Aldeburgh

Aldeburgh is a small coastal town and civil parish in the county of Suffolk, England. It sits on the North Sea coast at the mouth of the River Alde and forms part of the Suffolk Coast and Heaths area of outstanding natural beauty. The town developed as a fishing and coastal trading settlement in medieval times, and today its economy is shaped by tourism, fishing, and seafood processing.

Its landmark is the Moot Hall, a 16th-century building on the High Street that has long served as the town’s administrative and social hub. The town has a shingle beach, a working harbour, and a protected estuary that attract birdlife and visitors alike.

Aldeburgh is renowned for its musical heritage. The Aldeburgh Festival, a major classical music festival, was founded in 1948 by composer Benjamin Britten and tenor Peter Pears. The festival is closely associated with the nearby Snape Maltings concert complex, which hosts performances and education programs throughout the year and remains a focal point of the Britten legacy.

Today Aldeburgh remains a popular destination for visitors seeking coastal scenery, seafood, and a quiet historic town atmosphere. It is connected to the broader Suffolk coast by roads and a network of coastal paths and is part of the region’s heritage and natural environments.