Other Sources of Employment
The Story of Woodbridge – Employment, industry and transport have continually reshaped Woodbridge from a thriving maritime and market town into a modern residential community. From shipbuilding, maltings and nurseries to gas works, engineering, canning factories and twentieth-century expansion, the story of the town reflects changing patterns of trade, industry and population across Suffolk over more than two centuries.
Shipbuilding
The Story of Woodbridge – Shipbuilding on the River Deben played a major role in the growth and reputation of Woodbridge for more than three centuries. From seventeenth-century men-of-war and coastal trading vessels to celebrated yacht builders such as Robertson’s, Everson’s and Whisstock’s, the town developed a proud maritime tradition that combined skilled craftsmanship, innovation and a close relationship with the river.
Evolution of the town and its Maritime Trade
The Story of Woodbridge – The evolution of Woodbridge and its maritime trade is deeply connected to the River Deben, from Anglo-Saxon royal centres and the ship burials of Sutton Hoo to medieval markets, thriving quays and nineteenth-century commerce. This story traces how trade, religion, transport and industry shaped the growth of the town over more than a thousand years.
Landscape
The Story of Woodbridge – The landscape surrounding Woodbridge has shaped the town’s development for thousands of years. From geology and soil types to estuaries, river valleys and reclaimed marshland, the natural environment influenced settlement, farming, shipbuilding and maritime trade, helping establish Woodbridge as an important market and riverside town in south-east Suffolk.