cathedral tower tours bury st edmunds

• Tower Tours

March 6, 2024 – October 30, 2024 St Edmundsbury Cathedral

Experience the Cathedral from a new perspective! Tower Tours are available on Wednesdays (at 2.00 pm) and Saturdays (at 10.30 am) from March to October.

A Tower Tour lasts 85 minutes and includes a behind the scenes look at the Cathedral building and specifically, the tower finished in 2005. You’ll slowly climb the tower, with view points along the way while you learn more about the build and the history of the building and town.

After climbing 202 steps, the big reveal from the tower roof is unparalleled views across the Bury St Edmunds skyline.

Tickets are available for just £12 per person and make the perfect experience for both locals and visitors. Book here .

Should you wish to arrange a group Tower Tour, please book in advance, by contacting  [email protected]

• Plan My Visit
• Cathedral Tours
• Pilgrims’ Kitchen
• Ancient Library
• Cathedral Shop
• Services & Resources
• Interested in Christianity?
• Cathedral Choirs
• Singing Schools
• Instruments in the Cathedral
• Visiting Choirs
• Friends of the Cathedral Choirs
• Bellringing
• Planned Giving
• Leave a Gift in Your Will
• Become a Patron
• Friends of the Cathedral
• Pastoral Support
• Children & Families
• Mothers Union
• Family and Community Learning
• Adult Learning
• Lent Course
• Abbey of St Edmund: A Millennium of English History in West Suffolk
• Events Venue Hire
• Sustainability
• Join the Team
• Volunteering
• Our Diocese

• Privacy Overview
• Strictly Necessary Cookies
• 3rd Party Cookies

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful. Please find our Privacy Policy here

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.

This website uses Google Analytics to collect anonymous information such as the number of visitors to the site, and the most popular pages.

Keeping this cookie enabled helps us to improve our website.

Please enable Strictly Necessary Cookies first so that we can save your preferences!

Unlimited Digital Access / Get £25 off your Annual Digital Subscription! Use code 25OFF

• Photo sales
• Iliffe Media
• Family Notices
• Visit East Anglia
• Place an ad

• Environment
• Property News
• Bury Rugby Club
• Horse Racing
• Ipswich Town FC
• Bury St Edmunds
• Framlingham
• Needham Market
• Business News
• Business Awards
• Business Festival
• Business Success Stories
• IQ Magazine
• Christmas Fayre
• Theatre and Comedy
• TV and Film
• Fashion and Beauty
• Food and Drink
• Health and Fitness
• Homes and Gardens
• Real Life Stories
• Bury Free Press
• Diss Express
• Haverhill Echo
• Newmarket Journal
• Suffolk Free Press
• Suffolk News
• Education Directory
• BFP Community Awards
• Suffolk Chamber C140

Home   Bury St Edmunds   News   Article

Bury St Edmunds cathedral tower tour: Everything you need to know

Last week I tackled the 202 step hike up the cathedral tower in Bury St Edmunds , with the promise of breathtaking views across the historic town.

In July this year, St Edmundsbury Cathedral marked the 17th anniversary of when the Millennium Tower Project was completed.

Tours of the cathedral tower resumed in April - here is everything you need to know if you are thinking about going on one.

Are the views from the cathedral tower worth it?

Now 202 steps might not sound like a lot, but I can assure you in the heat of summer a narrow spiral staircase, with a step ladder thrown in for good measure, they are hard work - though admittedly I am not the fittest person in the world.

Luckily on the way to the top of the tower we stopped off to look down inside the beautiful cathedral tower and then admire the impressive vaulted ceiling.

Thanks to our friendly tour guides Jane and Steve, we safely reached the top - and yes the views were worth it.

As you would imagine the Bury St Edmunds skyline is amazing - and when you are that high up in the air everything seems so close.

What can you see from the cathedral tower?

At the top of the tower, Jane spent time chatting to everyone on the tour sharing her historical knowledge of the town, I was interested to hear about where the workhouses were back in the day.

