Spring 2020 Everything Is Changing at a Bewildering Pace

Annual fayre Rail station Society’s is cancelled parking boost new website Page 3 Page 11 Page 12 Society ReviewSpring 2020 Everything is changing at a bewildering pace

The West Suffolk Hospital, in Bury St Edmunds, which is dealing with local coronavirus patients. In a few short days we have learnt that is being forced on us all. To have published and delivered this what exponential change means. do this it helps to focus on what is issue, whilst maintaining the gov- At first nothing seems to hap- known and leave any outstanding ernment’s social distancing require- pen, then events accelerate, and questions for another day. ments. everything changes at a bewildering This is what we know about the Bury The Society’s Executive Committee pace. Society (including Bury in Bloom) now meets online to keep the show Norms we have taken for granted are on April 1: on the road. tossed aside. Members should stay home and stay All April and May events are can- We and our town will never be the safe wherever possible. Please accept celled as is Anglia in Bloom same again. the help that is offered by West judging in July. The June AGM is There will be a time for adjusting to Suffolk Council and more informally also postponed. a new normal and mourning what from your neighbours. We don’t know when the current is lost. But now is the time to stay Thanks to Russell Cook, Sue oriented as we respond to the change Savage and the Gipping Press, we Continued on Page 2 Plenty to cheer for the town as Anglia in Bloom goes online

The emergency regulations have im- pacted Bury in Bloom’s plans (along with everyone else) and I am sad to report that the main Anglia in Bloom competition has been postponed for 2020. This therefore means many – although not all - of our 2020 projects are suspended even though most of the preparations were complete and some had already started. However, an ever-resourceful Anglia in Bloom team have suggested alternative ways of submitting entries and have introduced an “online” under the “Best Community Effort”. Green Fingers” has decided to retire competition for 2020 and suggested Of course this depends on emer- from her Bury in Bloom activities 11 categories ranging from “Best gency regulations having been eased after many years and she leaves a big Local Authority Planting” to “Best enough to allow the scheme to go gap that I am desperate to try and fill. Display using Recycled Materials” ahead in July. We can take that deci- Barring a clone of Jean my ideal and submitting entries of each with sion in late June when we know. candidate would be someone with three photographs with a 50-word Jane Hamblin who co-ordinates the teaching experience, enthusiastic description of each. Merit Scheme hopes she is much with children and probably recently We are therefore looking at how best closer to having sufficient judges retired. we can take part before the July 31 although she still needs more – we If you can say yes to even one of final entry date. Judging will take need a minimum of 80 and are these please contact me on place in August. looking for 100 as Bury St Edmunds [email protected] One of our original 2020 entries continues to expand – so we are very we really want to hear from you. was to be the “Certificate of Merit” keen not to stand them down before I mentioned “although not all pro- scheme in the “Special Awards” nom- we need to. jects” at the top of this piece, so what ination and we hope this can now be Jean Hardy, one of our dedicated vol- are we continuing to work on? entered in the “online” competition unteers and co-ordinator of “Young Well, we hope to have our new website up and running within the next month, I’m still talking to businesses about locations for storing harvested Please pay your membership rainwater as we aim to water our Continued from Page 1 bership fees when they are due in hanging baskets using harvested June and keeping us updated with water (You would be completely restrictions will end or what other news about you or other members. amazed how much rainwater can be events we may have to cancel. But Finally, Bury in Bloom supplier, harvested off even a modest sized we will let you know as soon as Woolpit Nurseries need our support. roof) and we continue to promote we can. The Society has financial They have tonnes of unwanted plants “Roots in The Community” a perfect reserves to weather the financial and are offering free delivery on self-isolation project for 2020. difficulties that accompany this purchases to within 15 miles of pandemic. town. David Irvine You can help by paying your mem- Tim Page Bury in Bloom co-ordinator

2 2020 Christmas Fayre is cancelled

This year’s Bury St Edmunds Christ- mas Fayre has been cancelled to help public services concentrate on tackling COVID-19 and support businesses across West Suffolk. The decision also follows clear instructions from the Government not to tie up public and emergency services in events so they can concentrate on prioritising COVID-19 actions. More than 130,000 are attracted to the Christmas Fayre and the planning work which needs to be carried out now requires a tremendous amount of input from public services. The move to cancel this year’s event frees up officer time and council resources to support businesses now and, importantly their recovery in the future. The Bury St Edmunds Christmas Fayre. This means the council can intro- duce tailored help across the whole focus on helping our businesses a better position, come Christmas, of West Suffolk for businesses and and emergency services to weather to celebrate and help businesses in high streets at Christmas to celebrate the current challenges brought by Bury St Edmunds and throughout the festive time and respond to any the pandemic. West Suffolk make the most of the restrictions still in place. “It will also hopefully put us all in festive season.” Equally it is unclear whether later in the year the event would be able to be held anyway. Theatre Royal appoints a As many things have to be booked now it could prove to be a waste of money which is better spent on busi- new CEO/artistic director nesses and communities. Owen Calvert-Lyons (pictured John Griffiths, leader of West Suffolk right) has been appointed the new Council, said: “We know how popu- CEO/artistic director of the Theatre lar the fayre is and it is with a heavy Royal Bury St Edmunds. heart we have taken this decision. He succeeds Karen Simpson who But in the circumstances, and when sadly died, aged 62, just after the you see events like the Olympics turn of the new year following a being postponed, it is the right one. battle with cancer. “Planning for the Christmas Fayre is Mr Calvert-Lyons comes to the a massive task and much has to be theatre having spent four years planned or booked now. Postponing commissioning and creating new projects, which inspire and delight it this year means we and our emer- plays as head of theatre and art- our audiences.” gency service partners can continue ist development at Ovalhouse, in Roger Quince, chairman of Theatre to concentrate on helping our busi- London. Royal’s board said: “We are delight- nesses and communities through this Prior to that he was artistic director ed to have found