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Key details

When:

Date:

Time:

27th Oct

09:00 - 10:00

29th Oct

09:00 - 10:00

Where:

New location for 2026!
Rougham Sunflower and Pumpkin Field
Just south of Junction 45 of the A14,
3 miles east of Bury St Edmunds

Detailed directions with the map below
For your SatNav, use the postcode: IP30 9HX

See map

Pricing:

Free admission and parking.
Limited tickets available for each hour.
Please book your free ticket for your group (no card needed) to secure your time slot.

Book 1 ticket for your whole group. You do not need 1 ticket for each person in your group.

Ticket booking closes at midday on the day before the session

Pumpkins are charged individually depending on the size.

Tickets not yet available

Rougham Pumpkins: the SEN-friendly sessions

New for 2026! This year we have ticketed times for 2 SEN-friendly hours in the half term week at the Rougham Pumpkins.

On Tuesday 27th and Thursday 29th October between 9am and 10am, the pumpkin patch will only be open to those who have pre-booked tickets to come. These dedicated times are designed to provide a calm, supportive environment for individuals with Special Educational and Sensory Needs. The field will be open as usual to the wider public from 10am onwards on these days.

If you don’t need to come during the SEN-friendly hours, you are welcome to just come along to the Rougham Pumpkin Patch without booking. Find out all the pumpkin details here.

During these dedicated SEN-friendly times, visitor numbers are limited and background noise is reduced. These times are perfect for those who benefit from quieter surroundings, predictable routines and a slower pace. You are welcome to move around freely at the field, take breaks and engage in activities in a way that suits your needs.

The pumpkin patch has wide pathways through the pumpkins and wheelchair-friendly picnic benches. However, please note this is a large field and the ground is uneven after the long, hot sunny weather we have had, but will become muddy if it has recently rained.

Booking

Ticket numbers are limited for each morning session. They are free to book (no card needed) and you can bring helpers and carers with you as you need. When booking, please book 1 ticket per group (not per person) and let us know how many there will be in your group.

Location

The pumpkins are in a new field for 2026 – the same field as the sunflowers were in earlier this year. It’s just south of A14 Junction 45, about the same driving distance as the field last year. See the new location here.

Opening TIMES

On Tuesday 27th and Thursday 29th October, between 9am – 10am, the field will only be open to those who have pre-booked a tickets for the special SEN-friendly hours.

Things to do

There is plenty to enjoy with space to picnic including wheelchair-friendly benches, big bale pyramids to climb on, sandpits, football goals (please bring your own footballs), a nature-hunt challenge to keep little ones occupied, pedal tractors as well as lots of fabulous photo opportunities.

Face Painting

Face painting for children aged 3 years and older will be available most days from Face-It Face Painting (£5).

Snacks

Snacks and drinks will be provided by Roots&Co, an outlet of Roots Café, the café located at Blackthorpe Barn, 2 minutes’ drive away.
You are welcome to bring your own picnic with you too.

Dogs

Well-behaved dogs on short leads are welcome in the picnic area of the field. We have made a special little pumpkin patch for dogs; they are not allowed in the main pumpkin field due to having had too much to clean up in previous years.
Please make sure that your dog doesn’t spoil the enjoyment of other visitors at the event or block any passageways.

No Smoking

Please note that the whole pumpkin field is a No Smoking area.

Find out everything about the Rougham Pumpkins here.

Important information

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Please click the “Book Your Hour Time Slot” button or the “Book Now” button to start the booking process.
The ticket is free and you don’t need to give in any card details to secure your ticket, but please do complete the checkout process in order to receive your ticket by email.

If you don’t need to visit during the SEN-friendly hours, you are welcome to come at any other time, no booking needed – just come along!

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    • Well-behaved dogs are welcome on the picnic area and must be kept on a short lead at all times. There is a separate little pumpkin patch especially for dogs, but due to previously having had to clean up too much mess, no dogs are allowed into the main pumpkin patch. Please bring and use poop-bags.

 

    We do not recommend buying the pumpkins in the doggy pumpkin patch due to normal dog behaviour.

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Cards and Cash are both accepted around the site. Admission and parking are free.

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Picnicking is encouraged during the days, with plenty of blanket spots on the grassy area, or use the benches and deckchairs if you prefer.
Picnics are not allowed during the evening events.

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Catering will be available, offering coffees, snacks, drinks and ice cream.

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Toilet facilities are available near the entrance of the field, including an accessible toilet with baby-changing facilities.

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The field is open for wheelchairs and prams, with wide pathways through the pumpkins and wheelchair-friendly picnic benches.

However, please be aware that this is a field and the ground is uneven in places and it can be muddy if it has recently rained.

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Face-painting by the talented Face It Face Painting will be available; £5 per face for ages 3 and above.