It was great to be able to spot all of the town's unique landmarks and famous businesses, which all seemed incredibly close when at top of the tower.

From one side you could see the distinctive white chimneys of the Greene King brewery and from the other across the Abbey Gardens , the Sugar Beet cilos that are instantly recognisable to anyone that lives in Bury St Edmunds .

There were plenty of time to take photographs and get my breath back and I didn't feel rushed by the tour guides at all.

How can I book a tour?

Tower tours at St Edmundsbury Cathedral take place every Wednesday at 2pm and every Saturday at 10.30am.

The 75 minute tours, led by friendly volunteers like Steve and Jane, must be booked in advance via the cathedral website and cost £10 per person.

Top tips for the cathedral Tower Tour

Dress for the occasion, I would advise trainers and trousers or shorts.

I naively wore a long dress and had multiple 'Marilyn Monroe moments' from just a slight breeze.

Everyone on the tour has to lock their bags away at the start and you cannot take a drink with you, however cameras and phones are allowed.

Whether you live in Bury St Edmunds or are visiting from further afield I would highly recommend the tower tour.

I grew up here and I still learnt a lot and there are lots of interesting facts you learn along the way - but I don't want to give them all away.

The tour guides were friendly and absolutely knew their stuff - making the tour well worth its £10 price tag.

Itineraries & Tours

• Peterborough
• St Edmundsbury

St Edmundsbury Cathedral

• Introduction

For nearly 1,000 years the site of Suffolk's Cathedral has been one of worship and pilgrimage. The death of Edmund, King of the East Angles, in 869 led to the building of a Norman abbey to house the remains of the martyred monarch. Several churches were built within the precincts of the abbey. The nave of today's church is the successor of one of those churches; it was started in 1503.

Though little remains of the Benedictine Abbey, St James' Church has continued to grow over the centuries with alterations in the 18th and 19th centuries.

In 1914 St James' became the Cathedral church of the Diocese of Saint Edmundsbury and Ipswich. After the Second World War, since the late 1950s, the completion and enlargement of St Edmundsbury Cathedral has been the inspiration of Stephen Dykes Bower (1903-94) who was architect here between 1943 and 1988. He sought to blend seamlessly early sixteenth work with modern gothic design in a relatively plain style but supported with richly decorated ironwork, joinery and furnishings. The last 40 years has seen several additions as well as the building of the Cathedral Centre, which houses the Song School for the Cathedral Choir, the Pilgrims’ Kitchen and meeting rooms. 2005 saw the Cathedral completed with the Millennium Project adding a new tower, chapels and cloisters.

The Cathedral serves not only as the Parish Church of St James but also as the Mother Church of Suffolk and as such prayer is offered daily services for the local community and the world at large. It is a busy place with many staff involved in the daily running of its work and ministry. At the same time it is there for anyone to use for quiet reflection or private prayer.

Millennium Tower

Completed in 2005, the new Cathedral Tower has changed the skyline of Bury St Edmunds. Built of Barnack limestone, lime mortar flint and bricks, it was funded by a legacy from the architect Stephen Dykes Bower and the Millennium Commission. The Patron of the Tower project, HRH The Prince of Wales, called the tower a "spiritual beacon for the new Millennium".

Vaulted Ceiling

Having completed the new tower, there had long been a desire to 'crown' it with a magnificent vaulted ceiling. In 2009 local Suffolk firm Taylor Made Joinery created a vault of European oak, which was then painted and gilded by Hare and Humphreys. The vaulted ceiling won the RIBA heritage East award 'Spirit of Ingenuity' 2010.

Stephen Dykes Bower rehoused the organ in the new organ loft in the 1960s. The instrument itself had begun to get tired and in 2010 it was completely refurbished by Harrison and Harrison. At the same time, a generous donation made it possible to add two magnificent painted and gilded cases to complete Dykes Bower's original vision.