the candidate who difficult time. at The Point and the Berry Theatres we all feel can not only continue “It also means that we can free up and has worked in theatres across the fantastic legacy left by Karen resources to not only help residents the UK including Arcola Theatre, Simpson, but one who can deliver a and businesses across West Suffolk York Theatre Royal and Theatre sustainable programme of high-qual- who are facing hardships now but Royal Plymouth. ity presenting and producing work.” also in their economic recovery down He said: “I look forward to working Mr Calvert-Lyons will take up his the road. We understand many may with this team and the wider Bury post in June and in the interim, be disappointed, but this really is the St Edmunds community to stage Adrian Grady continues as general sensible way forward to ensure we great plays and create dynamic manager/interim CEO. 3 Applications rising to find other A sign of the times is the rising number of applications to find alternative uses for vacant properties in the town. Plans have been approved to convert the closed Bank of Scotland premis- es on Guildhall Street into an Italian restaurant and plans have also been agreed to replace the empty Lloyds Bank building on Risbygate Street with flats for “retirement living”. An application has been lodged to subdivide the vacant Palmers de- partment store on the Buttermar- ket into two smaller shops. The Society expressed support but has suggested the town might be better served with loft apartments rather than offices above. We supported plans to convert the former Ashtons solicitors’ offices on The building in High Baxter Street which the Bury Town Trust is to covert into Guildhall Street into two large multiple occupation. houses on the frontage and four smaller properties at the rear. Plans have been presented to build affection by many in the town. The building is Grade I listed and nine new houses next to St Andrews A second separate application was designed by Sir John Soane. Castle on St Andrews Street South. seeks to demolish the existing The Society also supported the Bury St Andrews Castle is a listed early St Louis School (actually, most Town Trust’s application to convert Victorian folly designed in the of it has gone already) and build 11 Higher Baxter Street from a Regency Gothick style with castel- a 334-space open car park with house in multiple occupation into a lated parapets and stone walls. The access from Robert Boby Way. The three-bedroom dwelling. This vacant Society considered the scale of devel- Society recognises that many of property represent probably one of opment about right but had strong our members would welcome more the last remaining medieval listed reservations about the parking for the town, but we also houses in the town which has yet to detailed design. We are growing wonder whether these proposals see major refurbishment. Hopefully, weary of pastiche 18th century might undermine the government’s the application will bring new life facades and are not convinced the plans to promote an effective into this somewhat utilitarian service new houses will enhance the setting zero-emission public transport street. of this quirky building, held in fond system. The Society therefore suggested that the application should be determined within the context of the Town Centre Masterplan, which might advocate alternative uses. If the application proceeds in its current form, however, we recommended that a thick tree belt should be planted along the bound- ary with Old Convent Orchard to minimise the impact of noise, fumes and light pollution. Responding to concerns raised by members, the Society commented upon two applications on the edge of town. The first was to replace a bungalow on the junction of Hardwick Lane and Vinery Road with eight flats St Andrew’s Castle, in St Andrew’s Street, the site where nine new houses are planned to be built. Continued on next page. 4 uses for empty town centre sites Continued from previous page.

and the second was to demolish a pair of post-war semi-detached houses on Abbot Road and build a further six apartments. In both cases, we considered that the plans represented over-development and would have a negative impact upon the street scene. The Abbot Road submission has since been with- drawn. Meanwhile, West Suffolk Council have lodged ambitious plans for a new public/private sector Business Hub on Western Way to combine support services such as police, NHS and West Suf- folk College. The plans include a new multi-storey car park and will also relocate the Leisure Centre. The Society was generally support- on the Tayfen Road EMG Motors ive, although there is some concern site should be set back from the road A scandal at old about the impact of extra traffic on frontage and was probably one floor Newmarket Road, especially when too high. Members are encouraged West Suffolk the “Bury West” housing develop- to take a look at both and judge for ment at Westley is built out. themselves. Hospital way Over recent months, several mem- Finally, and looking to the future, bers have expressed unease about plans are well advanced with a 13ha the scale of new development in greenhouse development on the back in 1826 the Station Hill and Tayfen Road edge of Bury at Ingham, poten- Within three months of opening its area of town. tially supplying 12 per cent of the doors to patients in January 1826, Members may recall that the country’s tomatoes. It is a carbon the hospital was embroiled in a Society had expressed concern that neutral project using waste heat from scandal over drunkenness amongst the Millers Quarter apartments an Anglian Water recycling centre. the staff. might diminish the station frontage Perhaps another sign of the times. William Braithwaite the Porter, who and we also suggested the new brewed beer on site for the staff and apartment block under construction Roderick Rees patients, the water not being safe to drink, was dismissed for drunkenness, and Mary Spink, the cook and a nurse Mary Catton, were reprimanded for the same offence. Unfortunately Mary Catton didn’t seem to heed her reprimand as within months she was dismissed for what in modern terms would be classed as “inappropriate behaviour” with the apothecary (house doctor), a Mr Mournemant, who was sev- erely reprimanded. The other casualty of these early problems was the matron who was forced to resign as being to blame for the breakdown in discipline . Not all problems were staff problems as in the same year two patients were expelled for daring to complain The view of the Bury St Edmunds rail station from the new development about the food. currently underway nearby. Terry O’Donoghue 5 Abbey 1000 celebrations put on hold The Abbey 1000 Millennium Bury Festival have had to be post- application to the Heritage Fund Celebrations were successfully poned and others are under review. (formerly HLF) for substantial launched at the Cathedral in The Abbey 1000 Group continues funding for the Millennium Cel- November 2019. to follow government advice and is ebrations in collaboration with A varied programme of events from working with partner organisations West Suffolk Council and the May to November 2020 was to offer a full programme of events Abbey 1000 Group. This is