The World Tour of Bury St. Edmunds

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Tomorrow I am giving a tour of Bury St. Edmunds to one of my colleagues. These tours are occasional but they evolve each time as my perception of the town’s history changes – I have never codified it, however, so I shall set out briefly here the main sights and what I would say about them. Let us assume, for the sake of argument, that I begin at Moyse’s Hall:

Moyses Hall: An opportunity to talk about Norman Bury, Abbot Baldwin and the grid plan. I would also mention the spurious identification of the building as a synagogue and its later use as the gaol. I would speak about the Beast Market and the execution of 18 witches here in 1645 – but leave the rest of the story until later. Then proceeding down Cornhill I would point out…

Oakes and Bevan: Now Lloyd’s Bank, and explain its unusual sign. I would then turn left into…

Abbeygate Street: Or Cook Row as I often insist on calling it. The main feature is the room above Jumper’s, which was a nonconformist meeting house in the 17th century – this gives me the opportunity to talk about nonconformism in Bury. I would turn right into…

Hatter Street and explain the derivation of ‘Hatter’ from ‘heathenman’ (this used to be the Jewish quarter). I would tell the story of the Bury pogrom, the role the Jews played in the life of the Abbey, and their expulsion from England. Then I would turn right into

Churchgate Street, and walk past the Unitarian Meeting House (about which I have an amusing story), then turn right again down Guildhall Street which takes me past…

The Guildhall – an opportunity to talk about Jankyn Smyth, the Guildhall Feoffees and the historic conflict between the town and Abbey, as well as the numerous charters of the town.

James Oakes’ house – I talk about the famous diarist and his brewing business, predecessor of Greene King.

I now walk up to the Market Cross (and talk about Robert Adam’s contribution to the town) and the Cupola, where I would speak about Defoe and Celia Fiennes, as well as Thomas Macro, his manuscript-collecting son Cox, and the Battely family who shared his profession. I then return to Abbeygate Street via picturesque and malodorous Skinner Street (ah, how I love Skinner Street…).

On Angel Hill I would explain the history of the Assembly Rooms (as the ‘Athenaeum’ is correctly known) and the Angel Hotel; its appearance in The Pickwick Papers, and how it used to be a wonderful provincial hotel (Vanity Fair engravings and threadbare armchairs with cigar holes burnt in them) but is now awful and trendy. I would cross the road to the Abbey Gateway and point out its misalignment with the entrance to Abbeygate Street, thus giving me my opening to speak at length about the riots of 1327 and the later Peasants’ Revolt – as we pass into the courtyard of the Abbot’s Palace I explain the powers of the Abbot, his conflicts with the chapter, etc. When we reach the ruins of the Abbot’s Palace I talk about my mastermind topic (the Jesuits in Bury in the 17th century) until my victim either screams or walks away.

I then walk straight to the site of the nave altar and try to get my victim to visualise the dimensions and space of the Abbey Church, explaining the shrine of St. Edmund (and, if necessary, the story of St. Edmund) as I go along. I also point out the probable site of St. Sigebert’s 7th century monastery under the tennis courts. From here I show my victim the cloisters and exit behind St. James’ church, where I talk about the statue of St. Edmund and the evil tyranny of Suffolk County Council, since it commemorates the destruction of our own INDEPENDENT county administration. Underneath the Norman Tower, I introduce my victim to the West Front and again, try to get them to visualise the Abbey in all its glory. Whilst admiring the architectural achievement of the Norman Tower, I also throw in mentions of Master Hugo, the Bury Cross and the Bury Bible.

From here we visit St. James’ – chief points of interest the Suzanna Window and the replica of the Bury Cross in the Treasury – and the new tower etc. if you like new things. Next comes St. Mary’s and the tombs of Catherine Bond and Gascoigne Young, Bury’s Jacobite hero – not forgetting John Reeve and Mary Tudor, Queen of France. Backtracking, we head past the Martyrs’ Memorial and into the Great Churchyard, from which, given half a chance, I may never emerge. Here I expound on 17th and 18th century funerary monumental styles, and pay particular attention to the tomb of Mary Haselton and the others on the charnel house; there is also the Nottyngham Porch and the site of St. Margaret’s, which gives me an opportunity to talk about the Grammar School and its great 16th century Master, John Fenn. Here is also the Manor House, giving me an opportunity to talk about James Burrough (and even the Herveys if I have sufficient patience) and Mustow Street, site of the Bury Mint. On this topic, as well, I shall talk until my victim screams.

We now pass the Dog and Partridge, formerly the Mermaid Tavern, and emerge on Westgate Street by the Theatre Royal and the Brewery, which are both briefly dealt with. I then move on to the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception and St. Edmund’s, the climax of the tour, detailing the revival of the Jesuit mission. If those participating in the tour have a particular interest in Catholic history, it should also include the Southgate and Risbygate Street missions, of course.

This covers most of the things I find interesting – though doubtless in the future I shall identify others.

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