Bury St Edmunds man Arthur Debenham, former rallycross commentator and Bury Free Press columnist, publishes book on Suffolk
A legendary former motorsport commentator who now lends his distinctive voice to Suffolk coach tours has published a book on his beloved home county.
Bury St Edmunds man Arthur Debenham, 84, has released ‘Suffolk My Home County’ after starting the project during the coronavirus lockdown.
Mr Debenham, who was a motorsport commentator, including rallycross, for 43 years, said the book accompanies his coach tours – but is also a standalone read on this fascinating county.
“It’s got chapters on various aspects of the county – the rivers, the coast, the coastal industry, the milling, the windmills, watermills and even the tidemill at Woodbridge,” said Mr Debenham, a former Bury Free Press motorsport columnist.
“I have tried to write it different to any other. It’s a bit of a guide book I suppose in a way. If you want to find out about Suffolk it’s the book you need.”
Mr Debenham said Suffolk was a ‘wonderful county’ for its history, adding the book also contains a chapter on well-known people who were born here. “The history of Suffolk is quite incredible.”
Mr Debenham launched ‘Suffolk County Tours’, which start and finish from Bury St Edmunds Bus Station, in 2008 with his late wife Adrienne. This was following trial runs the previous year with Mulleys bus company.
The idea was to provide guided coach tours with full commentary around the county as the couple felt many people were unaware of most of what the county has to offer.
Mr Debenham said during a holiday to Jersey with Adrienne, the tour manager was under the impression Suffolk was flat and that Constable Country was in Kent!
In the introduction to this, his third published book, he says he hopes he has created something ‘you will hopefully enjoy almost as much as the tours’.
Mr Debenham runs his popular tours from April to September.
Suffolk My Home County can be purchased from the tourist information point at St Edmundsbury Cathedral shop in Bury and Corn Craft at Monks Eleigh.
