Sutton Hoo is the Suffolk estate above the River Deben where landowner Edith Pretty had the mounds excavated in 1939 and the Great Ship Burial of a 7th-century Anglo-Saxon king came to light. The High Hall exhibition shows original and replica objects, Tranmer House, Pretty's former home, tells the story of the dig, and a 17-metre viewing tower looks over the Royal Burial Ground. Dogs on short leads are welcome on the estate walks and in the cafe, and children get dressing-up clothes and a playground behind the exhibition. Reviewers rate the knowledgeable guides highly and say a visit fills far more than an hour; many stay half a day. Two tips from regulars: book a free guided tour of the burial ground at Visitor Welcome as soon as you arrive, since places are limited and it is the only way inside the roped-off mounds, and follow the driveway to its end, as the postcode can send sat navs to the neighbouring farm.