now announced including a procession of from the summer onwards. under consideration. The Herit- Benedictine Monks and Nuns in the Events postponed in 2020 will age Partnership has recently had Abbey Ruins, a special exhibition at hopefully take place in 2021. a positive joint meeting with the Moyse’s Hall Museum and a The overall aims are to ensure that Heritage Fund, Historic England Spectacle of Light to mark St Suffolk can celebrate this momen- and English Heritage to review Edmund’s Day. An impressive range tous Millennium since the Abbey the plans for longer term projects of local company sponsors represent- of St Edmund was founded in 1020 that it would like to progress from ing a cross section of local business and to enable local people and visi- the momentum of the Millennium has been secured and fundraising is tors to take part. Celebrations. The heritage agencies progressing well. The Abbey of St Edmund Heritage support the work of the Heritage Unfortunately, the coronavirus has Partnership has given priority to Partnership and the involvement of meant that several events planned for planning and fundraising for the the local community. May and June, including the exhibi- Abbey 1000 programme. Richard Summers tion of Abbey Manuscripts and the It has prepared and submitted an and Matthew Vernon

Appeal for Bury in Bloom judges Bury in Bloom is on the look out for “In addition, we are introducing judges to help them adjudicate the two new categories ‘House Cham- colourful garden displays and experi- pion Award’ (a sort of winner of ence the “wow factor” of the blooms winners) and ‘Notable Neighbour- in and around Bury St Edmunds. hood Award’ (to recognise neigh- Certificates of Merit are given out bours working together for overall to residential and commercial prop- effect.)” erties displaying attractive use of Jane added: “Our problem is the garden and container grown plants success of the scheme as well as that enhance the appearance of their continuing to cover all Bury St neighbourhood. Edmunds as it continues to grow. It is an award-winning scheme that We hope to cover the Marham Park to many people in Bury St Edmunds houses and the extended area of represents the face of Bury in Bloom Moreton Hall, however we need and run by an enthusiastic group of more judges to help us. volunteer judges. “We’re not looking for horticultural Each year between 80 and 100 new decade.David Irvine, the Bury expertise – it’s more observation volunteer judges visit all parts of the in Bloom co-ordinator, said: “We judging of the wow factor of that town and present the coveted certif- are immensely grateful to our many locality and where judges agree a icates to recognise the efforts of the volunteer judges for giving up their certificate is given.” (sometimes unsuspecting) recipients time year after year – it is a very If you can help Bury in Bloom win and it hopes to encourages more special event only made possible the Anglia in Bloom Best Commu- people to take part. This year the by them and so our Certificate of nity effort category’s Certificate of Certificate Awards scheme is being Merit scheme is being nominated Merit Scheme email co-ordinated by Jane Hamblin and for the Special Award ‘Best Com- @buryinbloom.org.uk or contact assisted by Lynne Wright, and they munity Project’ in the 2020 Anglia Bury in Bloom co- have produced a special (perhaps one in Bloom competition so this is an ordinator David Irvine on -off) 2020 certificate to celebrate the extra special year for us. [email protected] 6 Town trail to unlock history of town One thousand years of a town’s mund, how much interest there was history is due to be unlocked this in the history of the town. summer in a trail of local landmarks, “This year, as we celebrate 1,000 which could lead to prizes for those years of the Abbey, we’ll be includ- taking part. ing landmarks, blue plaques and The trail around Bury St Edmunds specially designed graphics to focus follows on from previous years on individuals including Charles events which have featured work by Dickens, James Oakes and some of local artists commemorating historic the Abbots from the Abbey. events and honouring stars who have “We know that people love following appeared at the town’s theatre. the trails, which are free to take part For 2020, the Business Improve- in, and it really adds something to a ment District (BID) Organisation visit to the town – they can make a Our Bury St Edmunds has organ- day of it with some shopping or per- ised the Abbey 1000 Heritage Trail haps a meal at the same time.” in conjunction with local historian Martyn Taylor and Mark Cordell If restrictions on the coronavirus out- and chairman of the Bury Society at one of the landmarks that will break are lifted in time it is hoped to Martyn Taylor. The trail will be sup- feature in the Abbey 1000 Heritage run the Abbey 1000 Heritage Trail ported by Coastline Graphics which, Trail. from Saturday, May 23, to St as in previous years, is a creative previous trails have been wonderful Edmund’s Day on November 20, partner and major sponsor. events for Bury St Edmunds and we with a leaflet to be produced and Our Chief executive of Our Bury St certainly saw from the Wolf Trail, Bury St Edmunds donating shopping Edmunds Mark Cordell said: “Our which focussed on the story of St Ed- vouchers as prizes. Second bike for town’s rickshaw team The Bury St Edmunds Rickshaw is now a familiar sight around the town, as it glides through the Abbey Gardens or trundles down Abbeygate Street with its two passengers at the front, smiling and waving. The rickshaw rides are for residents who are more or less house- bound, and have little opportunity to get out into the fresh air. Thanks to support from the town and district councils, as well as local businesses, and to the volunteers that operate the rickshaw, the rides A delivery by the Bury St Edmunds Rickshaw team to Trinity Methodist are free and available seven days Church. a week. nal rickshaw has been busy moving to moving goods for self-isolators The project has grown since it surplus supermarket food for Bury – shopping, medication and other started in 2018, and with 4,000 Drop-In and the Best Before Project, essential supplies – using the rick- miles under the tyres the trustees and taking donated tins and packets shaw to carry bulky shopping, and plan to purchase a second machine from Waitrose, Co-op and Tesco to their own bicycles for smaller items, this year. the Foodbank at Gatehouse. whilst maintaining strict safety proto- The new bike, or “trishaw” thanks Wooster’s Bakery, Greggs and cols and social distancing at all times. to the tadpole wheel arrangement Muffin Break donate unsold goods Volunteers collect and deliver pre- (ie two at the front and one at the at the end of each day and these are scriptions from all of Bury’s pharma- back), will have a dual purpose. collected by the rickshaw and taken cies, shopping that has been ordered Its flatbed design means wheel- to homelessness projects. This cargo by phone or online from any shop in chair users will be able to use the service has been so well-used that town, and Foodbank donations and rickshaw service for the first time. the trustees are confident a second parcels. To arrange a free delivery, When not engaged