Harleston Area Guide

Harleston is an ancient market town on the Norfolk/Suffolk border filled with many historic buildings and old coaching inns. It is home to a variety of local businesses, small shops and eateries and hosts two markets each week.

The town was established as a point where a bridge was constructed from London to Great Yarmouth over the River Waveney and the historic inns, like the Swan Hotel, show the true scale of importance of the route. The Audio Trail is a perfect way to find out the history of the town. 

Harleston provides an excellent starting point for exploring the Waveney Valley, perfect for photographers, walkers and those interested in British wildlife. It also has a variety of festivals and events throughout the year, including the Harleston and Waveney Festival every August and the Harleston and Waveney Art Trail. 

The town centre benefits from a variety of restaurants and cafes, including Momiji Japanese Restaurant, The Tudor Bakehouse and JD Young Hotel. A little outside Harleston, you’ll find Farmers Kitchen, perfect for brunch, as well as The Broken Egg, Wortwell Bell and The Kings Head at Brockdish. If you’re into real ale, the Harleston area is home to three local breweries, Grain Brewery, St Peters Brewery and Ampersand. 

Harleston sits on the A143 Bury St Edmunds to Great Yarmouth road, providing residents easy access to the coast, as well as Norwich and Ipswich. Harleston is served by three main primary schools within three miles of the town which feed into the main secondary school, Archbishop Sancroft.