Bury St Edmunds

Bury St Edmunds is one of the hidden gems of Suffolk. It is probably most famous for the ruined Abbey that stands near to the town centre, surrounded by Abbey Gardens.

The Abbey was built as a shrine to Saint Edmund, Saxon King of the East Engles. St Edmund himself was killed by the Danes in 869AD and the Abbey was largely destroyed in the 18th Century.



Abbey Gardens is enjoyed by visitors and locals playing crazy golf on the bowling pitch, studying the birds in the menagerie or just ambling about admiring the splendid gardens.



You can find a lot of evidence of the Anglo Saxons during a stay in Bury St Edmunds. One place of particular interest is the West Stow Anglo Saxon Centre and Country Park. This attraction on the site of an old settlement that was inhabited from 420 - 650 AD. Today you will find a wonderful reconstruction of this settlement including Anglo Saxon houses that visitors can enter. The experience really brings history to life. In the Summer months the centre becomes even more realistic as costume groups mingle with visitors, answering questions on how the Anglo Saxons lived.


For a history lesson you can really taste, take a trip to the local Greene King brewery. This site has been home to a working brewery for over 200 years and opens its doors to visitors for an exhibition with a difference - you can taste the produce at the end! The attraction includes a tour of the working brew house (above) along with an opportunity to taste the beers being made there.



Bury has probably the smallest pub in the UK - The Nutshell - small but perfectly formed and offering a terrific range of brews. It also contains a grisly exhibit to ward off evil spirits - but you'll have to visit this pint sized pub to see what it is!


At the other end of the scale is the magnificant Bury Cathedral, which is well worth a tour



Bury St Edmunds has many unique features, but probably its proudest monument is the Grade 1 listed Theatre Royal. Following two years of extensive and exciting restoration, the Theatre was re-opened in September 2007. Built in 1819, this playhouse is the only surviving example of a Regency theatre in this country. It is the only theatre open to the public in the National Trust's portfolio of properties.

The Theatre presents a vibrant, year-round programme of drama, music, dance and light entertainment, featuring many of this country's leading companies and performers. We also offer a wide-ranging educational and community-based programme of activities.
To complement this work and to demonstrate just how special a building the Theatre Royal is, our ReVisit programme will offer regular guided tours of the Theatre, along with workshops and demonstrations designed to reveal what theatre-going in the early 19th century would have been like. See Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds


The Bury St Edmunds Art Gallery (above) is situated in the historic Market Cross, a fine Grade I listed building restored in the Georgian period, with foundations dating back to 1583. Renovated by the celebrated architect Robert Adam in the late 18th century, it became a theatre for the townspeople. The Art Gallery took up residence in 1972. The building retains its high ceilings, Georgian façade, elegant arched windows and is lit by magnificent Venetian crystal chandeliers. The Gallery is now a regional centre for contemporary art and craft. In addition to a programme of nationally important and regional exhibitions, it is a centre for workshops, educational activities and other events. In addition it houses a thriving Craft Shop which sells high quality craftware for top artists and makers from the region and beyond.

A real family day can be found at Ickworth House, Park and Gardens. The house itself is a sight to behold. It was built by the 4th Earl of Bristol who was know for his rather individual and eccentric tastes. He wanted the house to be oval in shape - and it is!

The house is now open to visitors and inside you are invited to view the collection of old master paintings housed there. The gardens are really lovely, a mixture of 18th Century Parklands and a more Mediterranean themed area. There is an adventure playground to burn of excess energy, family trails and also popular cycle trails.



Another excellent day out just 7 miles from Bury St Edmunds is a trip to Pakenham - this village is unique in Britain in having both a working water mill and a working windmill, and it is situated in an area of outstanding natural beauty. The 18th C water mill is on a Domesday site. A unique historical landmark, it has proved to be not only a popular attraction for mill enthusiasts, but also a source of fascination and enjoyment for tourists, ramblers, school parties, local artists and families - all looking for a day out with a difference.
See Pakenham Water Mill

So there's lots to see and do in and around Bury, and we haven't even mentioned the large Shopping Centre, the activites at Rougham Airfield nearby, the Festivals, the fabulous concerts at Blackthorpe Barn.... Watch this space, or better still come and visit Bury and see for yourself!

Please also see our article, Bury St Edmunds Hotels

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