EDitorial ± 4-Jan-2016

Crinkle-Crankle Walls Of Suffolk

— The Crinkle-Crankle Crew: Searching for Suffolk's Serpentine Walls by Ed Broom —

Published August 2025 by Softwood Books:

  • 208 pages / ISBN 9781036929602

If you'd like to buy a copy, which would be lovely, then you have choices:

* option 1 -- buy direct for £11.99 inc. free UK P&P by sending me an email with your address
* option 2 -- pop along to your local independent bookshop and order a copy
* option 3 -- buy it from Waterstones
* option 99 -- buy it from Amazon UK

Cue the blurb:

"Ed brings to life the history, charm, and character of these serpentine landmarks in a celebration of one of Suffolk's quirkiest treasures."

When Suffolk writer Ed Broom set out to find something uniquely local for a writing competition, he stumbled upon the curious charm of "crinkle-crankle" walls - sinuous, wavy brickwork found across the county. Inspired by the work of local historian Norman Scarfe, who first listed Suffolk's walls in the 1960s, Ed began compiling his own detailed survey.

What started as a curiosity has grown into a years-long project of discovery: every time he thought he had finished, another wall appeared. The Crinkle-Crankle Crew documents many of these examples, weaving together local history, architecture, and a deep affection for Suffolk's landscape. Rich with stories, observation, and Ed's meticulous research, this book shines a light on an eccentric treasure that is as practical as it is beautiful.

— How It All Started —

Racking my brain (back in summer 2015) for someone or somewhere or something which might typify Suffolk, I hit a wall. A very particular sort of wall. Not dead straight like your normal garden wall, but weird and wobbly and wonderfully named. It's called a crinkle-crankle wall and, counterintuitively, uses less bricks than its linear companion.

According to Wikipedia, "the county of Suffolk claims at least 50 examples", easily beating everywhere else. Should be straightforward to find a list, don't you think? Not so. Pevsner's "Buildings Of Suffolk" has a throwaway reference to:

...undulating forcing walls of brick, which Mr Norman Scarfe has collected and published

He goes on to mention half a dozen examples but, frustratingly, there's no explicit reference to any publication by Scarfe. Other Googling also points to this mythical list having been extended by one G.A. Coulson. Again, sadly, with no periodical or article.

So I dug out all the passing nods in Pevsner, around ten or so, then handed that list to Eldest, busy doing nothing in late August. She then got to work on that there internet and doubled the list. Key to this enterprise was to actually see each of these fabled creatures in the flesh, if possible. Thus was born the Crinkle-Crankle Crew, comprising me, Eldest and friend, Middler, and my mum. Membership comes and goes, TBH.

Back in 2016 when I did my initial search of the Historic England website, there were 31 crinkle-crankle walls in Suffolk listed to at least Grade II standard. Now, writing this in 2025, that's up to 34 due to:

Must mention the tremendous help received from Edward Martin (EM) of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History. He's been on a near identical path to myself, it so happens, trying and failing to track down that wretched list. When we finally compared notes, he had around 46 examples, twice my total! His understanding, by the way, was that Ye Olde Liste had around 92 entries. Gulp. I've now done my best to merge our disparate lists and add ones of which we were previously unaware. Thanks, Edward.

Also a big tip of the hat to Dr James Bettley for leading the way with his authoritative Buildings of England volumes covering Suffolk East and West.

Here's a handy map of crinkle-crankle walls in Suffolk.

