Farm Stay East Anglia

A Day Out in Bury St Edmunds

The delightful market town of BURY ST EDMUNDS has much to offer the visitor with its intriguing architecture, stunning floral displays in the ABBEY GARDENS and the colourful street market on Wednesdays & Saturdays as well as a good variety of shops. It is home to one of the country's oldest and smallest theatres, the THEATRE ROYAL, and the smallest pub in Britain, the NUTSHELL.

MOYSES HALL MUSEUM displays local history & costumes. The CATHEDRAL next to the Abbey Gardens is an interesting blend of old and new, and the fabulous new TOWER dominates the sky line.

WALKING TOURS around the Cathedral with Blue Badge Guides bring history alive - book at the Tourist Information Centre on the Angel Hill. There is a good shop and the REFECTORY provides that welcome cup of tea. Other tours, on Saturdays, by Brother Jocelyn & William Hunter bring the Benedictine ABBEY RUINS to life. The two great gateways are the best preserved remains. The local Brewery, Greene King, provides Brewery Tours and a fascinating museum.

For those that enjoy shopping the new ARC SHOPPING CENTRE offers a wide choice of shops and cafe's.

Take the A143 south from Bury to ICKWORTH HOUSE, PARK & GARDENS. The house is famous for its rotunda and houses a major collection of pictures and fine furniture and Georgian silver. There is an Italian garden and the Capability Brown park has a range of waymarked woodland walks, a deer enclosure with a hide, an adventure playground and picnic area. The BEEHIVE pub in Horringer village has an extensive menu.

Take the A143 North from Bury St Edmunds and visit Wyken Vineyards, Nr Stanton. There you will find gardens, a lovely gift shop and restaurant. Henry Watson's Potteries at Wattisfield have been established for over 200 years specialising in terracotta domestic kitchen-ware. They also have a tea room and factory gift shop.

NEWMARKET, the home of horse racing, with the Rowley Mile Racecourse taking its name from Charles II's favourite hack, is still the centre of the industry. The Jockey Club is in handsome buildings in the High Street as is the NATIONAL HORSE RACING MUSEUM which tells the story of horseracing. You can try on racing silks and ride a mechanical horse.

Regular equine minibus tours include the horses' swimming pool, a trainer's yard and a stud. You can also visit the NATIONAL STUD by appointment (Tel: 01638 663464) and look at top class thoroughbred stallions, mares & foals. There are several good fashion shops here too. There are 33 Race days from April to November!

We have B&B accommodation and holiday cottages near Bury St Edmunds in Woolpit, Elmswell, Haughley, Stowmarket, Great Finborough, Hitcham, Bradfield Combust, Lawshall, Somerton & Rede.

Back to the itineraries page