In 1823, the prominent Scottish doctor Anthony Todd Thomson wrote a journal of his travel from London to the Highlands from August to October of that year. The journal was not published at the time, but writer Yvonne Coppard has been working on a hand-written document of his journey, and kindly sent Framlingham History Society an extract covering his stay in Woodbridge, taking in a visit to Framlingham.

Dr Thomson¹ had an established reputation among his contemporaries, and was a pioneer of dermatology. He wrote a number of books and papers on medicine, in particular on dermatology.

This extract was first published in FRAM Newsletter, March 2021.²

We found the Castle of Framlingham a total ruin, nothing remaining but the exterior walls, which are of prodigious strength and capable of still long resisting the dilapidating hand of Time. Many of the outworks are now levelled with the ground, forming an irregular mound around the moat, which was between them and the existing structure. The valley at its base, which is now covered with swampy meadows, was originally a large lake or mere, which communicated with the sea. The standing wall is of an irregular circular form, and consists of thirteen square towers, at nearly equal distances from one another, with intervening battlements and ramparts. On entering the gate, which still remains entire, under a warder’s tower, what was our astonishment to find the interior occupied with a workhouse, and some almshouses. There was something revolting at this prostitution of an ancient abode of regal pomp. The retrospective view which the mind naturally conjured up of its former splendour, when Knights and Barons, ladies and Princesses crowded its halls and courts, formed a striking contrast with the real picture of poverty and wretchedness which now presented itself before us. On cool reflexion, however, it may be justly questioned at which period its walls had rung with the deepest groans of misery. Its present inhabitants are the outcasts of Society, dependent, for even the miserable subsistence they enjoy, on the bounty of the public. But if their groan be hollow, it is that of bodily suffering only, not that of oppression and a deeply wounded spirit, such as must have echoed in the dungeon of the Captive when the banner waved on the wall and the shouts of festive mirth and joy sounded in the halls of Framlingham.

The church is an elegant structure of the fourteenth century and is kept in good repair; injured, in some degree, by a septennial douching of whitewashing. It contains monuments of the Duke of Richmond, natural son of Henry the eighth; the Duke of Norfolk, who, when Earl of Surry, won the battle of Flodden; of Henry Howard, the poetical Earl of Surrey, his son the Earl of Northampton; and his wife, Frances Devere, daughter to the Earl of Oxford. There are also monuments of two duchesses of Norfolk, wives of the second Duke of Norfolk, who, if not flattered by the sculptor, must have been very beautiful women. The monument of the Duke of Richmond is painted and gilded, in vile taste; we were informed that such was the original state of the erection. An annual sum is given by Pembroke College for keeping it in repair. There are some customs which are more honoured in the breech than the observance. It would redound to the honour of the college were the sum bestowed for destroying this elegant monument with paint and gilding expended in cleaning it, so as to bring out the pristine sharpness and beauty of the carving. We returned to a late dinner, much fatigued with our ride but highly pleased with what we had seen.

Next morning, Thursday the 26th, [In Woodbridge] I crossed the Deben to take a view of the town from the opposite side of the river. There is no bridge; passengers are conveyed over by a ferry boat for the easy fare of one penny. A blind man led by a dog, and his wife, entered the boat at the same time with me. The dog sprang in with alacrity, and lay down, as if accustomed to the conveyance and glad to be free from his irksome task of leading his master, who had the appearance of a beggar. I thought the opportunity was a good one of receiving a blessing at a cheap rate, so when we reached the shore, I paid for all the party, and received it. I believe the benediction was sincere in this instance, for the act which called it forth was both unsolicited and unexpected.

The most picturesque view of Woodbridge is obtained from the heath on this side of the Deben. The church is the most prominent feature in the landscape. The tower and body of the building are seen rising, in a commanding manner, above the red roofs of the houses, which cover the gentle declivity between it and the river. Several windmills crown the ridge that forms the boundary of sight and give great liveliness to the scene, which is composed chiefly of enclosed meadows and corn fields, the ships and boats in the river, and a few villas. The trees are well grouped and rich in diversity of foliage, with the exception of several stiff rows of poplars towards the South. The Deben, at high water, has more the aspect of a lake than a river but, at low water, it is seen, for many a mile, winding in a serpentine direction through the vale. This heath is seldom visited, except by the sportsman, or the rabbit shooter; at this moment whilst I am lying upon the turf, not a soul is in view. Nor does a sound break the silence that prevails, except the crackling of the pods of the Furze, as they burst to scatter their seeds, and the hum of the wild bee, as it seeks the blossoms of the Heath and wild Thyme to ransack them of their sweets. The Heavens smile, and all is peace and repose. In the language of romance, I would enquire, gazing upon the little town before me, what does man, eager, anxious, toiling, shutting himself up in narrow streets and noisome places, ask for? How simple and easily attained are his pleasures, if he would limit his desires!

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Footnotes

1. For more information, see for example https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Todd_Thomson ↩︎
2. See https://framlinghamhistory.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/21-02-Feb-2021-newsletter.pdf ↩︎