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The Abbey of St Edmund, Reborn

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Connecting a fragmented site, a unified concept

Engaging new and existing audiences with the heritage of the site

  • Conserving the Abbey ruins
  • Creating a Visitor Centre / West Cloister
  • Improving footpath networks
  • Increasing biodiversity in the Abbey area (18.5% BNG)
  • Providing year-round community engagement programmes
  • Connecting the Abbey area with Cathedral and Town

Shire Hall car park, biodiversity and access

River Lark & Linnett, biodiversity net gain

Gt. Churchyard, biodiversity net gain

Rivers Lark & Linnett

Conserving Abbey ruins

Norman Tower access improvements

St Marys Church, path resurfacing

New and improved paths between Cathedral and Abbey Garden

Cathedral Quire ramp

Cathedral South door ramp

New paths through the Abbey ruins

Visitor Centre and Garth landscape

Entrance from Angel Hill

Abbey Gate

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Cathedral Garth and unstable Anselm building

Archaeology Structural issues

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New West Cloister Clipsham Line Stone

Multi-purpose landscape, retaining the Edmund Rose

Re-purposed Angel Hill buildings

‘Edmund Blue’

Retained Anselm Building and new single-story extension

Suffolk White Buff

Visitor Centre and West Cloister

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Visitor Centre

Edmund’s Abbey

Edmund’s Land

Sacred Bones

Medieval Mind

Edmund’s People

After Edmund

Edmund’s Town

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The Abbey of St Edmund Heritage Partnership

Other Delivery Partners

Community Engagement

47 coordinated activities

  • 16 heritage engagement activities

  • 10 biodiversity projects

  • 2 archaeological projects

  • 6 creative and cultural programmes

  • 8 capacity building opportunities

  • 5 staff posts

  • 2 conservation apprenticeships

  • 200 volunteering placements, 21 training opportunities across 19 roles

  • Sustainable income and operation model

28 local youth groups 30 local charities

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National significance

Emotional & physical experience

Supports wellbeing and reflection

Sustainable cultural tourism and local economic activity

Generational curiosity, creativity and imagination

Once one of Europe's greatest monasteries

Guided tours, interpretation and sensory storytelling

Community pride and belonging

Encourages community participation and partnership working

East Anglia’s importance in shaping English history

Themed around St Edmund and pilgrimage

Meaningful cultural tourism and identification

Contemplative experiences in historic green-space

Driver for education civic benefits

Bury St Edmunds as a centre for cultural storytelling and innovation

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Project delivery programme.

  • NLHF decision, summer 2026

  • Project start, September 2026 (3 years)

  • Construction period, Spring 2027 for 18 months

  • Project completion end of August 2029