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Town in Suffolk, England
Photo: Sebastian Ballard, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Bury St Edmunds, or simply Bury, is a historic market town of 40,000 people (2011) in the county of Suffolk, in England. The town's medieval heritage is still visible in much of the street plan of the town centre which has not changed in 1000 years. Bury is also famous for its floral displays, and has won many awards for these, including the prestigious 'Nations in Bloom' title, contested by towns and cities worldwide.
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Boasts wonderful flower displays and excellent lawns providing a beautiful relaxed environment to spend a sunny afternoon in summer. The gardens also contain a children's playground and a bridge from which the many ducks and geese may be fed. Don't miss the sensory garden designed for people with visual impairments and focusing on sound and scent rather than colorful flower arrangements as the rest of the gardens. The ruins of the Benedictine monastery are freely open to wander around; and the Great Churchyard opening out from the Abbey Gardens towards St Mary's Church provides an atmospheric walk.
Art gallery and concert hall.
The largest independent brewery in the UK. Provides tours. You can sample local Greene King ales in almost any local pub.
Visitors are welcome to look around the Cathedral on their own. It was built as one of the Abbey's churches, and was made a Cathedral in 1914. Extensive additions in the Gothic style in the 1960s to early 2000s, culminating in the magnificent Tower completed as a Millennium Project.
Moyse's Hall is inside one of the oldest standing buildings in Bury St Edmunds. A small museum, but with interesting exhibits, mostly focused on local history.
The sole surviving Regency playhouse in the UK, which has been restored to its former glory. Owned by the National Trust but runs a full theatrical programme. Guided tours available.
Located in Horringer, a small village 5 minutes drive away from Bury St Edmunds, Ickworth House and Parks is the National Trust property and former residence of the Marquis of Bristol. The splendid house is set in acres of grounds, including elegantly sculpted gardens, lakes, walks, a children's play area and a deer enclosure.
Explore Bury St Edmunds and its history with several walking tours on offer with Registered Guides.
Escape Rooms
Escape rooms.
Held annually in May/June, the Bury Festival is growing quickly. With outdoor events held in the Abbey Gardens and others at various venues around the town, the festival hosts a combination of film, theatre, music (pop and classical), arts, comedy and other things to appeal to travellers.
Probably the best restaurants in Bury, Maison Bleue menu focuses on fish. Modern decor, and a convenient situation in the town centre add to the attractions of this restaurant which has sister restaurants in Lavenham and Ipswich. Suffolk might be quintessentially British, but some French charm does not go amiss with a delightfully fishy menu
Coffee shop serving tasty homemade meals such as soup, pasta, a wide range of sandwiches, toasties, salads and homemade cakes. Excellent coffees.
Indian Restaurant
VC is a modern Indian restaurant in the heart of Bury St Edmunds. Good service and great food combine with a contemporary interior to provide a very enjoyable experience.
A pub/restaurant that brews three of its own beers in an otherwise Greene King-dominated town. Reasonably priced good food and drink.
Tasty and reasonable Chinese food (with a bias towards noodle-based dishes). Lots of options for vegetarians.
Bar & Grill
A great traditional afternoon tea - wide range of teas, coffees, scones, cakes, sandwiches and other food. Can be very busy, especially around lunchtime on a Sa & occasionally service is slow, but it is worth waiting for. Occasionally they have a live pianist.
Feast not only your appetite, but your eyes on the decadent architecture and interiors of the Ickworth. With local food given an extravagant twist by up and coming chef Lee Childs.
One of the smallest pubs in Britain, and worth a visit if you can fit in. More than five people, and it's impossible to sit down. They also sell tshirts with a woodcarving style picture of the pub on them. A friendly and welcoming pub - step inside and feel like a regular. Apparently haunted. There is a dead cat on the roof.
Chic, child-friendly pub, the food gets great reviews.
Pub & Food
Probably the best pub in Bury St Edmunds to watch football. Several large screens and can show more than one match at the once. Not particularly remarkable otherwise.
Has shaken off its reputation for underage drinking, provides a warm, comfortable environment and serves good food. Known as a good student pub, with nice concrete garden and plenty of seats.
One of the best pubs in Bury with rank people and bands providing a lively, if sometimes eccentric, atmosphere. The vibe is fantastic though.
A dive which has Strongbow at £3 and happy hour from 5PM-7PM, so is perhaps only worth the one visit. Occasional fights can be viewed for your entertainment in the evenings although these are normally limited to the weekends. Joining in with the entertainment is not recommended as serious injury may occur; view from a safe distance.
Upstairs nightclub, downstairs bar/restaurant.
Opulent surroundings in this large 75-bedroom hotel. Perched at the top of Angel Hill, just outside the Abbey Gardens, the Angel is Bury St Edmunds' most famous hotel. Once home to Charles Dickens and (later) Angelina Jolie, the hotel is one of Bury's landmarks. The imposing ivy-clad exterior hides well appointed rooms and an excellent restaurant and bar.
Despite its location very close to the town centre and only about one minutes walk from the Abbey Gardens, the Chantry Hotel is quiet and secluded, away from the busier and noisier parts of Bury St Edmunds.
Stylish modern hotel in knock-through of two Victorian town houses. Good dining.
ex Ramada
Former Ramada hotel with 71 rooms. Onsite parking. Each room includes bath and/or shower, work desk, flat screen freeview TV and complimentary WiFi. Some rooms have been adapted to allow for easier access.
Attractive Tudor-style country house hotel set in secluded gardens in the heart of Suffolk
Gorgeous 16th-century hall, luxury accommodation and mouth-watering food.
Woodland glamping in pods and lodges, most open year-round.
Beautiful rooms in a farmhouse cottage. Check-in and meals are at The Bull Inn.
The town fills with stalls selling coffee, fruit & veg, pictures, flowers, hardware, etc. Worth a visit, but sometimes the fruit & veg can be a little over ripe. Some good bargains.
Clothes.
Supermarket
ATMs. Petrol (different hours). Pharmacy (different hours)
Supermarket
sales, accessories, parts & workshop
sales, accessories, parts & workshop
By sea
Bury St Edmunds is about 50 miles (80 km) inland of the easternmost coast of England.
By rail
From Scotland and the north and midlands of England, avoiding London:
By coach/bus
From Scotland and the north and midlands of England, avoiding London:
By car
The A14 is the main road serving Bury St Edmunds. It runs from Birmingham to Felixstowe and connects the town to London (via the M11/A11). Pay and display parking is available in the centre of town.
By bicycle
On foot
Almost all of Bury St Edmunds is accessible on foot. The town is small and even from the furthest points, it is not more than a 45-minute walk to the centre.
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