Welcome

The Alde & Ore Association exists to preserve and protect for the public benefit the Alde, Ore and Butley Creek rivers and their banks from Shingle Street to their tidal limits and such of the land adjoining them or upstream as may be considered to affect them, together with the features of beauty and of historic or public interest in the area.

The valley of the River Alde has long been an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the estuary is protected by a number of national and international designations. It is this beguiling spot which the Alde & Ore Association is determined to protect and preserve.

The River Ore flows from Shingle Street at the mouth past the RSPB bird reserve on Havergate Island and the historic medieval town of Orford. The River then becomes the Alde and flows past Aldeburgh and Iken reaching Snape home of Benjamin Britten’s internationally famous Snape Maltings Concert Hall. On the seaward side it is bounded by Orfordness, now owned by the National Trust, with some of the most significant coastal marshland sites for birds and flora in Europe.

We would like to encourage everyone, whether you are a resident or visitor to this area, whether you are a fisherman, sailor, birdwatcher, golfer, rider or just come to enjoy the culture at Snape, to join the Association and help us ensure that this remains ‘an exceptional slice of English landscape’.

Registered Charity No 1154583

Floods of Memories DVD

Floods of Memories DVD

The DVD of Angie Mason’s film Floods of Memories, that was produced for the 1953 Flood Exhibition, is now available and can be obtained for £13 from Aldeburgh Bookshop, Baggotts & Sons Newsagents in Aldeburgh, Snape Village Shop and Orford General Store.

The DVD is also available by post from the Alde and Ore Association for £15 including post and packing. To order the DVD, please send a cheque for £15 made out to the Alde and Ore Association to Mrs Sara Hinton, Greenwood House, Saxonfields, Snape, Saxmundham, Suffolk IP17 1QA.

 

Help us protect our rivers

Read our latest brochure on how you can join us and make a difference
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30 January 2014
DAVID ANDREN

It is with great sadness that the Association would like to inform its members that David Andren, a former Chairman of the Association, died on January 24th 2014.

He spent an enormous amount of his time and energy in pursuing his passionate support of the Alde and Ore Estuary through the Association, the EPP and SCAR. David did a very great deal to earn the Alde and Ore Estuary its national profile, and to develop its strategy, which led to partnership working. He will be sorely missed by his very wide circle of friends and colleagues.

Details of a memorial service will be posted when known.

20 December 2013
Special General Meeting of the Alde and Ore Association

A Special General Meeting of the Alde and Ore Association was held in Orford Town Hall on Friday 20 December 2013. There were two important items for discussion:

The proposal to convert the Alde and Ore Association into a new type of charitable company, known as a 'Charitable Incorporated Association' or CIO, was approved unanimously by members. This will not change any of the aims and objectives of the Association - we shall continue the work to ensure the river and its environs are there for everyone to enjoy. Becoming a CIO is a matter of governance, and this will help safeguard the Association in the future.

After the formal business there was a very interesting and informative presentation by Nicholas Gold on the future of Orfordness Lighthouse.

8 December 2013
SURGE TIDE DAMAGE IN THE ALDE AND ORE ESTUARY

The surge tide that hit the east coast, and more particularly here in the Alde and Ore Estuary, was similar to the surge experienced in 1953. Due to a combination of reduced wind speed and the surge and high spring tide thankfully failing to coincide, the estuary escaped the appalling devastation and multiple breaches that happened in 1953.

The river walls, in the main, have stood up well but there were a number of small breaches and several areas that overtopped throughout the estuary. Cllr Jane Marson has been coordinating the breach repairs at Iken and is, with the Internal Drainage Board, organising machinery to make emergency repairs to avoid further damage.

Full details and flood cell reports
Download the AOEP press release (PDF)

25 September 2013
Ownership of Orfordness Lighthouse transferred to local company

Trinity House announced today that ownership of the lighthouse on Orfordness has been transferred to the Orfordness Lighthouse Company. This is a new company which has been formed to own the building and ensure that local interests are taken into account in decisions about its future.

Read the letter from the Association Chairman
Trinity House press release

27th June 2013
Orfordness Lighthouse - Listed Building Consent sought by Trinity House for removal of fixtures

We have managed to have this application called in to be considered by the SCDC Development Control Committee. Trinity House are due to decommission the Orford Ness Lighthouse and turn off the light on Friday 28th June. As the lighthouse is a Grade II listed building they have applied for planning consent for

Removal of fixtures from Orfordness Lighthouse;
Boarding up of outhouses;
Capping off subterranean water tanks, and
Removal of Mezzanine floor staircase

This means that the Grade II listed building will be completely stripped of everything: hazardous material (mercury and glass) and all the fitments including the main optic, lenses and pedestal, Coade Stone plaque, voice pipes, specialised curved wooden cupboard, glass racks for spare lantern glazing, window handles, boundary stones, newel posts on staircases etc. We understand that the intention is to pass some of the artefacts on to Orford Museum amongst others. Apart from a site map showing the Trinity House boundary, there are no further documents available online to support this application, but these can be seen at SCDC office in Melton.

Orford and Gedgrave Town Council and the Alde and Ore Association have placed objections and will be making a 3 minute presentation to the Development Control Committee on 17th July 2013

River Defence Committee

For all the latest information and reports on the activity of the River Defence Committee
More >

Churches of the Alde and Ore Valley

Publications

Angela Sydenham’s delightful booklet describes twenty four churches of the Alde and Ore Valley, most of which can be visited on foot from the river.
More >

Butley Ferry

The Butley Ferry is operated by volunteers organised by the Alde and Ore Association.To find out when the Ferry operates or how to volunteer. Details >