A Prayer and a Pint – Churches and Pubs of the Waveney Valley

About ten years ago, Janet and I planned a tour of the Waveney Valley, from its source at Redgrave to the sea at Gorleston, aiming to create a tourist guide to highlight the area’s hidden gems. It’s been our most exciting and enjoyable project, and we hope readers will share in the pleasure of exploring the region, especially its historic churches and pubs.

Author Christopher Reeve, born in Bungay in 1946, studied at St. Andrew’s University, Scotland, earning an M.Theol. (Hons). He worked at Bury St. Edmunds Museum, eventually becoming Keeper of Fine & Decorative Arts. In 2000, he joined Waveney District Council as Community Project Officer for Bungay, where he met Janet Peachey, his counterpart in Beccles. They’ve remained close friends since. In retirement, Christopher has become a prolific author, focusing on Bungay and East Anglian history. His works include Paranormal Suffolk (2009), Norwich: The Biography (2012), and The Literary Heritage of East Anglia (2025).

Photographer Janet Peachey, educated in Diss, holds a BA in Geography and a Certificate in Landscape History & Archaeology. She began amateur photography while working for the Norfolk Rural Community Council, using images to support her reports. She met Christopher in 2008 while working as a Rural Project Officer in Beccles. Their shared passion for community, history, and landscape sparked a lasting friendship and creative collaboration.