In the 16th century, it was a leading port and had a flourishing ship-building industry. Sir Francis Drake's ships "Greyhound" and "Pelican" were both built in Aldeburgh. When the River Alde silted up and was unable to accommodate larger ships, the area went into decline.
Nowadays it is a paradise for sailing boats.
The Aldeburgh Moot Hall is a timber-framed building has been used for council meetings for over 400 years, and it still is. It also houses the local museum.
Outside the town, the Maltings at Snape is the venue for a well-known classical music festival every June. It is the largest one in England. The Aldeburgh Festival was founded in 1948 by Benjamin Britten, Eric Crozier and Peter Pears. (Britten died in Aldeburgh in 1976.)
Aldeburgh is located at 52°09'00" North, 01°35'00" West (52.1500, -1.5833)1.Geography