Polstead is a small village and civil parish in the Babergh district of Suffolk, in East Anglia, lying around four miles south of Sudbury. It sits among rolling farmland and orchards with winding lanes and hedgerows typical of the area; the core still centres on a historic church and village green, and the local economy is largely agricultural with a long cider heritage derived from old orchard varieties.
Locally the village is best known for the notorious early 19th‑century "Red Barn" murder, an event that captured national attention at the time and remains part of the area's folklore, but day‑to‑day life is quieter, held together by village events, clubs and the pub. Conservation of landscape and traditional buildings is important here, so Polstead retains a strong rural character despite being within easy commuting distance of larger towns.
Postcode districts covering Polstead
Most populated places nearby
- Ipswich 12.2 miles
- Colchester 8.7 miles
- Braintree 16.9 miles
- Clacton-on-Sea 18.8 miles
- Bury St. Edmunds 17.2 miles
- Felixstowe 19.7 miles
- Haverhill 19.8 miles
- Witham 18.3 miles
- Sudbury 6.5 miles
- Maldon 21.3 miles
- Stowmarket 12.4 miles
- Harwich 16.6 miles
Neighbouring places
- Boxford Built-up area 1.3 miles
- Stoke-by-Nayland Built-up area 2 miles
- Groton Parish 2.1 miles
- Brett Vale Ward 2.3 miles
- Layham Parish 2.4 miles
- Shelley Parish 2.4 miles
- Kersey Parish 2.5 miles
- Edwardstone Parish 2.7 miles
- Bures St. Mary & Nayland Ward 2.7 miles
- Leavenheath Built-up area 2.9 miles
- Assington Built-up area 3.1 miles
- Nayland Built-up area 3.3 miles
Example postcodes in Polstead
CO6 5WY, CO10 5NY, CO6 5AU, CO6 5AH, CO10 5JP, CO10 5JN, CO6 5BF, CO10 5JL, CO6 5DG … See all
Transport links
- Stansted Airport 29.3 miles
- London Southend Airport 32 miles
- Bures Railway Station 6 miles
- Sudbury Railway Station 6.6 miles
- Bus Station 6.7 miles
- Colchester Bus Station 9.1 miles
Hotels near Polstead Ad
- The Crown Stoke by Nayland 3 2.1 miles
- The Marquis 3.5 miles
- The Lion 5 6.2 miles
- The Crown, Bildeston 4 6.2 miles
- Talbooth House & Spa 4 5.8 miles
- Hintlesham Hall Hotel 4 6.8 miles
- Milsoms 4 5.5 miles
- Holiday Inn Express Colchester 3 6 miles
- Greyfriars 4 8.9 miles
- The Bull Hotel Long Melford by Greene King Inns 3 8.3 miles
Local points of interest
- Colchester Community Stadium Stadium 6.6 miles
- East Anglian Railway Museum Museum 8.4 miles
- Roman Circus visitor centre Museum 9.3 miles
- University of Essex University 10 miles
- Portman Road Stadium 11.2 miles
- Berechurch Hall Estate 11.7 miles
- Marks Hall Estate 12 miles
- Suffolk College University 12 miles
- Coggeshall Abbey Historic site 13.3 miles
- Foxall Stadium Stadium 14.5 miles
- Harwich International Ferry Terminal Harbour 16.3 miles
- Cressing Road Stadium 16.7 miles