The Mildenhall Treasure leads straight into the history of West Row: it was found here in January 1942. The village lies on the north bank of the navigable River Lark, is considered part of Breckland and is situated on the edge of the Fens. For culturally minded travellers, several layers of history come together here – from what was presumably an important Bronze Age site to Roman finds, a church and village memorials.
Roman finds and settlement traces
The Mildenhall Treasure comprises more than 30 pieces of silverware from Roman Britain. Faithful replicas are displayed at Mildenhall Museum. Another Roman trace is the Mildenhall Roman Site in Thistley Green, West Row, Mildenhall. Excavated in 1932, the site is thought to have been a Roman villa with a two-room building and hypocaust; it is designated a Scheduled Monument. A farmstead-style Roman settlement complex dating from the 2nd to 4th centuries AD was also found on Beaches Road in West Row and interpreted as comparatively wealthy or high-status. The material culture of Roman Britain thus sits alongside evidence of buildings and settlement patterns.
The Bronze Age and the landscape
West Row is thought to have been an important Bronze Age site for more than 3,500 years. Early farmers lived here in wooden houses during the summer months; they may have made ritual offerings to the River Lark. This early evidence differs from the specific Roman find sites: it tells of seasonal settlement and a possible ritual relationship with the river. Together, the Bronze Age dating and later settlement traces offer a long view of the area’s history.
Church, memorials and village history
St Peter’s Church began as a village schoolroom in 1850 and was consecrated as a church in 1874. The West Row War Memorial stands on Church Green in front of the church. The village also has nine Grade II listed buildings and three Blue Plaques. The change from schoolroom to church provides a clear chronology; the memorial, listed buildings and plaques add further forms of remembrance to the picture of local history.
Routes and active leisure
The surfaced, car-free path between West Row and Mildenhall, opened in 2013, is suitable for cyclists, horse riders, walkers, runners, people with pushchairs and wheelchair users. It is therefore intended not just for pedestrians, but for people using a range of ways to get around.
The Newmarket Model Flying Club has been based at a flying site in West Row since 2019. The club also welcomes people who would like to try model flying and provides training aircraft. You need to contact the club before taking part. As another local sporting option, West Row Bowls Club has facilities for both indoor and outdoor bowls. The range of leisure interests described here thus extends from archaeological history to a route for different user groups and club activities.
Discover more destinations: Finningham, Hessett, Denston, Wenhaston, Beccles, Worlington, Kessingland, Waldringfield.
For the full travel guide: Suffolk.
