Suffolk

Accessible route to the Royal Burial Ground, Sutton Hoo

The sun rises behind a clump of trees beyond the Royal Burial Ground, a grass-covered mound surrounded by a field of long grass, at Sutton Hoo, Suffolk — Sunrise over the Royal Burial Ground at Sutton Hoo, Suffolk | © Justin Minns

This hauntingly beautiful estate, with far-reaching views over the River Deben, is home to one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of all time. Explore around the Royal Burial Ground and discover the incredible story of the ship burial of an Anglo-Saxon king and his treasured possessions.

Near to

Sutton Hoo

Start point

Sutton Hoo reception and car park, grid ref: TM290493

Trail information

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Difficulty*

Accessibility**

Full trail

DistanceMiles: 0.5 (km: 0.8)

Duration 20 mins

Dog friendly***

*Public footpaths and woodland paths. For further details, please see Terrain section.
**Suitable for active families. Suitable for buggies and wheelchairs to edge of the Royal Burial Ground. For further details, please see section marked Access.
***Dogs welcome on leads. For further details, please see section marked Facilities.

Remember your membership card

You'll need access to Sutton Hoo to enjoy this walk so you should either bring a National Trust membership card or pay for entry. Why not make the most of the your visit by visiting the Sutton Hoo exhibition?

Designated parking
Mobility parking in main car park.
Seating available
Gar Seat, see step 7.
Accessible route and/or map
Powered mobility vehicle
Personal mobility vehicles and wheelchairs available for free hire. Please book in advance by emailing suttonhoo@nationaltrust.org.uk or calling 01394 389714. Please note that we have to follow cleaning guidelines so there will be a set reservation time. If you have not pre-booked we cannot guarantee that there will be one available on the day.
Total stages: 7
Total stages: 7
Start point
Sutton Hoo reception and car park, grid ref: TM290493
Stage 1
From the visitor centre, walk through the courtyard and head towards Tranmer House, following the signposts to the Royal Burial Ground/Tranmer House.
Stage 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 marked 'Walk in the footsteps of Anglo-Saxon Royalty'. Head through the metal gate. Where the path divides, take the left route that takes you near to the Gar Seat.
Stage 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 it's 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 his usual weekly earnings at the museum: £1.12.6d.
Stage 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 gates behind you.
Stage 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 7th 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 from c. AD 625.
Sunset over the burial mounds at Sutton Hoo. Suffolk | © National Trust Images/Justin Minns
Stage 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, via a ramp, and gives a commanding perspective over the top of Mound 1, which contained the Great Ship Burial. Interpretation panels give details of the different mounds, whether they have been excavated, and what they contained. There are 81 steps to the top of the tower.
The viewing tower at Sutton Hoo, Suffolk, with a commanding view across the Royal Burial Ground. | © National Trust Images/James Dobson
Stage 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.
The intricately carved Gar Seat at Sutton Hoo, Suffolk | © Josh Ward
End point
Sutton Hoo reception and car park, Sutton Hoo, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP12 3DJ. Grid ref: TM290493.
Trail map
Sutton Hoo Royal Burial Ground accessible route map | © Crown copyright and database rights 2013 Ordnance Survey
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