The Dig is a dramatisation of the events leading to Britain's most famous archaeological find: A royal grave dating back to the time of Saxon kings at Sutton Hoo near Woodbridge in Suffolk.

Preston might have fallen into the trap of writing this in the style of some Indiana Jones Adventure, but fortunately for us he resisted this temptation.

In concentrating on the contextualisation of this fascinating story Preston's intensely human book constantly reminds us that rediscovering the past is a deeply equivocal pursuit.

THE PROMETHEUS ORCHESTRA

Choral societies in Suffolk have come to rely on a band of fine local musicians who come together to play for them for concerts all over the county. Professionals in their own right, these musicians seldom get the chance to perform outside the major concert halls so they were delighted when Edmond Fivet gave them the opportunity to do so in May of last year, at a performance given by the Aldeburgh Music Club in Orford Church.

The concert included Beethoven’s Symphony No 1 and the Overture to Prometheus. Writing about the concert, Humphrey Burton said:

Suffolk’s five estuaries have protected the east of Suffolk from the ravages of the motorway, thus ensuring that it remains a relatively peaceful and unspoilt coastline despite its close proximity to London. Each estuary has its own unique quality and singular charm.

A particular favourite is the Deben Estuary. Protected by a raft of national and international conservation designations what was true for W.G. Arnott in his book Suffolk Estuary (1950) remains true even today:

This article was first printed in the Autumn issue of Green Pebble Magazine. Printed with permission. www.greenpebble.co.uk. Written by Ruby Ormerod

With London responsible for a significant proportion of the world’s multi-billion pound art market, Britain’s capital city is now truly a Mecca for aspiring artists. But as those artists mature, many move away to continue their work elsewhere.

If you want to see the dramatic effects of coastal erosion on our Suffolk coastline then take a trip from Woodbridge, past Sutton Hoo to East Lane, Bawdsey.

Well known and loved for his wonderful novels: A Room with a View, A Passage to India and Howards End, Edward Morgan Forster moved to other forms of writing in his later years and one of his most interesting projects was his collaboration with Benjamin Britten over Billy Budd. Their friendship began in 1941. Forster had broadcast a talk, followed up by an article in The Listener, about the Aldeburgh poet, Crabbe.

Mice are not everyone's favourite furry animal, but the dormouse is rather sweet and, you might be pleased to hear, much happier living in the hedgerows than in the house!

Suffolk Wildlife Trust has carried out a study of populations of the species in woodland and hedges in the south of the county. With a 64% decline since the 1970s, the Trust is determined to do more to protect the dormouse. This year they will be working with farmers to create a series of hedgerow corridors with nesting boxes to link the woodland areas where dormice currently live.