on wheelchair trishaw is needed. call 01284 339449. passenger duty, the trishaw will With the coronavirus outbreak, the Libby Ranzetta carry cargo. All winter, the origi- volunteers have shifted their efforts Bury St Edmunds Rickshaw Trustee 7 Reflections of filming David Do you remember the time that we went out to go to the cinema, theatre and other events? It seems a long time ago! Whilst we are all dealing with the current issues, I thought it might be good to reflect on the recent David Copperfield film that featured Bury St Edmunds and its effect on the town. As a duty manager at the Theatre Royal, I was able to watch the film in the theatre auditorium itself, a surreal experience to be sure, watching on the screen the very building you were in. Many locations in Bury were chosen to stand in for London and we all remember the Angel Hill and Chequer Square being taken over by The filming of ‘The Personal History of David Copperfield’ outside the the film crews, catering and Angel Hotel, in Bury St Edmunds costumiers. The three days spent in Bury were of us locals standing by the Norman Harry Potter films. She took some the hottest days of that summer so Tower in the windows of Chequer pictures of herself in front of them pity the cast in their Victorian finery Square and that we were visible in and then went straight back to in the blazing sunshine. the shots. After the film was shown Heathrow for that evening’s flight Local tour guide Mike Dean had a at the Theatre Royal we were able back to Brisbane. She was in the UK starring role (!) and recalls the time to meet some of the film crew who for less than 10 hours. it took to do the simplest shots … hosted a Q&A session. Indeed, on a recent tour in Bury, I camera angles were checked and Location managers told of the had a group who were really interest- checked again, sound and lighting intense work and amount of travel ed in the David Copperfield film and took hours to set up and the cast and needed to scout out the perfect shots wanted to see the locations used in crew numbered over 100 people, no and that potential locations were Bury on the general tour. wonder the budgets are so big. visited a whole year before filming At the Norman Tower I was val- One scene I remember being filmed started. Bury was thought to provide iantly trying to get them interested was on Chequer Square when the a perfect backdrop with its Georgian in the history and architecture but crew were filming alongside Baret facades and handsome squares they were only interested in the oval House. (indeed mentioned by Dickens in window on the former Masonic Hall The director was getting annoyed Pickwick Papers). on the north side of the square. because he could see the reflection As Bury doubled for London, we all For the film promotions Dev Patel is remember the strange shot of Angel shown standing in front of the door- Hill and the Angel Hotel with St way with the window clearly visible. Pauls Cathedral in the background. The location managers praised Bury As a tour guide in Bury I hope not for its warm welcome and ease of too many visitors are disappointed access and said that the town was when they realise that St Pauls is not “perfect” in every way. actually here and that it was some Other towns that featured included clever CGI filming. Rochester, Scarborough and Film and television have a huge Windsor. impact on tourism across the world Back at the Theatre Royal, it was a … as well as Bury, I also guide joy to see the auditorium bathed in in Lavenham and recently I had candlelight as it would have been, a customer who had flown into and the circulating corridors looked Heathrow from Brisbane, had a taxi stunning too …perfect for those Dev Patel who played the part of to Lavenham, came on my tour and assignations and (shady) business David Copperfield in the film part of only wanted to see the two buildings which was shot in Bury St Edmunds. in Lavenham used in one of the Continued on next page. 8 Copperfield in the town Continued from previous page. dealings that must have gone on. The Athenaeum façade was dressed to become the theatre, a task that took two days, but ultimately the shots ended up on the cutting room floor. Mike describes the filming as “highly organised chaos” and that the small- est detail was agonised over, lighting, sound and camera angles were changed, costumes altered and scripts re-worked. The costumes were made by the production team and Mike had to travel down to the Warner Bros. studios, near Watford, for a fitting - in the Films crews actors take a break from the filming of The‘ Personal History same studio that the Harry Potter of David Copperfield’ in Bury St Edmunds. films were produced. As one of over 100 “extras” Mike would have been in the 1860s with share the stories of the town which can clearly be seen in the audience Mr Dickens giving readings. in future will now include David at the theatre at the beginning of the Hopefully, and when we get back Copperfield as well as the Pickwick film sitting in the second row. to “normality”, we will be able to Papers. The theatre had to look full as it welcome visitors back to Bury and Stephen Moody Addressing state of the Lark and Linnet The rivers in Bury suffer from lack The aquifer extends from the south gramme of activities to address the of water, with very little flow in the east of Yorkshire, southwards state of the Lark and Linnet. Lark, and much of the Linnet com- across the Humber and into Lin- BWMG is a member of the River pletely dry in the summer. colnshire. Lark Catchment Partnership that The underground chalk aquifer that It is present east and south of the works with the statutory bodies in feeds them has been depleted by Wash in a swathe across central our catchment, including the Envi- years of abstraction of water for southern England from north ronment Agency, at policy level. domestic, industrial and agricultural Norfolk and Suffolk, through the The group is also set to be a founding purposes. Thames Basin and along the Kent member of a new alliance of grass- There is evidence of pollution from coast, down to the south coast, roots chalk stream groups that will agricultural run-off and the river the Isle of Wight and into Dorset lobby on common issues. also has to carry the output from all towards Portland Bill. One major development to watch our water treatment works along the It is associated with the iconic out for is an Anglian Water project Lark. scenery of the chalk downlands to improve flow in the Lark through The river faces growing pressure and the white cliffs in and around Bury, by pumping water upstream via from climate change, population Dover. a pipeline from Fornham and com- growth and expanding populations of Chalk streams are characterised bining 50:50 with fresh water from invasive non-native species. by clear water and a diverse flora. the aquifer, within Anglian’s water Chalk streams such as the Lark and Most have been modified in some existing extraction allowance. Linnet are rare. way, usually for milling, fishing, For more information on BMWG’s Estimates vary but there are only irrigation or watercress beds, but activities, or to become a member of about 200 in the whole of the world, despite weirs, impoundments and the group, see and 85% of them