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Travellers along the A14 road may be intrigued by the skyline of
Bury St Edmunds - its Sugar Beet Factory suggests large-scale industrialization;
the Cathedral Tower and spire of St John’s Church stand as
beacons of dignity. Signs on the approach to the town offer more
information but the key message is, stop off and enjoy one of the
most fascinating market towns in the Country.
The pedestrianised areas of Bury St Edmunds encourage those on foot
to stroll at will through the town, to take in its beauty and study
its features so we suggest that firstly you make the journey into
town by bus, train or taxi or leave your car on one of the car parks.
Then you will be ready to try some of the options we have listed,
perhaps all of them if you are a resident or visiting the town for
a few days. Our list is not in any order of importance and we realise
that there are many additional attractions.
Enter the Abbey Gardens
through its main gate (remembering that this was only one third
the  size
of the original Abbey Church). Within lie the
ruins of the town’s abbey which held the shrine
to St Edmund, the Saxon King of the East Angles, who was martyred
by the invading Danes in the autumn of 869 AD. The ruins show the
site of the high altar where in 1214 the Country’s barons
met and swore that they would force King John to accept the Charter
of Liberties, later known as the Magna Carta. The past turbulent
times of the town climaxed in the 16th century with the dissolution
of monasteries and the large-scale destruction of the Abbey. The
award winning Gardens are
not only picturesque, tranquil and restful but family friendly offering
a children’s play area, an aviary and wild life. There is
also added renown for being able to access the internet via a park
bench!
Various exits exist from the Gardens, one being via the Herbal
Garden into the grounds of
St Edmundsbury Cathedral, Suffolk’s
only cathedral with parts dating back to 1503. Additions made since
include the Millennium  Tower,
completed in 2005, and cloisters. Emerging on its southern side
the ancient vista continues with the Norman
Tower (formerly St James’ Gate), built between
1120 and 1148 by Abbot Anselm and being one of only two surviving
gatehouses along the Abbey’s precinct walls. Ancient and modern
combine with the bronze statue of
St Edmund by Dame Elizabeth Frink, commissioned
by West Suffolk County Council in 1974 to commemorate the end of
970 years of independent administration of the area. The adjacent
Churchyard provides an interesting walk and historic insight through
the inscriptions of gravestones and monuments. Beyond the Churchyard
can be found the Courts, Shire Hall
(a former venue for local administration), the Police
Station and Manor
House (previously a museum).
The southern end of Sparhawk Street brings you to St Mary’s
Square and the site of a planter of architectural interest before
entering Westgate Street to glimpse the Theatre
Royal. Built in 1819 this grade I listed building
is the sole surviving example of a Regency playhouse in this country
and has been perfectly maintained and preserved. Opposite lies the
Greene King Visitor Centre
and brewery, one of the town’s key industries established
in 1799. Tours and tastings are available.
Alongside, Crown Street takes you to
St Mary’s Church with its unique hammer-beam
‘angel’ roof and the tomb of Mary Rose Tudor, sister
of Henry VIII. Re-entering Angel Hill there are many buildings to
view, including those with a French or Dickensian connection. The
Athenaeum is a wonderful
grade I listed building with a Georgian chandeliered ballroom. The
Angel Hotel and 7
Angel Hill (the former offices of the Borough Council)
impressively watch over the bustling square; the
War Memorial provides its own poignant memories;
the Pillar of Salt was
Britain’s first illuminated street sign. Streets to the east
of Angel Hill add to the attractions, each illustrating individual
historic characteristics.
The Town Centre can be reached from many directions, not least via
Abbeygate Street at the end of which is the Corn
Exchange, a splendid Victorian listed  building
that serves as a reminder of the area’s agricultural connections.
Roaming the historic area of the town centre, one can pop into Guildhall
Street to see the Guildhall,
a place associated with the struggles for the townspeople’s
independence and the former home of the Town Council.
Balancing the opportunities to visit the shops in the streets in
and around the Buttermarket and Cornhill or to meander among the
town’s market stalls on Wednesdays and Saturdays, the sightseeing
continues. A statue of St Edmund within Cornhill Walk shopping centre
serves to remind us of the town’s patron saint.
Moyse’s Hall Museum occupies one of East Anglia’s
oldest town houses and is full of mystery and intrigue. Accessible
to all and featuring themed displays on local and social history,
the Suffolk Regiment, crime and punishment including The Red Barn
Murder; witchcraft, horology and timepieces, fine art and costume.
Plenty of ‘hands-on’ activity and quizzes for children.
A programme of events for the year  is
available which includes lectures, tours with a Victorian gentleman,
seasonal activities and living history events. Loan boxes covering
a wide range of eras are available for school and community use.
Opposite is the Boer War memorial.
A mix of architecture can be found in the facades of premises, notably
in the Market Cross,
the only public building of Robert Adam in East Anglia, housing
Bury St Edmunds Art Gallery where fine art and craft exhibitions
and local arts are displayed. Along the Traverse are two intriguing
public houses - the Cupola
with its literary association and the Nutshell
holding the claim as Britain’s smallest pub.
St John’s Street paves the way to an array of independent
shops marked by the landmark of the spire of St
John’s Church.
In 2009, arc, a new
development extended the town centre to provide a vibrant and contemporary
shopping area and The Apex, a
large public venue. Bringing together the new and old aspects of
Bury St Edmunds has proved challenging but has ensured that the
town can enhance its reputation as a prominent tourist attraction
and continue to be a progressive and competitive area of trade and
commerce.
By now, if you have delved into some or all of the sites you should
also have found for yourself somewhere suitable in which to eat
or drink within a town that has a blend of top class restaurants,
cafés, bars, dining and take-away establishments. All allow
you to add this as a memorable and refreshing part of your experience.
This guide has inevitably focused on areas of the town within relatively
easy walking distance but there are many other places just outside
its centre that are worthy of a visit or just to view the architecture.
Examples include the many splendid and quaint churches, the Suffolk
Regiment Museum, West Suffolk College, the Sports Centre, West Suffolk
House (the combined local administrative centre for services of
St Edmundsbury Borough and Suffolk County Councils), the Railway
and Bus Stations, the Library, Moreton Hall and the British Sugar
factory.
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