Visiting Godric’s Hollow in Lavenham Suffolk England

Visiting Godric’s Hollow Lavenham Suffolk. In the Summer holidays, I took the boys to Suffolk for a couple of days. On route to our holiday home in Lowestoft, we stopped in Lavenham. With the sole purpose of exploring the Harry Potter connections and finding Godric’s Hollow filming location. Charlie is a little Harry Potter mad and it makes a good excuse to drag the boys to places they would otherwise be uninterested in. You can read about other potential filming locations in our round-up post. Harry Potter UK Filming Destinations Bucket List. I have also linked some other Harry Potter-themed posts at the bottom which you may find interesting. 

Visiting Godric’s Hollow Lavenham Suffolk

Let’s be clear from the off, Godric’s Hollow is purely fictional and not real life. First appearing in the first Harry Potter book The Philosophers Stone it became more widely featured in the Deathly Hallows part one. And the subsequent filming of Harry Potter – Godric’s Hollow filming location. Where Lord Voldemort killed Harry’s parents and Lily Potter protected her son with a mother’s love in a final stand. The terrifying scene resulted in Harry’s scar and him becoming the boy that lived. So there is no surprise that it is popular with Harry Potter fans. Even if the cast never set foot in the historic village of Lavenham. With the film producers using computer-generated imagery for much of the Harry Potter films.

Where is Godric’s Hollow filming location?

The scenes of Godric’s Hollow in the movies are in fact filmed in the rural Suffolk market town of Lavenham. And although our interest was purely in the Harry Potter connections. Lavenham in its own right is worth a visit even if you are not a Potterhead due to its rich history. Widely regarded as the best example of a Medieval Wool town in England. The town dates back to the Saxon times and is steeped in history, one of the richest town in the middle ages thanks to the wool trade.

If you are visiting with children as we did then it may be worth considering using a treasure trail map to explore the area. Not only does it keep them entertained (8 years+) you also learn a lot of the history of the best-preserved medieval village. We found the circular walk that took us pass some of the oldest buildings a great way to see the village. At the very least make sure you visit the High Street and crooked house.

Where to park in Lavenham

The town of Lavenham is reasonably compact with a number of walking routes that take you around the main sites. We did not realise this when we visited. There is on-road parking in the town but even when we visited it was busy. So your best bet is to head to one of the two free car parks. We opted for the one on the outskirts which is by the Cock Inn Pub on Church Street. This was convenient for our walking trail, and if you visit on a busy day it is probably the one which will be least busy. The other free parking is in the centre just off of the market place.  

The address for the Church Street car park is Church Street, Lavenham, Sudbury, CO10 9RS. If in doubt lookout for the Cock Inn, opposite the Church and right next to the village hall. 

Harry Potter points of interest in Lavenham

There are two buildings you want to see when from a Harry Potter and Godric’s Hollow filming location perspective when visiting the streets of Lavenham. The Guildhall and the De Vere House. You will be pleased to know that both buildings are close by each other. So if you are in a rush then you can make your visit relatively short. Although I would encourage you to spend more time wandering around the stunning streets of Laveham. Taking tea and cake in the tea rooms or browsing in the shops full of local artists. Or like ours did throwing curses and spells at each other while dressed in the obligatory Harry Potter robes. I can also recommend the pizzas in the Swan Hotel which overlooks the small village square.

Harry Potter The Guildhall Lavenham

The Lavenham Guildhall was transformed into Harry Potter’s derelict parent’s house in the Deathly Hallows Part One. Using clever CGI techniques the house appears much smaller in the film. When looking for the Godric’s Hollow filming location. It is located near the market square and is hard to miss! The Guildhall is actually owned by the National Trust and it is possible to look around the building and the courtyard garden.

Although it is worth checking opening times before you visit. Due to the timing of our visit, we did not manage to actually go inside we spent too long exploring the narrow streets and historic houses. But we posed for some pictures and marvelled at the beautifully carved outside and big wooden doors. That definitely would not look out of place in Lavenham’s medieval grandeur. Lavenham Guildhall is located in the centre of the village on Downing Street.

Harry Potter’s Birthplace De Vere House, Lavenham

The now Airbnb De Vere House is the acclaimed birthplace of Harry Potter. This great house was also known as the Hunting lodge it was previously owned by the De Vere Family who during medieval times were the second richest family in England. Second only to the Royal Family. John De Vere was the 13th Earl of Oxford. So consequently the six-bedroom grade one listed medieval home is full of period features including a stone carved spiral staircase and wall paintings.

You can book to stay in the charming five-star accommodation in one of their four-poster bedrooms. Although at £195 a night for two, with a two minimum night stay and no being able to take guests under 18 it will be a while before we stay. It is perhaps not as accessible for photos either, especially with children as the property almost opens right out onto the road. With only a narrow footpath in front, and with car parking out the front. So if you are looking to recreate Harry Potter scenes without the need to photoshop then the Guildhall is probably your best bet. Saying that it is a beautiful building when we visited the owners had planted geraniums in the window boxes which made it look even more romantic. And the front door is one of the most photographed doorways in the beautiful village.

De Vere House is located on Water Street amongst other medieval buildings.

Things to do in Lavenham

Along with the properties mentioned above, there are over 300 other buildings of historical interest. So it is really worth taking your time and exploring the Tudor houses and houses with timber frames. Some of the other places we noted during our visit include:

• The Church of St Peter & St Paul. Opposite the car park, the St Paul church almost looks like a Cathedral. With large grounds surrounding it there are plenty of opportunities to check out the headstones. Originally built by the wealthy wool merchants of the town. Grade one listed covered in ornate carvings, it is unsurprisingly one of the most visited churches in East Anglia. 
• Town Sign. Definitely worth a look at the three-sided town sign that depicts The Guildhall, The Church of St Peter & St Paul and also an American airbase from WWII – Lavenham airbase.
• Little Hall & Gardens. Also on the main square, the fourteenth-century hall house is open every day except Mondays between 1 pm and 4 pm. You can find out more on their website. 
• Enjoy afternoon tea at Lavenham Blue Vintage Tea Room. Next to the market square with views across to the Guildhall Lavenham Blue Vintage Tea Room is located in a converted Garde II listed wooden framed cottage. There is also Munnings tea rooms which you may consider as an alternative. There are also plenty of cafes to sit and enjoy a coffee many located in the ancient buildings.
• Farmers market – This is held on the fourth Sunday of every month where you can pick up local produce grown in the surrounding countryside.

How long do you need in Lavenham?

We spent five hours visiting the real-life Godric’s Hollow Lavenham Suffolk walking around, having lunch and visiting the Harry Potter buildings. But the beauty of visiting is that you can really decide for yourself. If your only objective is to tick another Harry Potter site off of your bucket list. Then you could park close to the market square and do it in half an hour. Especially if you do not go into the Guildhall. But honestly, you will be missing out. I would happily spend a whole weekend in this wonderful market town. Try out some of the fine dining options and visit the spa. It would make wonderfully relaxed weekend couples break. 

Have you visited any places where they film Harry Potter or Godric’s Hollow in Lavenham Suffolk? I would love to hear about your experiences. Or any favourite places in Suffolk that we must visit on our next trip?

If you have enjoyed this post then you may also like:

• Complete Guide to Warner Bros Harry Potter Studio Tour
• York for Harry Potter fans
• Crabbing at Walberswick Suffolk
• A complete guide to visiting the Harry Potter Bridge – Glenfinnan Viaduct

If you’ve liked this post please follow me on my social media channels:

Mudpie Fridays: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest | LinkedIn

PIN for later – Visiting Godric’s Hollow Lavenham Suffolk