A great british break: Bury st edmunds
Why visit?
While the Suffolk coast attracts a good number of visitors to our shores in the summer months, the autumn is when many of Suffolk’s charming market towns and villages become the county’s lure. You don’t have to delve too deep to see why it’s so loved. It boasts many heritage sites including a cathedral, Britain’s only surviving Regency theatre, the resting place of Mary Tudor and a hotel once frequented by Charles Dickens. Stay longer and you’ll discover a perfect base for exploring the rest of Suffolk for outdoor activities and countryside walks, noteworthy eateries and stunning scenery.
Discover more of Bury St Edmunds here
Discover some of Bury St Edmunds main attractions
Things to do
The town is hugely walkable and compact, with a cobbled core that’s partially pedestrianised at the weekend. For an introduction to the area, 900-year-old Moyse’s Hall Museum is a good starting point, where the brilliantly eclectic exhibits range from the ornate (centuries-old gold artefacts) to the macabre (a book bound in human skin). There’s also an entire room of clocks.


Behind the cathedral, you’ll discover Abbey Gardens. Follow the path around the manicured flowerbeds and lawns to the ruins of the 11th-century Abbey of St Edmund, once one of the most important monasteries in Europe. The crumbling remains range from outlines of rooms to walls standing 20ft high. There’s even a smattering of fascinating structures that look like cave dwellings: 16th- to 18th-century homes built into the ruins.
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Beyond bury st edmunds

where to stay
It’s hard to miss the ivy-clad exterior of the Angel hotel, opposite the Abbey Gardens. Rooms are spacious and enjoy a delicious dinner and drinks in the recently refurbished restaurant and bar.