Tucked alongside the River Orwell on the stunning Shotley peninsula, Freston Tower is an imposing building with a rich history stretching back nearly 550 years.

Now filmmakers plan to use Freston as part of fairytale journey through south Suffolk.

Once Upon A Time in Suffolk will be based on a series of fairytale-inspired stories featuring John Constable and his best friend and fellow painter John Dunthorne.

View ffrom the top of Freston Tower (Picture: Nub News)

The movie, which is being filmed across East Anglia and produced by crew members from the region, will see the pair go on a fairytale journey after winning a commission.

They will travel from East Bergholt to the banks of the River Orwell where they will find a lady with long blonde hair living in a tower, think Brothers Grimm Rapunzel or classic myth Perseus, with a Shotley peninsula twist.

Legend has it that before merchant Thomas Gooding bought the manor from Christopher Latimer in 1553, the tower was used as part of the education for the beautiful Ellen De Freston.

It is said that each day she studied a different subject on each floor - charity, tapestry, music, painting, literature, then astronomy on the top floor as the stars twinned above the Orwell.

A room in the current Freston Tower (Picture: Nub News)

However, this has been debunked with experts claiming the tower was built in 1578 to coincide with the visit of Queen Elizabeth I to Ipswich.

It was subsequently used in part as a warehouse, a watch tower looking out for pirates and merchant ships returning to the county town.

Now owned by the Landmark Trust, after it was gifted to them in 1999 by the previous owner Claire Hunt the tower is now used as holiday accommodation.

Crews are planning to film in the summer with the aim of releasing the movie in locals cinemas in 2025.