theatre, Beccles and District Museum, All Saints and Castle Marshes.
Weather in Beccles
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Beccles
Beccles is a market town and civil parish in the East Suffolk district, in the county of Suffolk, England. The town is located along the A145 and A12 roads, situated 16 miles (26 km) south-east of Norwich and 33 miles (53 km) north-northeast of Ipswich. Nearby towns include Lowestoft to the east and Great Yarmouth to the north-east. The town lies on the River Waveney on the edge of The Broads National Park.
From the Wikipedia article Beccles (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks23
11 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds12
North Cove Nature Reserve
Park · 3.0 mi
Suffolk Wildlife Trust nature reserve
Restaurants and cafes49
Oak Fired at Royal Oak
Bar and pub · Pizza
35 Ravensmere, Beccles
Tu-We 17:00-21:00; Th 17:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 12:00-14:00, 17:00-22:00
Costa
Cafe · Coffee Shop
George Westwood Way, Beccles
Mo-Fr 07:30-18:00; Sa 09:00-17:00; Su 09:30-15:30
The Swan Motel
Bar and pub · 0.9 mi
Loddon Road, Beccles
Mo-Th 11:00-23:30; Fr-Sa 11:00-00:30; Su 12:00-23:30
The Galley
Cafe · Coffee Shop
37 Smallgate, Beccles
Mo-Sa 09:30-17:00; Su off
The Kings Head Hotel
Bar and pub
4-6 New Market, Beccles
Mo,Tu,We,Th,Su 07:00-24:00; Fr,Sa 07:00-25:00
Rao's
Ice cream
Milkshake and dessert parlour with Dairy free, vegan and gluten free options. Thick shakes, Waffles, hot cookie dough, pancakes, ice...
2 Northgate, Beccles
Mo-Th 10:00-17:00; Fr-Sa 10:00-18:00; Su 10:00-17:00
Spindler's
Cafe · Regional, Breakfast, Cake, Coffee, Pancake, Burger
12-14 Hungate, Beccles
Mo 08:00-16:30; Tu off; We-Sa 08:00-16:30; Su 09:00-15:00
What a Brew-Tea
Cafe · Coffee Shop, Cake, Sandwich, Breakfast, Tea, Lunch
4 The Walk, Beccles
Mo off; Tu-Sa 09:00-16:00; Su 09:00-12:00
37 more on the map.
History
The place-name 'Beccles' is first attested in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'Becles', located in the ancient hundred of Wangford. It appears as 'Beacles' circa 1095 in a document from Bury St Edmunds Abbey, and as 'Beclis' in 1157 and 'Becclis' in 1158 in the Pipe Rolls. The name is probably from the Old English bec-laes meaning 'pasture on the stream', cognate with the German word Bach meaning 'stream', and the English word lea meaning 'meadow'.
Once a flourishing Anglian riverport, Beccles lies in the Waveney valley and is a popular boating centre.
The town was first granted its Charter on 2 July 1584 by Elizabeth I, under the name of the Corporation of Beccles Fen. This was subsequently confirmed by James I on 19 May 1605.
John Leman (died 1632) was a tradesman from Beccles who became Lord Mayor of London.
Read more of the history
Long associated with Beccles (including recent mayors) is the Peck family. Among those Pecks who have made a place in history is the Rev. Robert Peck, described by Blomfield in his history of Norfolk as a man with a 'violent schismatic spirit' who led a movement within the church of St Andrew's in nearby Hingham, Norfolk, in opposition to the established Anglicanism of the day. The Puritan Peck was eventually forced to flee to Hingham, Massachusetts, founded by many members of his parish, where he resided for several years, until King Charles I had been executed and Oliver Cromwell had taken the reins of government. Robert Peck then elected to return to Hingham, Norfolk, and resumed as rector of St Andrew's Church. He died in Hingham but left descendants in America, including his brother Joseph Peck, who settled in Rehoboth, Massachusetts. Robert's daughter Ann Peck (16 November 1619 – 30 June 1672) also remained in Massachusetts, and married John Mason, who led colonial forces in the Pequot War.
In 1794, French émigré François-René de Chateaubriand worked in Beccles as a French teacher. While there, he fell in love with Charlotte Ives, daughter of a clergyman who lived in nearby Bungay.
