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Today we decided to pay a visit to Snape Maltings – the collection of old Victorian granaries and malthouses near Aldeburgh, one of which Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears had converted into what is now a world-famous concert hall, opened by the Queen in 1967.

It is a huge site with most of the buildings, apart from the concert hall and various rehearsal spaces, being converted into shops, galleries and restaurants.

The River Alde meanders past and all sorts of craft can usually be seen along the heavily reeded banks.

We spotted three separate sculptural works – ‘Family of Man’ by Barbara Hepworth consisting of three abstract bronzes, ‘Large Interior Form’ by Henry Moore and, the rather kitsch ‘Perceval’, a bronze carthorse pulling a cart with giant marrows by Sarah Lucas, a contemporary of Tracey Emin.  Oddly, to me it was the latter which looked out of place.  Maybe it’s just a question of personal taste though.

The Family of Man

Large Interior Form

Perceval

The real stars of the show are the wonderful old Victorian buildings with their cantilevered weather-board projections and the white painted external staircases.

From Snape it is only a stone’s throw to Aldebugh so, as there was another Italian ice cream there with my name on it, it was time for a re-visit.  The town seemed a lot quieter today, although it was nearly 5.30pm by the time we arrived.  Luckily the ice cream kiosk was still open so wishes were fulfilled (coffee this time!).

We drove back to the campsite via Thorpeness, which seems a rather nice town with an enormous boating lake and many, many swans.

A final barbecue this evening with the family together with an exciting and hilarious game of Canasta to finish off with.  What an excellent little holiday this has been.