Eurasian otters. Railways Halesworth railway station is connected to Ipswich and Lowestoft. Services are available to Lowestoft and Ipswich and are run by Abellio Greater Anglia. Other dates of importance to rail travel are 1854, when the railway arrived in Halesworth, 1859, when the station moved to its present position as the line was extended to Lowestoft, 1888, when a moveable platform was installed. It was renewed in 1922 and restored in 1999, so allowing the platforms to be extended across the adjacent level crossing. In 1958, Norwich Road railway bridge opened as an alternative to that level crossing. From 24 September 1879 until 11 April 1929 the narrow-gauge Southwold Railway connected Halesworth to Southwold. There were plans by the Southwold Railway Society to revive the railway, partly on the original track and partly on new formation, but these have now been abandoned in favour of a railway park, to be situated at Southwold. St Mary's Church Halesworth is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, recording Ulf the priest to be in charge of the parish. The present church is essentially early 15th century, with outer aisles built and restoration taking place in the late 19th century. At the time of the restoration, some evidence was uncovered of a round-tower church on the site. The carved Danestones in the church, depicting hands clutching foliage or tails, were found in the church during the 19th century and could be part of a cross shaft. Their original location is unknown, as is their date. However, Pevsner in The Buildings of England mentions them as being part of an Anglo-Saxon frieze, with a suggested date of the later 9th century. St Mary's became the centre of the eight-parish Halesworth Team Ministry in the 1980s. With the 1996 addition of the parishes of Bramfield, Thorington and Wenhaston, it is now part of the Blyth Valley Team Ministry of eleven parishes. The statue of the Madonna and Child in the Lady Chapel was fashioned from driftwood by Peter Eugene Ball. Pubs There are historical records of some 30 pubs in Halesworth. At present there are five: the White Hart, the White Swan, the Angel, Chinnys Sports Bar and the Triple Plea. Sports Halesworth has a 27-hole golf club. Halesworth Town F.C., Wenhaston United F.C.are the local football clubs. Halesworth also has a tennis club with courts and has a bowls club both located at