Welcome to Elmswell History Group

Welcome to our website – please make yourself at home and enjoy exploring our many pages.

Our village has plenty of history, the earliest part of which is described in our publication “Marker for the Millennium” (click onto this link to see it in full).  

Our history group exists to make this information known more widely and also, with our monthly talks, to learn more about East Anglia’s history in general.  


We hope you will consider coming to a meeting, as we are a very friendly group, and always offer a warm welcome to visitors and new members.  

Our current programme of talks is shown below.

We would love to hear from you, whether you are interested in local history generally (particularly if you are a current or former Elmswell resident and/or have any connections to our village), helping us with our researches, thinking of joining our group, or have comments or suggestions about this website.

Please click this link to contact us.

2023 Programme

Unless otherwise stated, our meetings begin at 7.30pm at the Wesley Hall, School Road, Elmswell, IP30 9EE

12 January: Simon Millyard, “Trinity House Lighthouses“

9 February: Jonathan Belsey, “Smallpox in Suffolk“

9 March: Geoff Robinson, “18th Century Commerce in Worlingworth“

13 April: EHG’s 23rd Anniversary Meeting. Miriam Stead, “Halesworth’s 17th Century Walpole Old Chapel“

11 May:  Movie Screening of Holly Brega’s film “The Land Girls & Horses of Suffolk“

8 June: 7pm, AGM – immediately followed by Joy Hawkins, “A & E in the Middle Ages“

Saturday, 8 July: 10am-3pm – EXHIBTION of Village Groups, at the Wesley. Come along and find out what we have to offer on all things historical in East Anglia, when you can pick up a copy of our new 2023-24 Programme of Talks (starting in Sept). There will also be a choice of free magazines and leaflets featuring many articles on Suffolk history, buy a copy of our well-received WW1 book (see below), and sample the wonderful array of home-made cakes and excellent teas/coffees at the on-site cafe. Free parking all day.

13 July:  Summer Outing, Bury Cathedral – Meet at Cathedral, 6.45pm for 7pm start, own transport. Contact 01359-242601 for more details and tickets – £13 for members, £15 for visitors.

14 September: £10 Annual Subs due, plus £3 per attendance (or visitors are always welcome at £5 per attendance). Timothy Easton, “Magic Circles & Protective Symbols in East Anglia’s Historic Buildings“

12 October: Ivan Bunn of the Port of Lowestoft, “The Prunier Trophy, 1936-66, awarded for the best herring catch”

9 November: Gerry Barnes, “History of Orchards in Eastern England”

14 December: Bryan Thurlow, “Music Hall Memories – an entertaining evening of songs and monologues“

Latest Updates

World War 1 Book For Sale

Click on the image below to read our leaflet on our WW1 Book For Sale, and how you can purchase a copy.

Read the Synopsis here