Untouched medieval village used for major movie set | UK | Travel

Nestled in Suffolk is an impressively preserved village, known for being home to more than 300 Tudor houses in the recognisable timber-framed style.

During the Tudor era of England, this very village was one of the wealthiest areas in the country, but now it remains a time machine for history buffs and tourists looking for a piece of the past.

Lavenham is the ultimate ‘higgledy-piggledy village’ with a number of different architectures, but its Tudor buildings are what make it such a standout.

So much so that hundreds of its buildings are listed and therefore protected to remain the same, whilst the National Trust has ownership of some of its biggest sites, known for their historic significance within the village.

The area’s grandeur feel is built on the village’s wool trade, as it became famous for creating high-quality lavender blue broadcloth. Although, when the trade fell in the 17th century, the decline saw no rebuilds, and efforts were made to simply preserve what was already there.

Historic buildings

Among these beautiful buildings lies a 15th-century Tudor building that sits on Main Street and is known as the Crooked House. This very spot inspired the famous nursery rhyme There Was A Crooked Man, and much like the leaning tower of Pisa, its upper section has a noticeable tilt.

Dating all the way back to 1395, this spectacular building, now painted a vibrant orange, is owned by two ‘crooked men’, husbands Alex and Oli. Guests can explore inside and receive a warm welcome from its owners, with a guided tour of its enchanting rooms.

Along with this, the village houses the Lavenham Guildhall, now under the guise of the National Trust, and is used to showcase local history.

This mesmerising building sits at the very heart of the village and has acted as a community hub across its 500-year lifespan, taking on new purposes and under different ownerships.

A recent visitor wrote on TripAdvisor: “Was very impressed with our visit to this NT property. Instead of being stuffed with display cases full of historic relics, the approach here is to set up the Guildhall how it would have been used through its history and have minimal information boards and artefacts that support and demonstrate that approach.

“But the real stars here are the volunteer guides, and all three who were working the different rooms at the time we visited had fantastic knowledge that could bring the building to life.”

Harry Potter

Famous in its own right, Lavenham took things up a notch when it appeared on the big screen as the filming location for Godric’s Hollow in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1.

The picture-perfect setting represented the birthplace of Harry’s parents’ graves in the film. He and Hermione visit the village on Christmas Eve in a memorable and touching scene in the movie.

De Vere House was used as the exterior of the Potters’ ruined home, which was later altered for the screen, using computer-generated imagery. Meanwhile, the Guildhall was also used, depicted as the derelict house sitting in the background of the village.

The village, already tranquil, had an added sense of peace when it was covered by a thin layer of snow as the two characters took a stroll through its Main Street. Although, it is largely understood that the Hollywood actors themselves did not step foot in Lavenham and were instead superimposed on the village’s backdrop after filming in a studio.