Where is it? In the centre of Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
How much? Free to get in, but with a suggested donation of £3.50
Who owns it? The Church of England
Weblink: http://www.stedscathedral.co.uk/
What is it?
It's a Cathedral. But before that it was, believe it or not, the parish church of St James, one of the churches built into the precinct of the Bury St Edmunds Abbey (now ruins). When the new Diocese of Edmundsbury and Ipswich was formed in 1914, St James’s became the Cathedral Church. People carried on whacking on various bits to it to make it more Cathedralesque, culminating in a new tower; a millennium project completed in 2005.
Value For Money * * * *
It's free, which is a good start. Although I'm usually happy to make a donation, in my opinion there's nothing worse than a place of worship that charges admission. You know, the 'voluntary donation' taken off you at the turnstiles on the main door by a clerk? There's plenty of parking in the town, and the cathedral's easy to get to. Access to the cathedral's treasury is also free, albeit with the standard request for a donation, which has an array of trinkets.
Educational Value * * *
You get a little A4 foldy-up plan that takes you around the basic bits of the cathedral (i.e. this is a nave, this is a pulpit). Inside the treasury is an interactive computer point which lets you look at panoramic shots from the top of the tower and gives you a (very) brief rundown on daily life in the cathedral. There's not much history in it though, buy a book or join one of the guided tours for that.
Interest Value * * *
A beautiful and peaceful place to look around, and an interesting treasury section. The computer point is a little disappointing, though. How can you miss out on the chance to expand the story of a saint who got tied to a tree and shot with arrows?!?
There is a restaurant - The Refectory - on the site, but it is a little on the pricey side and on the day of our visit contained most of the senior citizenry of Suffolk, so we gave it a miss.
Overall * * * *
It's a cathedral and it does what a cathedral is supposed to do; provides a serene place of worship. It does this well, being particularly light and airy in comparison to some of the older, more enclosed cathedrals. That said, St Edmundsbury has opened itself up as an attraction and in that sense could do more. It would be nice to know more about this beautiful building and the Saint to whom it is dedicated. All the same, it's a must-see if you're in the area or if you just want to find a place that lets you sit still at your own pace.