Accessible route to the Royal Burial Ground (orange circular walk)
This hauntingly beautiful estate, with far-reaching views over the River Deben, is home to one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of all time. Walk around the Royal Burial Ground and discover the incredible story of the ship burial of an Anglo-Saxon king and his treasured possessions.
Suitable for active families. Suitable for buggies and wheelchairs to edge of the Royal Burial Ground.
Map
Start:
Sutton Hoo reception and car park, grid ref: TM290493
1
After arranging your admission, walk through the courtyard and head towards Tranmer House, following the signposts to the Royal Burial Ground/Tranmer House.
2
When you arrive at the front of Tranmer House walk round to the right hand side of the building. From here take the path with the inset stone “Walk in the footsteps of Anglo-Saxon Royalty”. Head through the metal gate. Where the path divides take the left route which takes you near to the Gar Seat.
3
Pause at the circular benches and admire the view over Rabbit Field and the Deben River valley on your right.
Deben Valley and Rabbit Field
Just ahead of you, you'll come across the Deben valley on your right. This old river valley is known as the Rabbit Field, as its been home to rabbits for many years. They ransacked a lot of the burial mounds before Basil Brown (at that time employed at Ipswich Museum) arrived in 1938, at the request of Mrs Edith Pretty, to excavate the mounds on her property at Sutton Hoo. Mrs Pretty agreed to pay him at his usual weekly rate at the museum of £1.12.6d.
4
Continue through the woods until you reach a gate. Go through the gate and cross the sandy track to the opposite side (beware of any passing farm vehicles), and through another gate. Please ensure you close the gate behind you.
5
You are now in the Royal Burial Ground. The burial mounds themselves are roped off to protect them from being eroded by footsteps. You can walk around the roped off perimeter to your left and exit through the gate at the far end to explore the viewing tower.
Anglo-Saxon Burial Mounds
Mound 1 was excavated in the early summer of 1939, initially by Basil Brown from the Ipswich Museum. He uncovered the remains of a 90ft-long, clinker-built wooden ship of the seventh century, outlined by its iron rivets in the sand. Further excavations in the following years up to 1971 led the excavators to believe that this was the burial site of Rædwald, leader of the Wuffing dynasty of the East Angles, dating to c.625 AD.
6
The viewing tower offers an elevated perspective of the Royal Burial Ground to give a better understanding of the landscape context of the site. The first level is accessible, accessed via a ramp, and gives a commanding perspective over the top of Mound 1 which contained the Great Ship Burial. Interpretation panels give detail of the different mounds, if they have been excavated, and what they contained. There are 81 steps to the top of the tower.
7
Carefully cross back over the sandy track, through the gate, and head back towards the courtyard or rest for a while at the Gar Seat and enjoy views across Rabbit Field.
Gar Seat
Look out for the Gar seat before the end of the walk. Cleverly crafted to link in with Sutton Hoo's history, the carvings on the seat echo the beautiful Anglo-Saxon designs found in the Great Ship Burial.
End:
Sutton Hoo reception and car park, grid ref: TM290493
