Ribbon trail carving decorates the load-bearing beam supporting the upper floor jetty of the Tudor timber-framed Moot Hall on the seafront at Aldeburgh, Suffolk, England, UK. The Hall, built around 1520 to shelter an open market, has been the centre of civic administration in the town for 400 years and now also houses the Aldeburgh Museum.
Aldeburgh, Suffolk, England, UK: ribbon trail carving decorates the bressummer beam bearing the load of the upper floor jetty on the east front of the half-timbered Moot Hall, built in the reign of King Henry VIII, which has been the centre of local government in the town for the last four centuries. Above the beam, gaps between the ancient timbers are filled with 17th century herringbone brickwork, while beneath it the wall mixes flint with ashlar cut stone and brick. Wooden leaded lights in the upper storey contrast with stone window surrounds below. The Moot Hall, dating from about 1520, stands in Market Cross Place, facing Aldeburgh’s long shingle beach. It was built to shelter the town’s open market and on its west front, four infilled arches survive from that time. Aldeburgh Town Council now shares both floors of the building with Aldeburgh Museum. The building was altered in 1654, then restored in the mid-1800s when the gable ends were rebuilt and an external staircase added. Inside, the three ground floor rooms are accessed by four-centred arched doorways with sculpted spandrels. On the first floor, the council chamber has chamfered tie beams on arched braces supporting a tiled roof. In the 1500s, Aldeburgh was an important port and flourishing shipbuilding centre. It gained borough status under Henry VIII, but declined as the River Alde silted up and large ships could no longer berth. Much of Tudor Aldeburgh was lost to coastal erosion, but the town survived on fishing until the 1800s, when it became a seaside resort. It is now best known as the home of composer Benjamin Britten (1913-76), and for its cultural activities. The Snape Maltings arts complex, founded by Britten, hosts an international arts festival as well as many other events.
Size: 2832px × 4256px
Location: Moot Hall, Market Cross Place, Aldeburgh, Suffolk, England, UK.
Photo credit: © Terence Kerr / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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