are in England, abstraction, the best chalk rivers burywatermeadowsgroup.org.uk rising from the sedimentary bedrock still support a fine aquatic flora and that formed approximately 66 to 100 a diversity of invertebrates and fish. Libby Ranzetta million years ago in the Cretaceous Bury Water Meadows Group Secretary Period. (BWMG) is developing a pro- Bury Water Meadows Group 9 Behind the scenes of the Winter Lunch - making ‘Dickens Doubles’ When we were first approached with the idea of a kind of “chamber” performance for the Winter Lunch, the film of David Copperfield (featuring well-known Bury places and faces) had just been doing the rounds - plus I noticed that the date of the lunch happened to be the day after Charles Dickens’ birth date. With our own Angel Hotel featuring quite affectionately in his first novel, “Pickwick Papers”, it seemed like the most obvious choice to take the great writer as our theme for the show. Lynn Whitehead and Tim Welton take a break from entertaining guests at I’m a big fan of Dickens’ characters the Bury Society’s Winter Lunch. - they are always both completely quirky and yet absolutely recog- and self-improver Nicodemus (“or it for hours at a time even when nisable amongst one’s own acquaint- Noddy”) Boffin from “Our Mutual you’re in the queue at Tesco’s. ances and colleagues. They are both Friend” we met for the first time and I wish I could say there is a magic of their time and yet timeless. immediately fell in love with. wand, but there isn’t. So, knowing that there would be two We added a couple of our own We knew that the set up would need of us (My ‘Not-Husband’, Tim favourites, shuffled everything into to be simple, so added a selection of Welton, and I) we thought of seeking a good order (or what Tim would hats, spectacles and the occasional out some of Dickens’ double acts. call “landscape”) and then set about (and easy to reach) cup which we We had a secret weapon I confess: learning the piece. hung on our trusty hat stand (that my brother-in-law is an academic You may have passed us during hat stand has been in more shows and author and is something of an January on the way up into town, than I have!) aficionado when it comes to Dickens. looking for all the world like we Rather surprised that the attend- He is practically a resident at the were in deep conversation but in ances at the lunch were to top the Dickens Museum and was therefore fact we were bashing away at the 70 mark, we ramped up the volume our first port of call to help us choose script. a bit, held our breaths and the characters. People often ask actors: “How do “ta-daaa”. Most of those he found for us we you learn the lines?” And the I hope you enjoyed it. were at least familiar with, but the answer is - you work really hard at wonderful one-legged Silas Weg it and go over and over and over Lynn Whitehead Coronavirus puts a stop to twice-weekly market The markets across West Suffolk, be done as the numbers of traders with partners. including the twice-weekly ones in and customers dwindle and the John Griffiths, leader of West Bury St Edmunds, are to stop during demands on staff due to the impact Suffolk Council, said: “These are the coronavirus outbreak. of COVID-19 rises. extraordinary times and an opera- They had been running up to the Therefore, for operational rea- tional decision had to be made in end of March but are now to cease sons, the council said it is better to the face of dwindling numbers at the operating. redeploy those market staff onto markets, increased demands on staff Market users and traders had been other vital COVID-19 work or the and safety. following social spacing and govern- extra measures the government has “Our staff can also be better used in ment guidance with stalls spaced out brought in to support communities other even more demanding areas to enable people to get essential food and businesses. to tackle the impact of COVID-19. shopping. West Suffolk Council is working I would like to thank all those who The council has tried to keep the with traders to minimise the impact did use our markets, and of course markets running as long as possible on them and their customers. our traders, for sticking to the rules under government guidelines. Although the council will keep and keeping people safe. I recognise But operationally it can no longer these under review as some are run this may be a blow for some.” 10 Work to create 80 more car park spaces at railway station complete Good news at the railway station is that the new 80 space car park is now complete (charges £4.20 per day). Also, despite a delay caused by bats, refurbishment works will start shortly to make the Station Master’s House fully weathertight. The interior will be left in a “shell” condition until a tenant has been identified and should be completed by the Autumn. Further good news is that Greater Anglia has been successful with its funding bid to open up an existing archway from the new car park and create a proper north-south con- course. With an annual footfall of 660,000 Bury St Edmunds railway station. this should hugely improve the stock represents a truly massive duced in January. smooth running of our station. The improvement on the previous one The acceleration is exhilarating, council is also providing financial coach trains. they are eerily quiet and scarily fast. support. You might also consider the new More generally, there is now an Stadler 745 inter-city Norwich to Roderick Rees hourly Sunday service into London trains which were intro- Railway Station Group Cambridge and Greater Anglia are consulting about the timetable for 2021. GA are also considering six coach trains at peak times from Cambridge and there are plans for a new Cambridge South station with easy access to Addenbrooke’s Hospital. The Bury Society is an active member of the Rail Station Group which is a wider community body created The Annual General Meeting to promote and safeguard the future planned to take place on Thursday, June 4, at the United Reformed Church welfare of the station. in Whiting Street, has been One of the group’s main objectives is the preparation of a formal Conser- CANCELLED vation Management Plan to identify due to the coronavirus outbreak what works are still needed to keep this remarkable heritage asset in a Plans to stage it at a later date are being discussed by the executive condition of which the town can be committee of the Society and members will be notified of the new date. proud. The future of the empty north side The agenda includes buildings is an area of special concern. 1 Welcome and introduction by the Chairman. Finally, members are encouraged to 2 Apologies for absence. try out the new Stadler 755 bi mode 3 Approval of the minutes of the 2019 meeting and any matters arising. (part electric, part diesel) three and 4 Chairman’s report. four coach trains, which are now 5 Planning officer’s report. fully operational from Ipswich to 6 Treasurer’s report. Cambridge or Peterborough. 7 Appointment of trustees and officers. We believe you will find the new 8 Questions from the floor/open forum. 11 New website for Bury Society is set to be up and running by the end of April

Alan Baxter reports on the latest developments to redesign and relaunch the Bury Society website.

