In Boxford we have 'a village of outstanding importance to the nation' which is why the county designated much of the village a Conservation Area. The Boxford Society aims to preserve the character of the village and its historic and architectural heritage. We constantly monitor planning applications and try to ensure that new developments are in keeping with the character of the village - an increasingly difficult task. Two of our members were instrumental in drawing up the Neighbourhood Plan which gives legal weight to the views of the people who live in the village.

We hold two meetings each year to which we invite speakers with specialist knowledge of history, architecture and social development of the village, the county and East Anglia in general - we certainly have a rich history on our doorstep! We also arrange a Summer Outing to a place with a significant history.

On 20th April 2024, Charlie Haylock, a dialect and language expert, came to talk to us about coaching Ralph Fiennes and the rest of the cast of the film The Dig about how to 'speak Suffolk'. Charlie is a most entertaining speaker and kept us in stitches all evening.This Netflix film about the discovery of the Royal Burial Ship at Sutton Hoo is fascinating and demonstrates how successful Charlie was in his mission.

Following this talk, on Thursday 8th August 2024, we have arranged a visit to the The Longshed in Woodbridge where the Woodbridge Riverside Trust are creating a replica of the Sutton Hoo royal burial ship.There will be a guided tour of the site followed by lunch at The Wilford Bridge pub nearby.

On Friday 4th October 2024 we have invited Mark Bailey, Professor of Late Medieval History at the University of East Anglia to speak to us again. This time his theme will be The Black Death and how Suffolk was affected by this pandemic.

Roger Loose, one of our long-standing members has recently completed a comprehensive history of Boxford and his book. Boxford through the ages: A New History which has already gone to a second print. If you would like to purchase a copy, please contact Roger on roger.loose17@gmail.com or ring him on 01787 211538 or order it online here.

Membership is just £3 Family, £2 Individual, £1 Pensioner. These low priced subscriptions are intended to encourage as many people as possible to join us. However, we do welcome any donations in addition to the subscription as we have expenses to cover eg fees for speakers, affiliation to the Suffolk Preservation Society and subscription to the Campaign to Protect Rural England - we would prefer to remain solvent!

If you are interested in joining us for interesting talks, stimulating outings and would like to support the preservation of Boxford's character whilst recognising the need for the village to change and develop sympathetically please contact Jen Eastwood on jen.eastwood8@gmail.com or call 01787 211853.