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Gainsborough's House
Attractions in Sudbury

Gainsborough's House heads what Sudbury has to see

We list 2 places to visit inside Sudbury’s built-up area and 2 within 5 km of its edge. They include 2 museums and 2 historic houses. Our list counts one place looked after by the National Trust. A short walk covers 2, both within 1 km. Drive 11 km to reach Hedingham Castle.

Photo: Gainsborough's House, Oxyman (CC BY 2.5)
In Sudbury
2
inside the built-up area
Within 5 km
2
of the town’s edge
Museums & galleries
2
in or near town
Castles & historic places
2
in or near town
Cared for
1
National Trust, English Heritage, Cadw and others
Best known

Sudbury’s big names

After Gainsborough's House, look out for 2 historic houses and a museum.

MuseumGainsborough's Housein townMuseumMuseumSudbury Heritage Centre and Museumin townHistoric house · National TrustMelford Hall2.7 km outside town, to the northHistoric houseKentwell Hall4.4 km outside town, to the north

Each has a page of its own: what it is, who runs it, the weather month by month and what else is near it.

The map

The places, mapped

Kentwell Hall, 7 km away, is the farthest on the map.

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The dashed line is Sudbury’s built-up area; orange marks its middle (where most people live). Numbers match the list below. © OpenStreetMap contributors · ONS built-up area 2022

By kind

Grouped by kind

Museums or galleries lead the count with 2; 2 are castles or historic places.

Museums & galleries 2 museums2 in town
Castles & historic places 2 historic houses0 in town · 2 nearby

Green: inside Sudbury. Grey: within 5 km of its edge.

1 place is cared for by the National Trust (Melford Hall).

Every place

The complete list

After the 2 in town come 2 more within 5 km of its edge.

The 2 inside Sudbury come first, best known first; then the places within 5 km, close and well known first. Churches and listed buildings are on the History page, not here.

255 listed buildings and 2 scheduled monuments are on Sudbury’s History page → · Parks, footpaths and green space in Sudbury →

Big names nearby

Beyond Sudbury

The 12 days out are led by Hedingham Castle, 11 km away.

CastleHedingham Castle11 km southwestCastleColchester Castle20 km southeastCathedralSt Edmundsbury Cathedral23 km northCathedralChelmsford Cathedral38 km southwestCastleClare Castle12 km westAbbey or priory · English HeritageBury St Edmunds Abbey23 km northHistoric house · English HeritageAudley End House36 km westMuseumMuseum · National TrustLavenham Guildhall8.9 km northeastZooColchester Zoo20 km southHistoric house · National TrustIckworth House21 km northHistoric housePalace of Beaulieu34 km southwestAbbey or priory · English HeritageSt. Botolph's Priory20 km southeast

Places well known beyond Sudbury (Wikipedia articles in several languages, published visitor counts, or a National Trust, English Heritage or Cadw property), close and famous first. Distances are straight lines from the middle of the town.

Common questions about Sudbury

What are the main attractions in Sudbury?

The best known inside Sudbury’s built-up area are Gainsborough's House and Sudbury Heritage Centre and Museum. In all, 2 places to visit are mapped inside the town, and 2 more within 5 km.

Does Sudbury have a museum?

2 museums and galleries are in or within 5 km of Sudbury: Gainsborough's House and Sudbury Heritage Centre and Museum.

Is there a National Trust or English Heritage property near Sudbury?

Yes. In or within 5 km of Sudbury, 1 place is cared for by the National Trust (Melford Hall).

What are the best-known days out near Sudbury?

Within 40 km: Hedingham Castle (11 km), Colchester Castle (20 km), St Edmundsbury Cathedral (23 km), Chelmsford Cathedral (38 km).

Where are Sudbury’s historic buildings listed?

Sudbury has 255 listed buildings, 8 of them Grade I. They are on its History page, from Historic England’s list, not repeated here.

How is this list made?

From OpenStreetMap (museums, galleries, zoos, theme parks and attractions, castles, forts and abbeys, and historic houses and gardens that are open to visitors) and Wikidata (what each place is, who runs it, its website and visitor counts). A place counts for Sudbury when it is inside the ONS 2022 built-up area, and as nearby within 5 km of its edge. Opening times and prices are not shown: check the official site.

Places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, Open Database Licence) and Wikidata (CC0), placed in the ONS 2022 built-up area (Open Government Licence v3.0). Visitor counts are the latest Wikidata gives, with their year.

Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).

Photo credits (14)

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (ONS boundaries). Northern Ireland: Source: NISRA; contains Land & Property Services data and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland information, © Crown copyright, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Scotland: contains National Records of Scotland data, Registers of Scotland data and SEPA data, © Crown copyright / © SEPA 2025, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.