Stowmarket, a Small Market Town Along the River Gipping in the English County of Suffolk
The small market town of Stowmarket lies along the River Gipping in Suffolk, England. The River Gipping meets its feeder River Rat in the south of the town. It lies on the A14 trunk road between Ipswich to the south-east and Bury St Edmund to the west and is on the main railway line between Norwich and London. IT is the largest town in the district of Mid Suffolk and is expected to grow larger, population wise, as a result of the planned development for the town and the surrounding villages.
Food, Shopping and Accommodation in Stowmarket
Stowmarket is not exactly a shopping hub, but it has a department store, a clothing store, an Asda superstore, a gift shop and several other independent shops. It also supports forty-two eating and drinking establishments - restaurants, cafes, pubs, inns; and two hotels eight B&Bs/inns and a converted farmhouse and a holiday park as speciality accommodations. It has a charter for a market granted by Edward III in 1347 and up to the present time a market is held every Thursday and Saturday.
Things to See and Do in Stowmarket
One of the most impressive buildings in Stowmarket is the ornately decorated church of St Peter and St Mary which was built in the 14th Century. Then there is the register office and the town council offices which used to be the former vicarage built in the 16th century which is associated to John Milton. Another notable structure in this town is the Haughley House and Park, a house built around 1620 and has historical significance. The Museum of East Anglian Life located near the town centre is also a pace of interest in this town.
Festivals and carnivals are also reasons why people come to this town. The Stwo-Fest music festival is an annual live open-air musical event held in Chilton Fields in the northern part of the town. There is also an annual carnival that has taken place for more than 50 years already. It features, fireworks, fun fair, local entertainment and a procession around town. Another festival is the Stowblues festival which the town has hosted in partnership with BBC Radio Suffolk since 2010.