At the end of 2019 it was decided that the Bury Society should have a new website which would include the Bury in Bloom aspects which are very much a part of what we do. This coincides with the new co-ordinator, David Irvine, and new targets for Bury in Bloom. One of the main reasons for doing this was to ensure that more people understood that Bury in Bloom was part of the Bury Society. We also wanted to increase the financial options possible on the website and improve security. The planned home page for the Bury Society’s new and updated website. After accepting a proposal from Logic Design, at Tostock, David and approved as a starting point, but If you put in the Bury Society I have been working with Yasmin amendments can be made if required. address then you would land on a Palmer, one of their web designers, The first proposals for the look of page headed with the Bury Society on this new joint website. the home page of each site were also name and logo but with a Bury in The Bury in Bloom element is being discussed and we both agreed that Bloom logo and wording perhaps done first as the priority is to have a the more colourful of the two options something like “proud to include new site online in April. would be best. Bury in Bloom”. The Bury Society site will look very Later in February we met the Further pages have been drafted and similar and each site will refer to the designer to discuss the homepage more amendments will no doubt be other to encourage visitors. details and the linking of the Bury in made. At the start of February, we uploaded Bloom site to the Bury Society site. The aim is to have a functioning the first files and the basic structures A key issue is how to show that Bury website by April which explains the (they call them wire frames) were in Bloom is part of the Bury Society work of Bury in Bloom, acknowl- without overemphasis. edges sponsors and on which people Currently there will be no “landing can carry out simple financial trans- page” where you select which site actions like sponsoring a hanging you want (ie Bury in Bloom or Bury basket or making a donation. Society) before proceeding, as that That will not be the final version as demands extra time and effort from there will be other amendments to the visitor. details necessary. So, the idea is if you put in the Bury The Bury Society site will follow in Bloom address you land on this because that has a functioning web- part of the homepage. site at the moment, so time is less The title would have a layout like this pressing. screen grab (pictured left). Once complete, a few of us will be It clearly states that Bury in Bloom trained so that we can update the is part of the Bury Society and is websites as required. “proud to be”, rather than any such This is a very exciting new develop- acknowledgement dominating the ment and will allow us to do much home page. more in the future for the Bury There is a section on the Bury Society and Bury in Bloom. Society lower down this homepage We hope you will be able to use it with a link to our side of the website soon at burysociety.com or which would help clarify the relation- theburysociety.org.uk or ship. buryinbloom.org.uk 12 Breathing new life into an historic medieval listed building in the town The Bury Town Trust is planning to breathe new life into one of the last remaining medieval listed houses in the town. Here Peter Riddington gives details of the work already carried out along with historical details about the property.

