8. Blundeston Beat - The Village Pub
The Village Pub in Blundeston, dating back to 1701, is a Listed II traditional pub painted in Suffolk pink. It's claim to fame is that David Copperfield was written in this very building by Charles Dickens.
Dickens wrote the novel in 1849-50. Whilst places mentioned in the book exist in real life, it is unsure whether Dickens ever actually came to the village. We know from his letters that Dickens initially chose the village name for the novel after seeing it on a signpost during a trip to nearby Yarmouth (a town that also figures largely in the book, as the home of the Peggotty family). However, despite local legend, it is difficult to tell whether Dickens subsequently visited here, or stayed at the neighbouring village. All we can say is that being so close in Yarmouth, it is unlikely that Dickens would have avoided the opportunity to visit. It is also apparent from the novel that he was familiar with some local, historic landmarks such as the view of the church and the yew trees from the Rookery and the Plough Inn (both of which no longer exist).