Under the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 the borough was reformed. It became part of the administrative county of East Suffolk in 1889. The district contained the parish of Beccles. On 1 April 1974 the district and parish were abolished and became part of Waveney district in the non-metropolitan county of Suffolk. A successor parish was formed covering the same area as the former district and its parish. The successor civil parish has adopted town status.
From the History section of Beccles on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
More about Beccles
Education
Beccles is served by Sir John Leman High School (age 11–18) and SET Beccles School (11–16) for secondary education, both of which admit children from the town and the surrounding area, including from primary schools in Norfolk. Until 2012 a middle school system operated in the town, with most children moving to middle school at age 9 and on to high school at age 13. The Sir John Leman High School dates from 1632 when it was established in the town after the death of John Leman. It was a grammar school between 1914 and 1971.
Three primary schools operate in Beccles providing education from age 5 to 11: Beccles Primary Academy (formerly Crowfoot Primary School); St Benet's Catholic Primary School; and The Albert Pye School which is federated with Ravensmere Infants School (5–8). Children from the town also attend primary school in Worlingham as well as surrounding villages.
From the Wikipedia article Beccles, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Notable people from Beccles
Grantly Dick-ReadBritish obstetrician (1890–1959)Photo: Edwardx, CC BY-SA 4.0
Fred CopemanBritish soldierPhoto: Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain
Joseph Arnoldnaval surgeon and naturalist (1782–1818)Photo: Unknown author, CC BY 4.0
Lorina BulwerBritish artist (1838–1912)Photo: Lorina Bulwel, Public domain
William Aldis WrightEnglish Bible and literary scholar (1831–1914)Photo: Walter William Ouless, Public domain
Sir Robert Rich, 4th BaronetBritish cavalry officerPhoto: William Aikman, Public domain- Chris Martinassociation football player (born 1988)
- Tim BuckCanadian politician (1891-1973)
- Percy SmithNew Zealand surveyor and ethnologist (1840–1922)
- Mary GrimstoneBritish writer and social reformer (1796-1869)
- Hester BurtonEnglish children's writer (1913-2000)
- Charles DenningtonEnglish footballer (1899-1943)
Born in Beccles, according to Wikidata (CC0). Each name links to its Wikipedia article.
Where to stay1
Churches and places of worship13
Shopping25
Gas and EV charging2
Schools, colleges and libraries9
Gillingham St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy
School · Anglican · 1.3 mi
The Boundaries, Beccles
Worlingham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School
School · Anglican · 1.5 mi
Garden Lane, Beccles
Healthcare5
Beccles and District War Memorial Hospital
Hospital · 0.4 mi
Saint Mary's Road, Beccles
Map of Beccles
140 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
Norwich Airport (NWI) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 19 miles away.
- Norwich 16 mi northwest, about 26 min by car
- Diss 20 mi west, about 32 min by car
- North Walsham 26 mi north, about 42 min by car
- Woodbridge 27 mi south, about 44 min by car
- Stowmarket 30 mi southwest, about 49 min by car
- East Dereham 31 mi northwest, about 49 min by car
- Ipswich 33 mi southwest, about 52 min by car
- Thetford 34 mi west, about 55 min by car
- Felixstowe 35 mi south, about 57 min by car
- Harwich 38 mi south, about 1 h by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Towns near Beccles
_-_Field_Marshal_Sir_Robert_Rich_(1685%E2%80%931768),_4th_Bt_-_355567_-_National_Trust.jpg){kind=link}
Keep exploring
Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- Mapillary (see each image): photos
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Castle Marshes 3, Dudley Miles, CC BY-SA 4.0
- North Cove 4, Dudley Miles, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Ellough - Church of All Saints, Adrian Cable, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Becclesbeltower, Dr Neil Clifton, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Beccles - Leman House, Tim Heaton, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Street-level photo, smsm1, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, smsm1, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, markdatoo, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, smsm1, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, adam2, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, smsm1, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, smsm1, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, adam2, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, adam2, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, smsm1, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, smsm1, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, smsm1, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, smsm1, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, smsm1, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, adam2, CC BY-SA 4.0
Page built November 10, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.