Suffolk, England

John Cooper · Administrator

Mendlesham

Admiral Wormbones · Veteran Member

Had a nice run out in the car the other day and on going up the A140 from the A14 I came across a very hot place, a Chilli Farm, I was astonished, a Chilli Farm in East Anglia ?
Having grown my own Chillies for years I had to stop and have a look and I was glad I did, I now have some more varieties to try out this year. Anyone who likes to make their own Curries like me, can't go wrong at this place as their Chillies range from very mild to paint stripper hot if you know what I mean.
There is a shop there that sells Chilli Sauces, jellies, and hot or mild Chutneys, they also sell ceramics and something that made me laugh a hat with red Chillies for a design, very colourful. There is a BBQ area and a Restaurant, I also had the good fortune to meet the lady owner who gave me free advice on how to get more out of my Chilli plants and how to keep them year after year and was very pleasant to talk to. I had always thrown the plants away after I had had the crop off them and never knew you could keep them over winter, you see, never to old to learn.
Give the place a look if you are traveling on the A140 to Norwich and you are passing the big radio masts, the farm is just there, I would call it another feather in Suffolk's cap.

Tarkey · Senior Member

My English Grandmother was born and lived in the row of house across the road from the Church, in about 1900. She was a Lambert and there are still a few of them about in the area

-- Edited by Tarkey at 11:06, 2008-04-04

-- Edited by Tarkey at 13:03, 2008-04-04

John Cooper · Administrator

Mendlesham Mast is the 13th tallest structure [2008] in the UK at 1002' [305.4m] and was constructed in 1959 for Anglia TV, it is now a transmitter for the Radio Station Vibe/Kiss. If you can imagine Canary Wharf tower then this transmitter structure is one third higher than that and supported by guy stays.

Suff Mendlesham Transmitter DSC_0211.JPG

Tarkey · Senior Member

About 3 years ago the CAA decided that structures of this kind had to have more powerful lights and the 7 red lights were replaced with very strong ones.
In fact I can see them from the top of my road on Chantry Estate in Ipswich.
I watched this mast being built from my Grand parents house near the Magpie in Stonham Parva and as a 8/9 year old I found it exciting. I believe the whole mast actually sits on a 7 inch ball bearing. I learnt to drive on the disused airfield where the mast is situated. There was a certain lady who lived very close to the mast and the colour of the lights would be very appropriate.