Past events

Below is the list of events organised by the Suffolk Cambridge Society since 2012

23 November 2023: The Guildhall in Bury St Edmunds for a talk by Professor Stuart Rogers on 'Protecting and exploiting the marine environment: Have we got the balance right?' Stuart was the former Chief Scientist at Cefas (the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science), an Executive Agency of Defra. The talk gave an introduction to Cefas, describde early discoveries in UK fisheries and oceanography, and gave an overview of research highlights. The talk addressed how to achieve sustainable development of our seas and ocean, and explained how and why decisions are made to protect our seas, and to exploit goods and services for societal gain.

19 September 2023: Trinity College, Cambridge for a talk by Sir Gregory Winter. Gregory was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2018 for his pioneering work on protein engineering and therapeutic monoclonal antibodies, and was the Master of Trinity from 2012 to 2019. After lunch there was a visit to the Wren Library and a talk by the Assistant Librarian.

21June 2023: The Euston Estate near Thetford. Euston Hall which has been the home of the Dukes of Grafton for over 350 years and the farm covers an area of 10,500 acres. The visit started with a talk in The Old Kitchen by the archivist, Edward Wortley, on the Dukedom, the Hall and the estate. Following the talk there was a tour around the estate with the Estate Director, Andrew Blenkiron, who coveedr the variety of crops which are grown, anaerobic digestion to produce gas for the grid and solar farms for electricity. Newly-planted are 500 acres of tropical hardwood trees for timber and carbon capture.

18 March 2023: The Guildhall in Bury St Edmunds at 2.30pm for a talk by Bridget Kendall on the Ukraine/Russia war and the implications for Europe and Western democracies. Bridget was the BBC’s Global Diplomatic correspondent and has been Master of Peterhouse, Cambridge, since 2016. She was the BBC's Moscow correspondent from 1989 to 1994, and the Washington correspondent from 1994. Unfortunately, this event has had to be cancelled at short notice due to the speaker being unavailable due to illness.

3 November 2022: Buzzard Hall, Sudbury, (The Secret Garden Restaurant) for a talk by Richard Humphries on how Sudbury became the centre of the silk industry in the country and the founding of his weaving business which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2022.

7 July 2022: St. Edmundsbury Cathedral for a talk in Edmund Room by Dr Richard Hoggett on the history and national importance of the medieval Abbey founded in 1020 by King Canute. After a buffet lunch at Crystal Palace, the home of Dr Sarah Gull, a guided tour of the Abbey ruins with Dr Hoggett.

7 June 2022: Summer garden party at Bruisyard Hall by kind invitation of the owner, Robert Rous (Trinity 1972). Bruisyard Hall is an Elizabethan manor house set in 700 acres of beautiful grounds. The Hall incorporates the remains of Bruisyard Abbey which was founded in 1364 as the nunnery of the Order of the Poor Clares. The Abbey was seized by the crown in 1539. Robert Rous is a direct descendant of Sir Thomas Rous who inherited the Hall in 1611. Bruisyard Hall and the adjoining medieval Barn have been beautifully renovated over the past few years and are now used for weddings and corporate events.

26 May 2022: The Bell Hotel, Thetford, for a talk on 'Swifts' by Dr Ieuan Evans, Director of Engagement for the British Trust for Ornithology. More than half of British Swifts have been lost since 1995, but the reasons underpinning this decline are unclear. BTO scientists are involved in research aiming to address these knowledge gaps, including tracking work using the latest technology.

5 April 2022: The First World War Military Museum at Hawstead (near Bury St Edmunds). Great War Huts at Brook Farm Camp is a First World War heritage project and visitor centre. The huts are original military huts built to house the service men and women who served in the war. The site also includes trenches which mirror those on the western front. The site has been used for several film sets. Our speaker and guide for the visit will be the military historian Taff Gillingham who has featured in several TV documentaries.

1 September 2021: University of Suffolk, Ipswich for a talk by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Helen Langton, in The Hold followed by a buffet lunch. The Hold is the new Suffolk Archives building on the UoS campus in Ipswich. After lunch an opportunity to look around The Hold.

10 November 2021: Pembroke College, Cambridge for a talk in The Old Library by Sir Roger Tomkys (Past Master and retired Diplomat) entitled 'From Oxford to Cambridge by camel'. After a two course lunch a guided tour of the College.

All events organised in 2020 and up to August 2021 were cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

25 September 2019: St. John's College Cambridge. A talk by Professor Deborah Howard, Fellow of St John’s College and University Professor of Architectural History, on ‘The Role of Water in Venetian Architecture’. The lecture discussed the particular challenges of building on the amphibious site of the Venetian lagoon. It considered the visual and commercial assets of the presence of water and the problems of fresh-water supply. After a buffet lunch in the Central Hall, a choice of either a guided tour of the College or the Fellows Garden.

6 June 2019: Whisky and Roses Event. A visit to the English Whisky Company in Roudham for a guided tour followed by lunch. In the afternoon a visit Peter Beales Roses at Attleborough for a guided tour and afternoon tea.

27 April 2019: West Stow Anglo-Saxon Village and Country Park. This is one of the country's great archaelogical sites. This visit started with a guided tour of the Saxon Village and recent archaeological discoveries. After a buffet lunch, an opportunity to visit the Museum and archaeology centre and walk around the extensive West Stow Country Park.

