Fritton Decoy

Boathouses on Fritton Decoy

Fritton Decoy is a beautiful ribbon of water in northeastern Suffolk, belonging to the Suffolk Broads, bearing the name also of Browston Broad. It stretches from close to St Olaves on the River Waveney, into which its waters drain, eastward to west of Hopton on Sea. It does not connect directly to the North Sea.

Fritton lies on the western borders of Lothingland, and gives name to a beautiful lake,known as Fritton Decoy, though its waters are included in the boundaries of severalparishes.

The village of Fritton, from which it takes its name, is at the west end of the water; Fritton Old Hall stands by the north bank.

The waters rising as a stream near Hopton on Sea and Lound, and flow westward away from the sea in a winding course as a quiet rill for about a mile, until the Decoy swells into the wide mere; Briowston Broad. The broad water streaches for more than two miles in a western direction in graceful curves which are in some parts nearly a quarter of a mile wide, until closes again into a narrow creek. The creek then flows past the ruins of St Olave's Priory to enter the tidal waters of the Waveney.

The shoresof the water are fringed with woodland, known as the Decoy Grounds. The lake itself is home to pike, perch, and eels and Broadland wildfowl.

References

• 52°32’53"N, 1°39’51"E
• Fritton Decoy