American connections

Martha's Vineyard is named after a young girl, daughter of Bartholomew Gosnold, the explorer and founder of Jamestown, Virginia in 1607. Martha was baptised in St James church (now the Cathedral) in 1597. The Cathedral and the town of Bury St Edmunds have a long and friendly relationship with the people of America.

The Cathedral is proud of its links to St Edmund, although he was never buried in the Cathedral. Edmund's shrine was in the Abbey 'next door'. However there are numerous references to Edmund, in stained glass, statues, paintings and needlework.

Admission & opening hours

The Cathedral is open daily. There is no charge for admission, but donations are appreciated.

Opening hours: 8.30am - 5.30pm

Tours & education

Guided tours.

Regular Public Guided Tours (11.00am daily except Sundays) run from Easter Monday until the end of September.

If you wish to bring a group for a tour, please contact the Visitors' Officer on 01284 748726 or email [email protected] . Tours cost £4 per person. A range of options with refreshments are available.

School visits

The Discovery Centre, the Diocesan and Cathedral Centre for children and all those who work with them, is available for children and young people. Activities can be linked to the National Curriculum and include topics such as 'The Edmund Story', 'The Christian Journey' and 'History in the Making'. Special family activity days are held during the school holidays. Details from the Education Officer on 01284 748731.

Amenities & facilities

• Accessibility

Wheelchair users can make a full tour of the Cathedral (temporary ramp available in Chancel), Cathedral Centre fully accessible.

Wheelchair available to borrow.

Toilets in the Cathedral Centre - including one equipped for disabled visitors.

There is no parking available at the Cathedral but there are plenty of inexpensive car parks nearby. No coach parking at the Cathedral but coach set off point on Angel Hill. Coach parking at Rougham Hill.

Refreshments

The modern licensed Pilgrims’ Kitchen offers morning coffee/afternoon tea and a range of hot and cold lunches. The Pilgrims’ Kitchen can also cater for groups and special functions. Please contact the Pilgrims’ Kitchen on 01284 748738.

Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 9.30am - 4.30pm (3.30pm October to March)

The shop offers a wide range of books, gifts, CDs and greetings cards.

Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 10am - 5pm Sunday 11.30am - 4pm

• Local Interest
• Award-winning Abbey Gardens
• Ruins of the former Abbey of St Edmund and historic Norman Tower
• St Mary's Church Greene King brewery and Museum
• Regency Theatre Royal
• Moyses Hall Museum (local history)

In this section

• Admission & Opening Hours
• Tours & Education
• Amenities & Facilities

Contact Details

St Edmundsbury Cathedral Abbey House Angel Hill Bury St Edmunds Suffolk , IP33 1LS England

How to find us

Please see our Map for full details.

Plan your visit now.

Follow our Monarchs and Myths trail (.pdf, 497 KB) - a great way to explore the Eastern Cathedrals.

• Tourist Information
• Tourist Attractions
• Anglican Cathedrals of England
• Ecclesiastical Groups
• Church Music

All rights reserved Eastern Cathedrals 2019

• © Copyright

Site Design by BridgingUnit

Cathedral Tours

Regular Guided Tours start again on 1 April 2024 (Easter Bank Holiday Monday). You can join us Monday to Saturday at 11.00 am. Guided tours are just £6.00 and can be booked on the day in the Cathedral Shop.

Your tour will last around an hour and take you through the history of our building, from its link to the Abbey, to our modern-day additions.

If you would like a personal tour, please contact the  Visitor Experience Manager .

Latest News

Got an Our Bury St Edmunds Gift Card? Here’s our guide to where to spend it

If you’ve got one of our fabulous and versatile Our Bury St Edmunds Town Centre Gif...

Dinosaurs to roar into Bury St Edmunds for Spring Fayre

Two giant dinosaurs and a number of baby dinos are to be the star attractions at the...

Bury Free Press BID Column March 2024

The wonderful hospitality sector that we have here in Bury St Edmunds has been very m...

Listing deleted with success.

Official Tourism Site

Tours give you the opportunity to see a lot within a fairly short time.