11 High Baxter Street is a part of the Norman layout of the town, created by Abbot Baldwin in the 12th century. By the late 15th centry it was built with a first floor and probably two rooms on the ground floor. The house was altered considerably in the late 16th/early 17th century when the attic was converted to hab- itable accommodation. It was further remodelled in the later 18th/early 19th century, when it was apparently still in reasonably affluent occupation, but by the mid 19th century it seems to have been in multiple 11 High Baxter Street which is set to be restored by the Bury Town Trust. occupancy of tradespeople. At this time the street buildings had The building itself is a palimpsest. • Clearing the house of detritus probably been either rebuilt or, as It is not an architectural statement of remaining from the previous occupa- in the case of number 11, heavily any significant quality and it has no tions; remodelled and extended to particular historic interest, excepting • Removing plaster-boarded areas to accommodate workshops and service of course it tells a long and com- expose historic construction; buildings, such as livery stables, plicated historical story, but special • Clearance of vegetation in the supporting the local population and interest it certainly has and this is garden; businesses. reflected in: • Removal of redundant electricity The late 1960s saw High Baxter • Its core fabric and plan form dating circuits and installing safe lighting; Street largely demolished and the from the late 15th century; • Preparation of designs for the re- historic buildings except number 11 • Its surviving fabric from the late pair, restoration and extension of the removed. 1970 was the year that the 16th or early 17th century attic building and making applications for house was bought by the Suffolk conversion, and addition of staircases listed building consent and planning Hotel, in Buttermarket. They used the and chimney stacks; and permission; and house for staff accommodation and • Its surviving 18th or early 19th • Preparing tender documents for the undertook a thorough “modernisa- century first floor layout. works, particularly the external repair tion” covering up most of the build- While appearances would suggest works and approaching contractors. ing’s historic fabric and fitting it out the house seems no nearer being We are expecting to receive Plan- with modern joinery and finishes. restored, we have not been inactive ning Permission and Listed Building In terms of the Town Centre Conser- over the year since we purchased it. consent in April and discussions with vation Area, and High Baxter Street We have over the last year carried out builders have been positive. in particular, the historic and archi- the following exercises, almost all In light of the current Covid 19 tectural interest the building exhibits of which have been funded from the events we hope that we may be able is of major significance. Trust’s own resources and in consul- to employ local tradespeople who It is the last remnant of what had tation with the very helpful Conser- otherwise may have to be laid off by been an almost continuous terrace of vation Officers at West Suffolk: their companies. buildings from the late middle ages • Preparing options and, feasibility We have promises of funds in the onwards until mass clearance of the studies, condition surveys and cost way of loans from our membership to 1960s. plan; allow us to commence the works. 13 What happened to Abbey and chattels? It is well known that Bury St Edmunds was owned, taxed and controlled by the great Benedictine Abbey of St Edmundsbury for over 500 years. However, with the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII in 1539 what happened to the abbey and its chattels? The last abbot, John Reve or Reeve aka De Melford, was given an enor- mous pension and along with about 40 monks, filed out of the abbey on November 4. The old tennis courts in the Abbey Gardens. Could it be the site where the Reeve, a capable abbot died within a remains of St Edmund will be found? year it is said of a broken heart, in his house in Crown Street; he Various parcels of abbey land were looked after via alms and charity, never collected his pension. obtained by John Eyer the Receiver there was also a shortage of employ- Henry’s commissioners despoiled General of Suffolk (Tax-Collector) ment, all of this would have to be Edmund’s magnificent shrine and in who enjoyed the patronage of Bacon. addressed by the feoffees. their own words said: “It was exceed- Some of the monastic manors were Another consequence was that the ingly cumbrous to deface.” purchased by Sir William Drury and townspeople took apart the abbey, Edmund was not within; what hap- Sir Thomas Jermyn, the latter’s brick by brick, stone by stone. If ever pened to his body is a mystery, the family to figure in the Abbey site Bury residents wanted their revenge latest theory is that he could be under story via the Davers and Hervey on the all-powerful rule of the abbey the old tennis courts. connection, once owners of the abbey now was the time to do it. Some of the monks would go on to site. By 1767 most of the ashlar limestone find employment as teachers, others Sir Thomas Wingfield purchased the blocks had been removed leaving just took on the new Anglican church abbey site in 1550 and in 1560 John a flint core, evident today. orders though probably reluctantly. Eyre, by then an upwardly mobile It is said you will find abbey stone The Court of Augmentation set up feoffee, purchased it for £412 19s all over the town particularly in walls by Henry VIII to dissolve the monas- 4d during the reign of Elizabeth. He and cellars but not much further than tic houses was overseen by Suffolk could also collect Hadgovel rents, the six miles from the town, the distance man Nicholas Bacon but much of town rents. covered by a cart in a day. the abbey’s wealth had already been In 1579 another feoffee, Thomas Even the renovated Abbot’s palace confiscated before 1539. Badby, purchased the site, though had been demolished by its owner, controversially - it would seem he Major Richardson Pack. was feathering his nest. By the end of the 17th century Badby had a bill of complaint in the houses started to be built into the court of chancery brought against west front. They are still with us him by the trustees of the Gram- today and the abbey site would be mar School for misuse of the great transformed when in the ownership churchyard. He was dismissed as of the 2nd Marquess of Bristol into a magistrate and died in 1583. The horticultural gardens by their Guildhall Feoffees were running the creator and curator, Nathaniel Hod- town by then. son. As the abbot was mitred and repre- Initially it was chargeable to enter sented the town in Parliament the but in 1912 to celebrate George V’s town was effectively disenfranchised coronation a year before, the corpora- from 1539 until 1614 when the third tion obtained a lease on the gardens, charter in 1614 of James I/VI finally finally purchasing the freehold in allowed two MPs voted by the town’s 1953. corporation of 37 to attend Now we havewonderful award-win- Parliament. ning gardens and a fantastic amenity Unforeseen circumstance of the appreciated by residents and visitors demise of the abbey were that the alike. The Abbey stone in Barn Lane. poor of the town were no longer Martyn Taylor 14 Parking regulations due YOUR soon for the town centre CONTACTS Long-awaited changes to parking in may give us 30 additional spaces. But Society website Bury St Edmunds are due soon. this will still not give sufficient spac- www.theburysociety.org.uk The first (Civil Parking Enforce- es for all those who have purchased Reg Charity No. 263230 ment, or CPE) is due to start on parking permits. April 6 and will apply to the whole The ratio of permits to spaces in COMMITTEE town. Zone D stands at almost 4 to 1 which It will mean that our regular traffic makes it far higher than any other Chairman wardens will have the power to issue zone in the town. and Heritage Advisor tickets for illegal parking. Not only should the zones be Martyn Taylor Up to now and unlike most of the redrawn but more bays which are at [email protected] country, this has been in the power present pay-and-display only (and so of the police with fines going to cannot be used for residents parking) Secretary and central government. should be brought into shared use. Vice Chairman Now the fines will go to West As to traffic flow – like much of Tim Page Suffolk Council and be used to the town centre, the streets in the [email protected] employ more wardens (or more Churchgate area (The Grid) were laid correctly, civil enforcement officers). out long before the car was thought Treasurer Here at the Churchgate Area of and, although usable for local traf- Doug Beardon Association we are concerned that fic, get overloaded by those vehicles [email protected] the introduction of CPE will bring using the streets as a short cut or ac- even greater pressure on residents cessing parking in the Buttermarket. Planning parking as the number of permits is- Pedestrianisation of the Buttermarket Roderick Rees sued for on-street parking in no way is part of the Town Centre Master [email protected] matches the number of marked-out Plan and should be easy to imple- spaces in our area (Zone D). ment (it works on market days). Membership So we welcome the fact that the I keep reminding our councillors Sue Savage Zone D Parking Report is finally to about this, but no action has been [email protected] be implemented. seen so far. We live in hope. This is expected soon after CPE and Alan Broadway Programme Terry O’Donoghue [email protected]

Can you spot what’s missing? Bury in Bloom I just thought I would run this by am not committing anything that is Chairman you. You may find it, you might not. basically wrong. Robin Burnett In word construction a solitary indi- What I am trying to do is show you [email protected] vidual such as this is normally about how brilliant our lingo is. but in this draft it is missing. Writ- I am constructing this as I go along, Co-ordinator ing construction contains important without any caution, in fact you David Irvine information. Most scripts cannot do could say I was injudicious in trying [email protected] without what is missing in this sum- it out. You could probably do it mary. Study this info and you may automatically as I did. Review editor spot it but do not dismiss anything This conundrum was brought to my Russell Cook lightly. notification of what I think is an [email protected] You may think it is grammar, it is unusual situation or so I thought but not. Is it paragraphs? I do not think I sought a way how to carry on with Website so. Truthfully it is not punctuation. it. Alan Baxter It is not that obvious or is it? Could Short or long words bring it on I [email protected] vocabulary impart the solution? No said but could not on this occasion. way! If you focus on it wistfully it Mind you, if anybody can find what OTHER MEMBERS may jump out at you, or will it? is missing you can if you try. Patrick Chung Probably you think this individual is Kerr Clement too cunning for his own good, but I Martyn Taylor Sarah Nunn

15 Events overtaken by coronavirus outbreak Sadly the Covid-19 virus has deci- On a more positive note we do, at immerse themselves into the world mated all of our planned events for least, have a very successful Winter of Charles Dickens for 30 minutes 2020, including the popular spring Lunch (February 8) to look back on. whilst local and professional actors and summer excursions. The 2019 lunch was a very hard Tim Welton and Lynn Whitehead Once the future is a little clearer we act to follow, but by all the positive played out “Dickens Doubles” a may be able to review the situation feedback received, 2020 proved to be compilation of scenes from some based on best advice and produce a great success. of the vast catalogue of Dickens’ a small revised programme in the As in 2019 we were fully booked work. The timing could not have autumn and closing months of 2020. with over 84 guests. been better, not only being close If such action is possible we shall The venue and caterers provided a on the heels of the anniversary of publish any details as widely as solid foundation for the day, but the Dickens’ birthday but also with the possible, including on our own Bury jewel in the crown was the release only two weeks earlier of the Society website. opportunity for everybody to David Copperfield film, in which the town featured as a major backdrop. In another article Lynn has given us Tributes are paid to Roy Hudd a glimpse into the work required to produce such a magical performance. “A true legend of a performer.” It is only when we are deprived of Just one of the many tributes paid the ability to meet up can we fully to comedian, actor, writer and appreciate the delight in being able to music hall expert Roy Hudd who gather and enjoy meeting old friends has died after a short illness. in such a great atmosphere. The 83-year-old, who lived near Rest assured the Bury Society will Stowmarket, was active until once again bring you those opportu- recently and in 2018 he played Mr nities in the future, hopefully another Tom in Theatre Royal Bury St Ed- Winter Lunch early in 2021 signal- munds’ production of “Goodnight ling a full year of activities for its Mr Tom”. members. Last year he toured the UK in a Terry O’Donoghue production of Oscar Wilde’s play Events Secretary “A Woman of No Importance” alongside Liza Goddard and Isla Radio personality and writer Danny Blair and appeared in an episode of Baker said: “Bravo, Roy Hudd. Copy deadline for next “Casualty”. I hope you can hear the applause Mr Hudd hosted BBC Radio 2’s thundering in your ears.” edition of the Review “The News Huddlines”, starred Writer, broadcaster and raconteur The copy deadline for the next in “Coronation Street” and was a Gyles Brandreth said: “Roy Hudd’s edition of the Bury Society supporter of Theatre Royal Bury St death is so sad. He was such fun, so Review is Monday, July 20. Edmunds. funny and so talented. Here’s hop- Email copy to the editor Russell He passed away peacefully on ing there’s a heaven where he can Cook at [email protected] Sunday, March 15, and the theatre be reunited with old friends.” issued a tribute saying: “Everyone at Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds Don’t miss the opportunity to add your weight to the Bury Society team. is deeply saddened by the news Apply for membership now. that Roy Hudd has passed away. Either use the website: theburysociety.org.uk to download a He was a huge advocate for the membership form from the Home Page by clicking the “Join Us” panel theatre, performing in many shows or telephone the membership secretary Sue Savage on 01284 719243. here over the years including his own show ‘Roy Hudd’s Very Own Contributions to the Review do not necessarily reflect the views of the Music Hall’; as host for ‘A Right Bury Society. Royal Revue’ and of course his wonderful performance in the title role in 2018’s ‘Goodnight Mister Tom’. “A true legend of a performer and a shining example of kind hearted- ness, we will all miss him terribly. We send our thoughts and sympa- thies to his wife Debbie and the rest of his family.”