Welcome to Leiston-cum-Sizewell
Friendly Leiston-cum-Sizewell is an exceptional Suffolk town to live, work, visit and enjoy. Proud of its world-class engineering and industrial heritage, independent shops and real community spirit, Leiston is located in an awesome Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, close to east coast crowd-pleasers Aldeburgh, Thorpeness and RSPB Minsmere.
Historic Leiston boasts one of Suffolk’s best-loved secret beaches – just a short family bike ride away at Sizewell. It is also home to 3 unique heritage attractions: The Long Shop Museum, celebrating the Garrett Works, one of Great Britain’s finest Victorian agricultural and steam engine production lines; Leiston Film Theatre – Suffolk’s oldest purpose-built cinema and the impressive monastic ruins of Leiston Abbey.
Discover Leiston & its coast
Take time out in the heritage town of Leiston, its coast and countryside – and you’ll soon be cherishing it like a local!
The nearby market town of Saxmundham (4.5 miles away) is the location of the closest train station.
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Free public Wi-Fi now available in Leiston’s Church Square
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A Suffolk town like no other
Go back some 150 years… In first class farming country on the well-drained soils of the Suffolk Sandlings, Leiston was a fast-growing ‘company town’, centred around the globally recognised Garrett & Sons agricultural engineering works with its ground-breaking assembly line.
Fast forward to today… The Garrett legacies and local engineering expertise live on. Leiston remains proud of its working class roots, its rows of redbrick houses, parks and community facilities; its friendly independent shops – some trading for generations; its social activities and events.
Once hub of the Suffolk Industrial Revolution, Fairtrade town Leiston-cum-Sizewell now takes its place at the heart of Suffolk’s ‘Green Revolution’ around Net Zero.
Explore Leiston
Leiston & Beyond
You’ll find independent shops, eateries, a friendly community welcome and a big helping of history around almost every corner in Leiston. But don’t miss all the coast and countryside treasures and delightful little villages on its doorstep!
3 Heritage attractions
• Leiston Film Theatre, Suffolk’s oldest purpose-built picture house.
Because there’s more to going to the cinema than just the film.
• The Long Shop Museum
Shiny steam engine exhibits; fab family events; friendly folk.
• Leiston Abbey
Impressive monastic ruins in a beautifully rural setting. Free to visit.
2 Natural treasure landscapes
• The beautiful Suffolk birdwatching coast
At Sizewell beach and beyond to RSPB Minsmere – all just a pedal-push away.
• Stretches of rare Suffolk Sandlings heath
Precious, colourful, a haven for wildlife and home to hidden churches, smugglers’ tales and a wealth of wartime archaeology.
No wonder, it’s designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty!
1 Unique Suffolk story
Once upon an 18th century time, a young blacksmith with big ideas married a Leiston lass and set up shop in her home town.
His sons took his Garrett name and their impressive inventions across the globe.
They set up a much bigger Leiston shop – a long one in fact. And sought to support the wellbeing of their workforce, by building not just a town in bricks and mortar, but a vibrant community.
The rest is not just history – it’s Leiston’s spirit.
Thousands of memories & a vibrant future
Leiston Band playing carols by the Christmas tree. Post boxes freshly ‘yarn-bombed’, topped with characterful knitting. Youngsters cutting daring shapes at the skate park. A wave back from the traction engine driver, steaming slowly down the High Street. Leiston Town FC at home or live bands rocking the rafters at the Long Shop. A gentle walk in the park. A birthday picnic in the Community Orchard…
In Leiston, precious memories aren’t confined to history – there’s a fresh crop on the horizon to look forward to every day.
It’s a progressive place that glances back and always looks forward. Willing to welcome change and make a difference, it’s a fitting partner for Suffolk’s gathering apace ‘Green Revolution’ around Net Zero.
How to get to Leiston
Just 2.5 hours’ drive from London, yet worlds apart, Leiston and its coast are easily accessible by road and served by the local bus network.
Saxmundham train station (4.5 miles away) has a regular rail service to Ipswich with connections to London (Liverpool Street), and to Lowestoft with connections to Norwich.
Leiston is close to National and Regional Cycle Routes and the Sizewell coast is in cycling and walking distance of the town.
