This pretty village lies three miles west of Woodbridge along the beautiful Fynn Valley. By road, take Bealings Road beside the Red Lion in Old Martlesham.

At the top of the hill, the road’s name changes to Martlesham Road. This road is most pleasantly bordered with mature trees and vegetation. At the first crossroads, turn right and travel down the hill, through an archway of trees, over the railway crossing. On the left, the old station buildings are now home to the Mallard Business Centre.

Carry on down along The Street and you come to the bridge over the River Fynn, This river was once wide enough to take small boats but is now a pretty stream flanked by tall trees such as Alder and Sycamore.

Look to your right over a meadow, usually with grazing cows or sheep. In spring, the vista is truly beautiful, the trees, a melody of young soft greens with the shapes of the topmost branches of oak, poplar and beech etched across the skyline. Travel on a little further and you come to Sandy Lane on your left. There on the corner is the local hostelry, The Admiral’s Head; not as might be supposed named for Lord Nelson but Rear Admiral Pelham. The building dates from the 17th century and is one of the oldest in the village. In times past it was the focal point for the many farm workers to meet and relax after a hard-day’s toil.

Venture a little way up Sandy Lane and there you will find Bealings County Primary School. Set in an old building of traditional design, this is a thoroughly modern school with a high academic attainment. In 2005 it achieved top place for primary schools in the whole of England

Go back into The Street and hidden to the right, is the eponymous Angela Cobbold Memorial Hall. Angela Cobbold regretted that there was no Church Hall but sadly, she died with her wish unfulfilled. Her mother bought the small piece of land opposite so that the Hall could be built in memory of her daughter.

From here the road rises and there, on the left is All Saints Church. A row of splendid lime trees stand sentinel along its border. The Church is set most pleasingly at the base of a hill with the graveyard sweeping up behind it. This is a pretty unassuming little church with no airs and graces. Enter and rest for a few minutes; feel the tranquillity.

Now refreshed, travel on for a few yards to Holly Lane on the left and there on the corner, is Bealings Village Hall cut into the hillside set below the adjoining Playing Field above the hall.

Back on the road, go back and turn up into Holly Lane. Look to the right where the most impressive view reveals a lacework of fields and trees in a palette of rich earthen colours and further on Great Bealings church nestling in the foreground.

The view is lovely in any season and is very popular with landscape artists.

This has been a brief tour but stop a while, turn the pages and learn some more about this most pleasant of villages.