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Things to Bring

  • Wellies if it has been raining and the ground is muddy
  • Cash or Card; admission and parking are free, but you may like to buy some pumpkins, a coffee or get your child’s face painted. Card is preferred but cash is accepted
  • Gloves for carrying the pumpkins, if you need them
  • Camera for taking pictures; tag us @roughamestate

Please Note

We will do our very best to make sure that the pumpkin field is open at the time you have booked. However this is an outdoor field and sometimes weather and other reasons outside our control can mean that the field cannot be opened to the public at certain times.
Should we not be able to open the field for the time you have booked to visit, we will let you know as soon as possible, using the contact details you have given us.

Rougham Sunflower and Pumpkin Field, south of A14, Junction 45

Address: For your SatNav, use the postcode: IP30 9HX
Parking:

On arriving at the Sunflower and Pumpkin Field you will be directed by a member of staff to park; there is ample parking on grass.

The sunflowers and pumpkins are in a new field for 2026

Directions:

The field is just east of Bury St. Edmunds, easily accessible from the A14 and clearly sign-posted from Junction 45.

How to get there

From J45, A14 Eastbound Carriageway:

  1. turn left (first exit) on the roundabout at the end of the A14 slip road
  2. go under the A14 bridge
  3. at the T junction turn right, by the white house and entrance to Blackthorpe Barn
  4. follow this lane for about half a mile until you reach Elderstub Lane on the left
  5. turn left down Elderstub Lane and the entrance is about 150yds on the right

From the J45, A14 Westbound Carriageway:

  1. turn right at the end of the A14 slip road
  2. at the T junction turn right, by the white house and entrance to Blackthorpe Barn
  3. follow this lane for about half a mile until you reach Elderstub Lane on the left
  4. turn left down Elderstub Lane and the entrance is about 150yds on the right
Do I need to book to visit the pumpkin patch?

You don’t need to book to enter the pumpkin patch, just come along, unless you would like to visit during the SEN-friendly sessions, where you need to book a free ticket.
For the Pumpkins by Torchlight events, you are welcome to just turn up. No booking is needed. However if you would like to take part in the Silent Disco, you will need to book the headsets.

Is there an entrance fee?

There is no entrance fee – the field is free to visit

Is there free parking?

Yes, there is plenty of free parking in the field with the sunflowers and pumpkins.

Do you have wheelbarrows at the pumpkin field?

Yes, we have plenty of wheelbarrows.
Please remember to bring your wheelbarrow back to the wheelbarrow park, at the entrance, when you’re done with it, so that someone else can use it.

Can I bring my dog to the pumpkins?

Well-behaved dogs on short leads are welcome in the picnic area of the pumpkin field.
There is a special little pumpkin patch for dogs, at the entrance to the main patch. We don’t recommend buying these pumpkins due to normal dog behaviour.
Unfortunately, due to having had to clean up after too many dogs, dogs are not allowed inside the main pumpkin patch.

  • Please keep your dog under control at all times and ensure that your dog does not disturb other people’s enjoyment of the premises or block any passageways.
Do you accept cards or cash at the pumpkin patch?

We prefer cards, but accept both cards and cash at every payment area on the field, including for the pumpkins, the nature hunt, food and drink and for face-painting.

Are there toilets at the field?

Yes, there are portaloos at the side of the field in the picnic area. There is also a baby-change unit and an accessible toilet.

Is the field suitable for wheelchairs?

Wheelchairs are welcome in the sunflower and pumpkin field. There are wood chippings down at the entrance and in other areas of high footfall, but otherwise the paths are just the earth of the field.

If it has been dry, the earth will be hard and dusty, and may be uneven in places, but if it has been raining, it could well be muddy.

There is an accessible toilet in the picnic area of the field.
Accessible parking is available near the entrance to the field.

What do I need to wear to the pumpkin field?

If it’s been dry recently, you don’t need any special clothing or footwear to visit the pumpkin field. If it’s been raining recently, the ground may be muddy and you may want to consider wearing wellies. You are welcome to wear fancy dress if you like.

What are the SEN-friendly sessions?

These are times where entrance to the sunflower and pumpkin field is ticketed to limit the number of people visiting. They happen on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 9am – 10am and are perfect for those who benefit from quieter surroundings, predictable routines and a slower pace.
During these times only those people with tickets will be given entry.

The general public are welcome to visit after 10am on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with no booking required.

Do you have baby-changing facilities?

Yes, there is a baby-changing unit in one of the portaloos

Can I bring a buggy or pram to the field?

Yes, the field is fine for buggies and prams, but please note that it is a field and can be uneven in places. If it’s been raining the ground can get muddy.

Can I eat the pumpkins?

The pumpkins are all edible, but the gourds are not. We have a big board up at the field which lists the varieties and whether they are edible or not.

Do you have a recipe for pumpkin pie?

Yes, we have a recipe for a tasty pumpkin pie at the field, or find one online.

Can I buy food and drink at the field?

