Atomic Weapons Research Establishment. Orford ... - English Heritage

Topography and land use
Orford Ness (TM 4408 4856) is sited on the Suffolk coast 18km due east of
Woodbridge and 8.3km to the south of Aldeburgh (Figure 1). It is the largest vegetated
shingle spit in Europe and stretches for about 16 km with a maximum height above sea
level of around 4m. At its northern end it is linked to the mainland by a narrow strip of
land at Slaughden to the south of Aldeburgh. The remainder of the spit is permanently
separated from the mainland by a tidal river, known to the north as the River Alde and
to the south as the River Ore. Travelling southwards from Aldeburgh the spit gradually
widens out, and opposite to Orford Quay it has a maximum width of about 1.5km. To
its rear are a series of salt marshes, to the north Lantern marsh and to the south King’s
Marsh. Opposite to Orford, the spit is split into two by a tidal watercourse Stony Ditch
with King’s Marsh to the rear and to its east the shingle known as Orford Beach.
Thetford
Norfolk
River Waveney
Lowestoft
Bury St. Edmunds
Stowmarket
Suffolk
Ipswich
Woodbridge
Aldeburgh
AWRE Orford Ness
River Stour
GN
Felixstowe
Harwich
Essex
Colchester
10km
Figure 1: Orford Ness, Suffolk, location diagram (c) English Heritage
Immediately off shore, in Hollesley Bay, there are treacherous swift tides, banks and
shoals, which have claimed many ships. In 1627, 32 ships were cast up on Orford Ness
(www.trinityhouse.co.uk), later wrecks include three late 18 th century ships, five 19 th
century ships, the remains a stranded 20 th century trawler, the Faithful Star, which was
wrecked in 1957, and two wartime aircraft. Except for the Faithful Star none of the
© ENGLISH HERITAGE
10 - 2009