— Confirmed Sightings —

  1. Easton — listed
  2. Bramfield — listed
  3. Eye, Chandos Lodge — listed
  4. Brome Grange
  5. Long Melford Hall — listed
  6. Long Melford, Cock and Bell Lane — listed
  7. Earl Soham, Brandeston Road — listed
  8. Saxmundham, High Street
  9. Halesworth, Rectory Lane — listed
  10. Ashbocking, Crockery Barn Cafe
  11. Beccles, Hungate Lane — listed
  12. Beccles, Coney Hill
  13. Worlingham, Garden Lane — listed
  14. Boxford, Church Street
  15. Sudbury, Meadow Lane — listed
  16. Brantham, Newmill Lane
  17. Shotley, The Street
  18. Martlesham Heath, Eagle Way
  19. Yoxford, Satis House
  20. Great Waldingfield, Babergh Place Farm — newly listed in 2020
  21. Sudbury, Hardwicke House
  22. Sudbury, Royal Grammar Place
  23. Long Melford, Westgate Street — listed
  24. Long Melford, United Reformed Church, Hall Street — listed
  25. Cockfield, Tudor Cottage — listed
  26. Ipswich, St Edmund's Road
  27. Eye, Buckshorn Lane — listed
  28. Eye, Castle Street, Stanley House — listed
  29. Brome, Rectory Road, The Oaksmere — listed
  30. Rendlesham Hall
  31. Boyton, The Clock House
  32. Framlingham, Mount Pleasant
  33. Wickham Market, Hill House
  34. Parham Hall — listed
  35. Wangford, Church Street, Parsons Meadow
  36. Wangford, Church Street, Ivy House
  37. Reydon, Wangford Road, near Copperwheat Avenue
  38. Reydon, Lakeside Park Drive
  39. Palgrave, Park House — listed
  40. Long Melford, The Water Meadow
  41. Hollesley, Mallard Way
  42. Hollesley, Glebe House
  43. Metfield, Bell House — listed
  44. Eye, Millfield, Castleton Way
  45. Lowestoft, Maltster's Score
  46. Carlton Colville, The Old Rectory — listed
  47. Tostock Place — listed
  48. Dunwich, Cliff House
  49. Bacton, Brickwall Farm
  50. Redgrave, Juniper Cottage
  51. Bardwell, Low Street, Mansard House
  52. Botesdale, Chapel Lane, Anglian House
  53. Ringsfield, All Saints — listed
  54. Barsham, The White House — listed
  55. Bungay, Earsham Street, St Mary's House
  56. Henham Hall — listed
  57. Theberton, Pump Cottages
  58. Darsham Cottage
  59. Halesworth, Old Station Road
  60. Kelsale, By The Crossways
  61. Orford, The Old Rectory
  62. Stradbroke, New Street, Fig Street Cottage
  63. Harleston, Moorbridge Lane
  64. Melton Hall
  65. Alderton, Cedar Court — listed
  66. Coney Weston Hall — listed
  67. Bungay, Oxnead, Broad Street
  68. Bungay, Castle Orchard House
  69. Wattisfield, The Croft — listed
  70. Herringfleet Hall
  71. Stradishall, Woodfarm Cottage
  72. Brome, Oak Tua Cottage
  73. Beccles, Puddingmoor
  74. Beccles, Gaol Lane
  75. Melton, Pytches Road
  76. Hinderclay, The Old Rectory — listed
  77. Kessingland, White's Lane
  78. Kessingland, Heritage Green
  79. Kessingland, Badger's Holt
  80. Debach, Moat House
  81. Beccles, Richard Crampton Road
  82. Rickinghall, Snape Hill House — listed
  83. Carlton Colville, Deepdale
  84. Carlton Colville, Colsterdale
  85. Carlton Colville, Ashburnham Way
  86. Brampton Old Hall
  87. Boxford, Swan Street
  88. Lavenham, Water Street
  89. Brampton, Dog Cottage
  90. Worlingham, The Walnuts
  91. Rickinghall, Broomhills — listed
  92. Nacton, Broke Hall — newly listed in 2024
  93. Heveningham Hall — listed
  94. Knodishall, Burch's Close
  95. Beccles, Ravensmere
  96. Beccles, Fair Close
  97. Rumburgh, The Forge
  98. Bruisyard, The Street
  99. Sibton, Abbot's Lodge
  100. Peasenhall, Meadow House
  101. Wissett Hall
  102. Spexhall Manor
  103. Lavenham, Old Station Close
  104. Great Waldingfield, Fortress Fields
  105. Framlingham, Broadwater Farm
  106. Orford, Peacock's Pyghtle
  107. Holbrook, Royal Hospital School — newly listed in 2024
  108. Sudbury, Gainsborough's House
  109. Boxford, Swan Street, Cygnet House
  110. Mendlesham, Church House
  111. Barnby, The Street
  112. Beccles, Laurels End
  113. Thorington Street, Stoke by Nayland
  114. Villa Vonberg, Monewden
  115. Hopton, Diss, Rose Villa

— To Do —

Which leaves:

  1. Badwell Ash, Green Farm Barn
  2. Cockfield Hall
  3. Hartwell House, Hunston
  4. Kelsale Hall
  5. Ringshall, Chestnuts Farm

Updates to follow as and when.