A Friday market with a history dating back to 1412 stands alongside medieval church architecture, Palaeolithic finds and trails through woodland and riverside landscapes in Mildenhall. For planning your trip, the options are clear: you can focus on the market and churches, include archaeological evidence, or devote your time to the different routes. The route details range from one mile each way to longer trails.

Market, Churches and Early History

The traditional Mildenhall Market is held regularly on Fridays. It was first held in 1412, when a royal market charter was granted. So if you want to make the market the focus of your trip, Friday is the key point to bear in mind when planning. The date of the first market reflects its long history; the weekly schedule gives you a specific guide for your visit.

The medieval Church of St Mary comprises a nave, chancel, west tower, north and south aisles, two porches and a north vestry. St Mary's Mildenhall is a Grade I listed church. The terms refer to different parts of the building: the nave is the main space, with aisles on either side; the porches and vestry are other distinct parts of the building.

Mildenhall Museum has a prehistory room with flints and fossils that visitors can touch. Those interested in early history can therefore also enjoy an explicitly tactile experience there. In terms of Palaeolithic finds, Warren Hill is the richest site in East Anglia and has yielded more than 2,000 handaxes. The Mildenhall Warren Boundary Banks are a Scheduled Monument dating from the 14th century or earlier. The historical themes thus range from Palaeolithic finds to a monument dated to the 14th century or earlier.

Woodland and Trails

Mildenhall Warren is open 365 days a year, from sunrise until dusk. As conditions can change, check the latest access information before your visit. Public access on foot is permitted throughout the Mildenhall Forest Plan area. The signposted Mildenhall Warren Lodge Walk starts at the Warren Lodge car park.

Mildenhall Woods is an important plant area. Twelve plant species are included in the recorded vascular plant community. This is a distinct aspect of Mildenhall’s natural environment, alongside its archaeological themes and signposted trails.

When choosing a route, it is worth considering its length and course. Mildenhall Riverside runs from Jubilee Car Park along the River Lark to the village of Barton Mills and is one mile each way. The route from Mildenhall to Red Lodge is seven miles long and can be travelled by bicycle, on horseback or on foot. The Mildenhall Rides also include a complete, 27-mile return journey on a horseshoe-shaped route. These details show the different route lengths and specify which route explicitly offers cycling, horse riding and walking as options.

Along Mildenhall Riverside, there are opportunities to spot deer, a kingfisher or an otter. The riverside trail combines a specific route distance with a chance to look out for wildlife along the way. Together with the Warren Lodge Walk and the longer routes, there are different trail descriptions to choose from without needing to combine them into a single tour.

Discover more destinations: Metfield, Kettleburgh, Risby, Shotley, Long Green, Thurston, Henham, Hollesley.

For the wider travel overview: Suffolk.