This beautiful corner of East Anglia inspired not one, but two, of this country’s greatest ever painters, John Constable and Thomas Gainsborough. Constable was born in the Stour Valley and many of his most famous landscapes were painted around here; you can still see many of his subjects to this day. Gainsborough, who was best known as a portrait artist, was born in Sudbury, and once said 'portraiture is my profession, landscapes are my pleasure' and we can only assume the beautiful local views played a part in this standpoint.
2009 marks the 250th anniversary of Scottish poet Robert Burns' birth. Burns was a poet and a lyricist and is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland.
The Burns Supper was started a few years after his death by a group of his friends; they held the supper to honour and remember Burns. The tradition caught on and the ritual of Burns Supper is now held all around the world.
His life and work will be celebrated throughout the year at many Burns-related events.
