The History of Halesworth

The earliest evidence of human settlement in the area dates back of 5,000 years. In more recent times a Roman settlement was established here.

The mid 18th century saw the River Blyth being made navigable to this point, which was the starting point for the brewing and malting industries fuelling an economic boom in the town. The number of breweries in the town rose to a maximum of 9 in the brewing heyday. An interesting 1799 banknote issued by the Suffolk and Halesworth Bank confirms the economic stability and independence of the town in the 18th century.

During the early part of the 19th century the well known scientist Sir William Hooker travelled the world in the course of his botanical investigations but made his home in Halesworth, where he is buried.

In the mid 19th century the railway arrived to Halesworth and just over 30 years later one of the UK's few movable platforms was introduced, an innovation which still attracts the interest of travellers today.

In 1862 the town's only recorded murder led to the criminal being the last recipient of capital punishment in Suffolk.

Not far from the town is Halesworth Air Field, which was an allied Second World War base in 1943/4. During this war Halesworth was a key objective of enemy bombing raids and Patrick Stead hospital was called into action as an emergency treatment zone, just as it as was in WWI. In 1943 Glenn Miller played a concert here to a large concentration of US pilots and crews.