The History of Dunwich Heath
- 26/02/2026
Details
Love affairs. Life and death. Fortunes made and lost.
Join us for a captivating talk with National Trust volunteer and researcher Richard Symes, who has uncovered the extraordinary story of Dunwich Heath, a place where history, drama and nature collide.
Over the last 300 years this seemingly peaceful landscape has been dug up, cut down, shot over and burnt. From smugglers landing contraband along the coast; to shipwrecks that changed lives; from coastguards saving lives from treacherous seas to artists finding inspiration in the wild beauty of the head, Dunwich has seen it all. Its history doesn't stop there. Submarines prowled its waters. The sea a wartime graveyard. The Heath a battlefield with tanks and big guns.
Yet, out of this turbulent past, it has transformed into the nature reserve we know today, a place of sanctuary and tranquillity.
Come along and immerse yourself in the remarkable story of a landscape that has shaped lives and witnessed history in ways you would never expect.
Date and Time: Thursday 26 February 2026. Doors open at 11:00, talk starts at 11:30, lunch at 13:00.
Venue: Royal Harwich Yacht Club, Woolverstone, Ipswich, IP9 1AT; Lat and Long: N52⁰ 0.34’ E001⁰ 11.8’; National Grid Reference: TM 1952 3896; What.Three.Words: ///lion.jumpy.chuckling.
Free car parking at the Club.
Download directions to the Club here.
What: Winter Talk, with or without a meal.
Open to: Members of the CA, CS and RHYC and to non-members.
Guests: Members are encouraged to bring one guest each at the member's rate, just book your guest as an additional member when booking your place.
Non-Members: Additional guests of members, and also non-members, are welcome to attend at the non-member's rate.
If you find any difficulty with booking online please call the RH Club Office on 01473 780319 to make a telephone booking. Office hours normally Monday to Friday 09:00 to 16:00.
Talk Organiser: Bram van der Have
Contact: Catriona Essenhigh, Suffolk@theca.org.uk
