c. 637, Monastery founded in Beodericsworth by Sigberct, King of the East Angles—903, King Edmund the Martyr buried in the church—925, Church receives benefactions from King Athelstan, King Edmund, son of Edward the Elder, and King Edwy—1020, Benedictine monks introduced in place of secular priests by Canute—1021, A new church built by Aldwius, Bishop of East Anglia—1032, Consecrated in honour of Christ, the Blessed Mary and St Edwin—1065, Edward the Confessor visits the abbey in the guise of a pilgrim, greatly enriches the house, and grants to the abbot and monks the right of coining within the monastery—1071, Pope Alexander II. grants to the abbot and his successors episcopal jurisdiction—1081, The church and town of Bury declared to be exempt from the Bishop’s jurisdiction—c. 1097, The newly erected church pulled down by Abbot Baldwin, who builds another of hewn stone. 11—, Henry I. visits the abbey and offers his crown before St Edmund’s shrine—1214, King John receives hospitality from the monks—1327, The burgesses of Bury gain forcible possession of the monastery and for several months harass the community; the king’s judges put an end to these disgraceful riots in December; a claim of £140,000 lodged against the townspeople by the monastery, which is defrayed by Edward III.—1447, Henry VI. and Queen Margaret visit the abbey—Humphrey Duke of Gloucester arrested and foully murdered by Suffolk during the Royal visitation—1465, Abbey suffers great destruction from fire—15—, Dissolved. Annual revenue, £1659, 13s. 11d.
The history of the abbey of Bury St Edmunds, although veiled in much legendary and mythical lore, tells nevertheless in its actual history of the progress of civilisation and of the enlightenment of the human mind. Sigberct, King of the East Angles, is said to have founded the first monastery at Beodericsworth (a town known to the Romans, ancient Britons, Saxons and Danes), and to have subsequently laid aside his royal dignity by joining the brotherhood which he had established. Following his example of religious devotion, Edmund, last King of the East Angles, sacrificed not only his crown but his life in defence of the Christian faith, for he was beheaded by the Danes at Eglesdene in 870.
“Off this language Hyngwar wex[2] nyh wood,[3]
Made the Kyng strongly to be bonde,[4]
And commanded afform him as he stood,
Ffirst to be bete with shorte battis ronde.[5]
His body brused with many mortal wounde,
As ever the martyr among his peynes alle,
Meekly to Jhu for helpe began to calle.
The cheef refuge and supportacion
In his sufferance was humble pacience,
Loved to his herte gaff consolation,
With ghostly feer quickid the fervence.
Ffor charite feeleth no violence,
Ffor wher charite afforceth a corage
Ther is of peyne fonde non outrage.
The cursed Danys of new cruelte,
This martyr took, most gracious and benign,
Of hasty rancour bound him to a tree,
As for their mark to sheete[6] at and ther signe
And in this wise ageyne him ther maline
Made hym with arwis[7] of ther malis most wikked
Rassemble an yrchon[8] fulfilled with spryngs[9] thkke.”
His head was cast into a forest and, as the story goes, was miraculously discovered and found to be guarded by a wolf. It was then buried with the body at the village of Hoxne where it remained until 903. In this year, “the precious, undefiled, uncorrupted body of the glorious king and martyr” was translated to the care of the secular priests at Beodericsworth, since when the town has been called St Edmundsbury in memory of the sainted monarch. Other wonderful traditions are associated with the shrine of St Edmund. Sweyn, the violent Danish king, coming in hot pursuit of a woman who had claimed sanctuary, was miraculously killed by an imaginary spear which came out of the shrine when he was about to seize the woman who was clinging to its side. Bishop Herfastus, too, was struck blind, when on a visit to the abbot, in the attempt to establish his new See in the monastical demesne, and afterwards miraculously healed. For centuries the highest in the land brought gifts and laid them before the venerated shrine.
Canute was the actual founder of the monastery proper, for in the 11th century he brought over Benedictine monks from Hulm, granting them a charter and many benefactions. The monastery yearly became more prosperous, and, with the exception of Glastonbury, exceeded in magnificence and privileges all other ecclesiastical establishments in the country. In the height of its glory it must have been a most beautiful and dignified structure. Leland writes:—
“A monastery more noble, whether one considers the endowments, largeness, or unparalleled magnificence, the sun never saw. One might think the monastery alone a city: it has three grand gates for entrances, some whereof are brass, many towers, high walls and a church than which nothing can be more magnificent.”
The immense minster with its lofty western and central towers rose above the monastic buildings which were enclosed by a wall. To the north was a great cloister with the various conventual offices, to the south-west lay the cemetery and church of St Mary, while immediately before the west front of the church stood the Norman tower leading to St James’ Church.
Sufficient is left of the reverend walls to convey some idea of the former vastness of the abbey and its attendant buildings. Of the minster itself little remains—some arches of the west front, now converted into private houses, and the bases of the piers which supported the central tower. The site of St Edmund’s chapel—the part of the building which contained the famous and much visited shrine—is at the east end of the church. Besides these relics of the minster, there still exists the Norman tower—built during the time of Abbot Anselm and formerly known as the principal entrance to the cemetery of St Edmund, and latterly as the “Churchgate” and bell tower of St James’ church;—the abbot’s bridge (Decorated) of three arches; portions of the walls; and the abbey gateway. The latter was restored in 1327 after one of the many quarrels between the monks and townspeople and is of rich Decorated work. Within the extensive abbey demesne lie the churches of St James—another piece of Anselm’s work—and St Mary. The latter was built by the parish folk. A small portion of its west end protrudes beyond the abbey precincts and was built thus with the intention of distinguishing it as the work of the town and not of monastical enterprise. It is a beautiful and imposing edifice in the Perpendicular style, and among its many beauties is the unique waggon-roof of the chancel. The remains of Mary Tudor, Queen of France, and afterwards those of Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, were brought from the abbey and reinterred there.