7 March 2019: The Guildhall, Bury St Edmunds Edmunds for a talk by retired judge and author, Malcolm Knott, on ‘A Life in Crime’. After the talk a guided tour of the newly refurbished Guildhall. Dating back to 1279, it is the oldest continuously-used civic building in Britain and has the only surviving World War Two Royal Observer Corps Control Centre.

11 October 2018: Bruisyard, near Saxmundham. A talk on 'The Cambridge Spies' by Edward Towne at a secret location in the depths of East Suffolk (Bruisyard Village Hall!). This afternoon event was followed by an afternoon cream tea of tea/coffee and soft drinks, freshly baked scones, jam and Cornish clotted cream.

5 July 2018: Snape Maltings. A visit to Snape Maltings and the world famous concert hall with a guided tour of the site. After the tour, a two course lunch was served in the concert hall restaurant which has extensive views over the Alde estuary.

2 June 2018: Ousden House, near Newmarket. A visit to Ousden House and talk by Anthony Foreman in Ousden Church. Lunch was in Ousden House followed by a guided tour of the magnificent gardens with the owners, Alastair and Lavinia Robinson.

19 April 2018: Thetford. A talk by Paul Stancliffe of the British Trust for Ornithology in the Bell Hotel followed by buffet lunch. After lunch, a choice of visit to the Thetford Museum or walk to Nunnery Lakes bird reserve.

27 September 2017: Cambridge: A visit to Queens' College for a talk by Professor Richard Rex on 'The Dissolution of the Monasteries' which will be followed a two course lunch. After lunch, a guided tour of the College.

10 June 2017: Worlington: Summer garden party at The Old Hall, Worlington, the home of Michael and Caroline Sullivan and talk on King Richard III by the Right Reverend Tim Stevens CBE who was Bishop of Leicester from 1999 to 2015.

18 May 2017: Ely Cathedral: Guided tour of the Cathedral followed by a two course lunch in the Almonry restaurant.

16 March 2017: Bury St Edmunds: Guided tour around the Greene King Brewery followed by a buffet lunch in the Beer Cafe. After lunch a guided tour of the historic Theatre Royal.

22 September 2016: Ufford Park Hotel and Sutton Hoo. Talk by Dr Sam Newton who also conducted a guided tour of the burial mounds. (Joint event woth the Oxford Society)

11 June 2016: Garden Party at Kingshall Farmhouse, Rougham. Talk by John Drewienkiewicz on the Battle of Hastings.

5 May 2016: Fludyers Arms Hotel and Landguard Fort. Talk on Landguard Fort by David Woods and guided tours around Landguard Fort by NT volunteers.

16 May 2016: Fitzwilliam Museum and the new Cambridge Sports Centre. Talk by Dan Changer of SDC on the design on the Sports Centre followed by a guided tour. Vist to the 'Death on the Nile' exhibition at the Fitzwilliam and talks by the exhibition curators. Lunch at Browns Restaurant.

30 September 2015: Clare College Cambridge. Talk by Dr John Guy on the 'Children of Henry VIII. Guided tour of the college gardens with the Head Gardener.

1 August 2015: Drinks party at Ixworth Abbey (joint event with the Oxford Society). Talk by the owner, Mr John Rowe and a tour of the house.

11 July 2015 : Denver Sluce complex. Presentation and guided tour of the complex by the site mamager, Mr Daniel Pollard. Lunch at the Jenyns Arms.

11 June 2015: Garden party at Wickhambrook and talk by Clive Paine in Wickhambrook church

30 April 2015: Guided tour of the National Stud at Newmarket.

20 March 2015: The Mill Hotel, Sudbury with a talk by Lord Andrew Phillips on the history of the town. Followed by a choice of a guided tour of the water meadows with the warden or a tour of Gainsborough's house with the curator.

26 September 2014: Christ's College, Cambridge with a talk by Dr Kelvin Bowkett and a tour of the college gardens

18 June 2014: Garden Party at Kingshall Farmshouse, Rougham. Talk by John Drewienkiewicz on 'the perils of touring battlefields'.

15 May 2014: Bentwaters Park. Guided tour by Graham Thorne of the anaerobc digester power plant. After lunch at The Froize Inn a choice of tour of Bentwaters Parks with the owner Mr Bill Kemball or a farm visit to Mortiers Farm with the Manager, Mr Richard Parry.

20 March 2014: Ufford Park with a talk by Mr Humphrey Burton on his career in the BBC

25 September 2013: Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge. Talk by Prof Tim Blanning and a tour of the college gardens with the Head Gardener.

28 June 2013: Guided tour of Orford Ness with Mr Paddy Heazell.

14 June 2013: Garden party at The Old Hall, Worlington with a talk by Mr Clive Paine in Worlington Church.

13 March 2013: Tuddenham with a talk by Group Captain Tony Alcock on 'Alcock and Brown'. Lunch at The Fountain,

17 June 2012: Tour of 'The Hidden Gardens of Bury St Edmunds'. Lunch at the Angel Hotel.

17 May 2012: A day by the sea at Southwold. Talk by Mr David Waller on the art of brewing. Lunch at The Swan Hotel.

6 March 2012: Ufford Park Hotel with a talk by Mr Paddy Heazell on Orford Ness.