• Eye is in north Suffolk, four miles south of Diss
• Eye is a tiny historic town with a population of 2000
• Eye is one of England's three three-letter towns
Eye is also somewhat off the beaten track. Eye isn't on the main Ipswich/Norwich Road, no longer has a station and only gets a bus every two hours. I think this is why I've never been to Eye before. [6 photos]
Eye is Norman in origin. Eye Castle lies at its heart, surrounded by a compact swirl of quaint cottages. Eye also boasts one of the finest parish churches in Suffolk. I know you will never go to Eye, but bear with me,
I made the most of my visit by picking up a copy of the Eye Town Trail at Eye library. I got lucky because the library should have been closed but the door was open because Tot Rock classes take place on Monday mornings. I rate the Eye Town Trail five stars, as trail booklets go.
Eye Town Hall is an Victorian Italianate flinty-brick confection. I thought the building had character, but it divides opinion with Pevsner describing it as "horrible". Eye Indoor Market takes place inside every Wednesday.
Eye is essentially a ring of three characterful streets with a castle mound in the centre. I misread the map and walked around the loop the wrong way. I particularly admired the medieval chemist with its jettied upper floor, the timbered Guildhall and all the picture perfect pastel cottages.
EyeCastle is a motte and bailey, but was sacked in 1265 so only the groundwork remains. I was hoping to hike up to the top of the mound for excellent views but the gate was locked. I should have come at the weekend, or any weekday after Easter, or knocked up a local keyholder for access.
I was not expecting to find houses in the inner bailey, especially a dozen peculiar buttressed bungalows. Eye has limited building space, so a workhouse was squeezed in up here in 1794 and these award-winning houses arrived in 1980. I chatted to a resident who seemed quite surprised I wanted to take a photo.
Eye parishchurch is magnificent, and fundamentally 14th century. Eye was then a wealthy-enough town for its place of worship to boast a tower over 100ft tall and a king post timber roof. I understand the intricately painted rood screen isn't as good as some, but it's rare enough.
Eye is the beating heart of its local community, with a very decent selection of shops for its size. Eye has one pub but two Co-Ops. I spotted a wool shop and a fabric shop. I think Eye is a distinctive and beguiling town, which you need not visit.
