Blooming Bury

My in-laws are located in Bury St. Edmunds, and I am happy they are.  It is a truly lovely English town, in Suffolk, north-east of London.  The town's original name was Beodericsworth, which does not sound nearly as nice.  When I tell peole its current name they think I am saying "Berrysaintedmunds", but it's a heck of a lot better than what they might think I said if I tried to enunciate Beodericsworth.

It was a Saxon royal town, and was where King Edmund was buried (thus the name I suppose), who was killed by either the Danes or the Great Heathen Army, over a squabble about renouncing Christ.  It sounds like either the Danes (or the GHA), lead by Ivar the Boneless (I kid you not), were extraordinarily thorough about their killings or Edmund was a tough nut to crack. He was first beaten, then shot with arrows, and as if that's not enough he was beheaded. After that, and some miracles that sent Ed into sainthood, and a magificent abbey waas built, begun by King Canute, who must have been taking a time out from ordering the sea to follow orders.

Unfortunately, Henry VIII had a tantrum against the church and dissolved all the monasteries, which meant taht instead of a gem of an abbey Bury St. Edmunds has some very lovely ruins that are now a park and garden.  Not exactly an even swap, but not bad. 

The town's Cathedaral is the only one in Suffolk (ya boo sucks Ipswich!)











and St.Mary's church is very lovely too.  It claims to be the third largest parish church in England, to have the second longest aisle and the largest west window, so nyah. It is also the final resting place of Henry VII's favourite sister, Mary (Rose)

There is a Norman tower, a medieval market square (still one  of the best weekly markets in England) and more Regency and Georgian examples of architecture than you can shake a stick at. 

Greene King has been brewing beers here for over 300 years.  (Old Speckled Hen is a personal favourite).  While we're on that topic, Bury St. Edmunds is proud to have Britain's smallest pub, appropriately named the Nurshell (the upstairs room has room for 4 people and a toilet):

Not impressed yet?  Well, it is home to England's oldest theatre:

And as if that is not enough, it has the honour of having built the world's first internet enable park bench!  Although I was unable to attach it to my iphone.  Maybe its technology is too advanced!:

 but perhaps best of all, Bury St. Edmunds is perpetually one of the country’s foremost Floral Towns. Yes, there is such a thing. Isn't that wonderful? And the "Bury in Bloom" competition was created to ensure it remained so. Ah yes, no one does garden competitions on a town scale quite like the British.  Excuse me but there are some roses I must take the time to smell.  Cherrio!