The Swan at Lavenham

Lavenham’s crooked timber frames make ordinary travel prose feel underpowered, and The Swan sits among them like the town’s great set piece. Drivers usually arrive via the A134, A1141 or A1071, then crawl through narrow historic streets where pedestrians, parked cars and camera-bearing visitors set the pace. Parking is available for guests but should never be treated as limitless in high season; rail requires a taxi connection from Sudbury or Bury St Edmunds.