Yes, we have food and drink vendors at the field. Please see the list above. Please keep an eye on this page and on our social media for any updates.

Can I bring a picnic to the field?

Yes, there are plenty of picnicking spots. Bring a blanket and a picnic, and enjoy your time here.

Can I bring a picnic to the evening events?

Unfortunately no picnics are allowed after 5pm, when the evening events start.

Where have your pumpkins and gourds been grown?

Our pumpkins and gourds are all grown right here by Rougham Estate. We don’t import any.

Most of the pumpkins are scattered across the patch exactly where they have grown, waiting to be picked. You can wander amongst them to find your perfect one.
Sometimes we move some around to create features in the field, like gathering them together to make the Pumpkin House.

Can I take photos at the field?

If your photos are purely for personal use, you are welcome to take as many pictures as you like. Do tag us @roughamestate if you post them – we love to see them!

If you are a professional photographer or are taking pictures for any for-profit/commercial reason, you are required to get a licence for the photoshoot on our private land and book a time to visit. Please see the details on this page.

Can I take drone photography of the field?

Drone photography can only be undertaken at a time when the field is not open to the public. Please get in touch to book a time.

Is there an age restriction on face painting?

Face-painting is for children aged 3 and over.
The cosmetics have only been tested for children of this age and above. Applying the paints to children younger than this could cause a lifetime of allergic reactions.

Can I put in an order for you to bulk-pick pumpkins for my event?

Unfortunately we don’t have the facilities to bulk-pick pumpkins for events. If you would like to come and pick the pumpkins yourself when we are open, you are welcome to.

Can you open the field out-of-hours for my group?

Unfortunately we are not able to open the field out-of-hours. The field is generally quieter at the beginning of the morning or later in the afternoon and you may find that these times are suitable for your visit.

Why has the sunflower and pumpkin field moved?

The sunflowers and pumpkins are in a new field for 2026. It’s about the same driving distance from J45 on the A14 as the field last year, but this year it’s to the south of the A14.

The field we have used over the past few years needs a rest from growing sunflowers and pumpkins and it’s good for the ground to grow other crops for a while.

What happens to the remaining pumpkins when the field closes?

After the field closes, a local food charity comes to get a stack of pumpkins to be cooked up to make meals and the rest of the pumpkins are for a local flock of sheep that come and graze the field, eating the pumpkins and fertilising the field for the coming year.

Never miss a thing

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We’re hiring at Roots Café!

We’re looking for a Café Supervisor to join our small, passionate team at Rougham Estate.

This is a hands-on role for someone who enjoys hospitality, loves working with people and can keep things running smoothly when the café gets busy. 

You’ll work closely with our Café Manager, helping to lead the team, oversee day-to-day service, maintain high standards and make sure every customer receives a warm welcome.

If you have experience in a café, restaurant, farm shop or similar environment, and you’re a natural leader who’s happy to roll up your sleeves, we’d love to hear from you.

£14.15 per hour
Full-time, permanent
Based at Roots Café, Rougham Estate
Free on-site parking and staff discounts

Interested? Find out more and apply via Indeed on link in our bio.

#RoughamEstate #WeAreHiring #CafeJobs #HospitalityJobs #SuffolkJobs

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Don’t miss our penultimate Plant Pop-Up of the season!

Chris from @watsons_plants will be back at Blackthorpe Barn this weekend, Friday 11th and Saturday 12th September, with a great selection of quality plants and plenty of expert advice.

If you’re thinking about giving your garden a refresh for autumn, this is a great chance to speak to Chris about what to plant, where to plant it and how to keep your garden looking its best as the seasons change.

The Plant Pop-Up is free to visit and there’s no need to book. You’ll find Chris just outside Roots Café and the Rougham Estate Shop, from 10am–4pm.

And with just one more Plant Pop-Up after this one, don’t miss out!

#RoughamEstate #WatsonsPlants

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A little change to be aware of if you’re visiting us from Friday 11 September.

Our summer car park will be closing for the season, so parking will move back to the area directly in front of Blackthorpe Barn.

As autumn approaches, we’re also starting to turn our attention to the next season here at Rougham Estate, with Christmas planning and preparations getting underway behind the scenes…

The Estate never really stands still!

Please follow the signs when you arrive and we look forward to welcoming you.

#RoughamEstate #BlackthorpeBarn #VisitorInformation

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As we head back to school and autumn starts to creep in, it’s hard to believe that our Pick Your Own Pumpkin Patch opens in just a month!

The pumpkins are growing nicely, as you can see, and we’re busy getting everything ready for another brilliant pumpkin season here at Rougham Estate.

It won’t be long until the fields are full of pumpkins and you can come and pick your perfect one.

Who’s already looking forward to pumpkin season?

#RoughamEstate #PickYourOwnPumpkins #PumpkinPatch

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Tag us @RoughamEstate

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