Celebrating 20 Years of the Cathedral Millennium Tower

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the completion of St Edmundsbury Cathedral's 150ft Millennium Tower.

For visitors to the town it's difficult to understand why the tower is just 20 years old as the church itself was mainly built in the 16th Century.

But up until 20 years ago the only Cathedral in Suffolk did not have a tower. The Millennium Project saw the completion of the building with the addition of a tower, new cloisters and chapels.

In January 1998 King Charles, then the Prince of Wales, who had expressed an interest in seeing Britain’s last unfinished cathedral finally completed, paid visited Bury St Edmunds to hear about the project and in May of that year he agreed to be Patron of the project.

Barnack Limestone not used for construction for more than 500 years was discovered by chance at a Lincolnshire quarry to ensure the tower looked as if it had always been there.

Work on the tower was finished in July 2005, with a special service that year to mark its completion attended by Their Royal Highnesses Charles, the Prince of Wales and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall.

Pop along to the Cathedral and view an exhibition celebrating the 20th anniversary of the completion of the Cathedral Tower, including stories from the craftspeople and original designs.

Join St Edmundsbury Cathedral on Sunday 22 June at 3.30pm for a special Evensong service to celebrate 20 years since the completion of the Cathedral’s Millennium Tower in 2005, alongside West Suffolk Council’s annual Civic Service.

All are welcome.

To mark the 20th anniversary of the completion of the Millennium Tower, join Horry Parsons, (Team Leader/Project Manager), on a floor level tour of the Cathedral whilst he explains how the Tower was built.

The event continues with two tour guides as you ascend the Tower and hear more of the story before reaching the top of the Tower for views over the town of Bury St Edmunds.

Book now.

To mark the 20th anniversary of the completion of the Millennium Tower, we are offering a series of Tower ‘climbs’ (202 steps) – to give you the chance to enjoy views over Bury St Edmunds.

These 45-minute tours are led by knowledgeable guides who have lots of facts about the building of the Tower.

Just £3 per person.

Book a tour now.

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 now.

Should you wish to arrange a group Tower Tour, please book in advance, by contacting visits@stedscathedral.org