Car Hire Bury St Edmunds - Mini guide to Bury St Edmunds
Once home to one of the most powerful monasteries in mediaeval Europe, Bury St Edmunds has seen glory, turmoil and scandal over the centuries of which few small towns could boast. Picturesquely located on the banks of the Lark River in Suffolk, ‘Bury’ remains a busy and beautiful market town at the heart of East Anglia.
A visit to the ruins of the famous monastery is a must. Founded around 630, the monastery has been named after St Edmund, the martyred Saxon East Anglian king who was buried here in the early 10th century. In 1020 the Danish king of England, Canute II, established a Benedictine abbey on the site that became one of the most important in England. In 1214 the English barons met in the abbey and took a vow to force King John to accede to their demands. This action led to the granting of Magna Carta in 1215. Entered via the Abbey Gate or the Norman Tower, the abbey precinct encompasses the giant ruins of the abbey, the splendid Abbey Gardens, the Cathedral Church of St James and St Mary's Church.
A fine collection of public buildings in the town centre includes the Athenaeum, which opened in 1714 as an Assembly House and has been a centre for social life ever since. Bury St Edmunds is also home to the much-loved Theatre Royal, one of the oldest and smallest working theatres in the country, and to a selection of interesting museums and galleries including the Art Gallery, Manor House Museum and Moyse's Hall Museum. A pleasant stroll along the Stepping Stones Heritage Walk is a great way to become acquainted with the town's finest buildings.
Bury has plenty of quality accommodation, award-winning restaurants (serving local food and drink), and a charming night scene centered around atmospheric pubs and bars.
The surrounding Suffolk countryside offers much of the best of England; quintessential English villages, fresh fish direct from the fishing boats, plus ivy-clad churches situated down lanes that time forgot. Seek out the tombs of the Anglo-Saxon kings buried at Sutton Hoo, and enjoy touring the scenic farmlands and rolling hills.
The nearest of the London airports is Stansted, which has a growing number of services from within the British Isles and mainland Europe. Access to the other London Airports is good via the M25 or by rail via London (regular train options changing in Cambridge and Ely, duration: 1 hour, 45 mins). Nearby Norwich has services from several British and European cities.
