SUTTON Hoo celebrated its 70th anniversary with a special garden party to mark its significance as a world-renown historical site.

Colin Adwent

SUTTON Hoo celebrated its 70th anniversary with a special garden party to mark its significance as a world-renown historical site.

Simon Peachey, its visitor services manager, said more than 1,000 people attended yesterday's event which included a flypast by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

During the original garden party in 1939 a lone Spitfire flew over proceedings. Seventy years on crowds were thrilled by a Spitfire, joined by a Hurricane and a Lancaster bomber.

Among the other programme of events were performances by Woodbridge School swing band, guided tours and a re-enactment of the Sutton Hoo story.

Mr Peachey said: “We have been delighted. The day has gone really, really well. There is such a lovely atmosphere here with people relaxing on the grass, listening to the music. It's a really special day.

“The National Trust would like to say a special thank you to the Annie Tranmer Charitable Trust for their generous bequest of the Sutton Hoo estate to the National Trust in 1998.

“Today, in honour of the gift of the trustees, Sutton Hoo House is now called Tranmer House.

“Thanks to their kind gift it is now possible for the public to visit Sutton Hoo and learn about the amazing discoveries unearthed here.”

Sutton Hoo, near Woodbridge, achieved fame in 1939 when the burial ship of an Anglo-Saxon warrior king and his most treasured possessions were discovered on the site.

The undisturbed remains of the burial chamber are thought to be those of Raedwald, Anglo-Saxon king of East Anglia.