We highly recommend a walking tour of Bury St Edmunds with the blue badge Bury St Edmunds Tour Guides when visiting the town for the first time. You will find out about the history of Bury St Edmunds, St Edmund himself, the Abbey and see many of the town's key attractions. There are also a wealth of other tours which take you around each of the town's attractions including St Edmundsbury Cathedral, the Cathedral's Millennium Tower, Bury St Edmunds Guildhall, Greene King, and Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds. If you are looking for something more quirky there the Ghostly and Macabre Walks through the autumn and winter months and the Middle Earth Tour where the Anglo-Saxon origins of The Lord of the Rings story are explored. Bury St Edmunds has some fascinating towns, villages and places on its doorstep and tours of Clare, Lavenham, Sudbury and Gifford's Hall Vineyard allow you to explore outside the town while staying in the town.

Take a look below to book now!

Book a Bury St Edmunds Walking Tour

Book a ghostly and macabre walking tour, book a tour of st edmundsbury cathedral, book a cathedral tower tour, book a greene king tour, book a theatre royal tour, book a tour of bury st edmunds guildhall, book a middle earth tour, tour gifford's hall vineyard, book a tour of lavenham, book a tour of clare, book a discover newmarket tour, self guided trails and tours - all year round.

There are a number of self guided and audio tours available on the Bury St Edmunds LoyalFree App including the Bury St Edmunds Blue Plaques Trail, the Bury St Edmunds Ale Trail, Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds Walking Stories and much more!

You can download the LoyalFree app for free at www.loyalfree.co.uk/download or simply search ‘LoyalFree’ on the iOS and Google Play Store. For more information visit the Our Bury St Edmunds BID website .

Join our newsletter

Sign up today to receive marketing and communications from Bury St Edmunds and Beyond, in line with our privacy policy .

Successfully subscribed to our newsletter!

Our Daily Tours start again on 1 April!

Welcome to Bury St Edmunds Tour Guides

• Trip Advisor

Bringing alive the story of Bury

Your visit to Bury St Edmunds wouldn’t be complete without a guided tour of our historic town.

And who better to show you round than the Bury St Edmunds Registered Tour Guides, a highly-trained team who have earned the right to wear the coveted Blue Badge or Green Badge symbols of tour guiding excellence.

Masters of the Air

“For our air superiority, which by the end of 1944 was to become air supremacy, full tribute must be paid to the United States...

Daily Tours

Join one of our popular daily tours of the ancient abbey and historic town of Bury St Edmunds Discover 1,000 years of history, from...

Ghostly & Macabre Tours

Join our Ghostly and Macabre Tours to explore the darker side of Bury St Edmunds…. Join us as we venture out on a dark...

Private Tours

Why not book a Private Tour with one of our guides? If you’re visiting Bury St Edmunds with your friends, family, club or work...

Schools Tours

Why not book a guided tour of the Abbey of St Edmund for your school group? We offer tours for school groups from Years...

Armchair Tours

Looking for a speaker for your club or group meeting? Why not invite one of our qualified guides to visit you to give an...

Read our reviews

Testimonials

“Very informative and interesting…well worth booking if you’re visiting BSE” Daily Tour

“We had a brilliant guide who really knew and loved Bury St Edmunds” Daily Tour

“Great tour, our guide was fabulous. A total pleasure to learn more about beautiful Bury….thoroughly recommend this” Daily Tour

“An amazing tour guide. One of the best I’ve ever had” Daily Tour

“Great tour, our guide was fabulous. A total pleasure to learn more about beautiful Bury….thoroughly recommend this” Abbey Habits

Latest News

Keep up to date

Basil Oliver and ‘The Pillar of Salt’

Standing proudly on Angel Hill, the affectionately-named ‘Pillar of Salt’ has been a meeting point for countless thousands of...

Tourism Superstar Award 2024 – voting is now open!

Bury St Edmunds Tour Guides have been shortlisted in the top 10 finalists for...

Bury Tour Guides shortlisted for national award!

Follow us on Facebook

Bury St Edmunds Tour Guides

Follow us on Twitter