Gallery: Easter celebrated in Tudor style at Kentwell Hall while modern-day egg hunts took place elsewhere in Suffolk

Easter egg hunt organised by the Sorrell Horse pub in Shottisham. Niamh Venediger and Bethany Cornwell-Dunnett (Image: Archant)

Where chocolate was on the minds of many, for others it was time to recognise the most important festival in the Christian calendar.

People helped to fill the congregations at churches and places of worship across the country to spread the Easter message, and there was a traditional Tudor Day at Kentwell Hall, in Long Melford.

Visitors experienced more than 100 Tudors celebrating with music, dancing, a play, hot cross bun making and other events and some children even arrived in their own costumes, keen to help bring history to life.

From Good Friday through to Tuesday, traditional games were taking place on the front lawns, including a raw egg-rolling race to see how far it could go without breaking. It was followed by a giant game of egg smashing - similar to a game of conkers but much messier.

The raw eggs were for sale at the start line of the games, with proceeds donated to East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices, while hot cross buns from the bakery were on sale with proceeds going to St Nicholas Hospice Care.

The Easter Bunny made an appearance at the games and went on to play a game of hide and seek. Children had to follow his trail of hay all over Kentwell to find the bunny in his hiding place and receive a chocolate egg.

There was an indoor craft hatchery offering arty Easter activities such as face painting, egg decorating, daffodil making and Easter basket making.

Francesca Wade, from the hall’s marketing department, said: “It was the first year we’d had a dedicated Easter craft area and it went down really well. Overall Easter was a huge success.”

Nearby, the Long Melford Playgroup’s children took part in their annual Easter Bonnet Competition.

Youngsters made cakes with staff and celebrated the beginning of spring by inviting parents to come along and join in with an indoor picnic – they also played in the garden which has a willow teepee.

Polly Durrant, at the Ufford Crown, said the pub’s popular annual egg hunt had gone down well and 50 children had helped raise £250 for charity. She said: “We did something a little bit different this year – we did a treasure hunt and they had to find some chocolates to get the eggs.

“The money raised will go to the Evelina Children’s Hospital, which is a fantastic charity. It’s been really great to see everybody together before the Easter Bank Holiday weekend and really enjoying themselves.”

There were also egg hunts at the community-run Sorrel Horse, in Shottisham, today, and at Elmhurst Park, in Woodbridge, on Saturday – which ended early because organisers had given out all of their 505 eggs.

Dawn Shanahan, manager at the Sorrel Horse, said the hunt was part of a fun-packed day of activities for the whole family.

She said: “We’ve had a very, very busy weekend considering the weather and everything else. We wanted a lot more to turn out but we have had a good number and it’s been a very positive couple of days.

“There’s a singer outside, a bar outside and a barbecue and everyone’s been having fun.”

See tomorrow’s paper for more Easter photos.