The Watch House, Orford

The Watch House is a small waterside exhibition space on Orford Quay, on the Suffolk coast at the far end of Orford village near the mouth of the River Ore. Trading as Orford Quay Gallery, it sits on the left-hand side of the quay, with visitor parking in the large car park just before the water. Rather than maintaining a fixed stable of artists, the building runs a rotating programme of short, mostly week-long solo exhibitions by individual painters, printmakers and other artists working in and around Suffolk. Recent shows have included marine and historical paintings and work by artists such as Spadge Hopkins, with each exhibition changing over roughly weekly. Its position on the quay, overlooking the moorings and the estuary toward Orford Ness, makes it a popular stop for walkers and visitors to the village during the exhibition season.