New-Look Guides Reveal their Abbey Tours

The Abbey-specific tours give deep insight to what the Abbey really meant for those who were within, the townspeople and probe the historic events that sometimes resulted in bloodshed. These add extra layers of information, relayed in an entertaining style.

The guides are keen to bring the significance of the Abbey to those groups or individuals who may find it hard to access the daily tours.

Particular emphasis is placed on reaching out to children so that they learn the Abbey’s history and take forward its legacy and they have created amusing tours which are for the young or young at heart during the Easter and Summer holidays.

In addition the guides are supporting other groups associated with Abbey 1000 to give tours for school pupils, create town trails and provide a presence at West Suffolk Council's Picnic in the Park event on 16 July.

The guides’ marketing officer John Saunders said: “We wrote these tours with Abbey 1000 in mind and were delighted when we trialled them last year. Feedback showed how highly valued they were in explaining the detail behind such aspects as how the monks lived; the conflict between the town and Abbey; what happened after the Abbey ceased.”

Indeed, launching their new leaflet for these tours gives an overview of the 90-minute tours sufficient to whet one’s appetite but the tours themselves reflect the enormous amount of research that the guides have done. For those who want a brisker but equally informative tour, the opportunity arises in the ‘bite-size’ version, intended for those who want to do something different while they walk and snack.

A highlight is the ‘Funny Stories for an Abbey Birthday’ tour which will feature in April and August and coincide with school holidays. These will see the re-emergence of the Grey Lady, Lady Margaret and the Brothers John and Tom as they create a tour of fun and activity for the young and the young at heart.

John added: “This is an excellent way to learn about Edmund and the Abbey without being crammed with facts and children love being able to join in and see things that the grown-ups have overlooked.”

Other tours - Abbey Habits, Circling the Abbey, the Dark Side of the Abbey and Legacy of the Abbey - last 90 minutes and will be of great interest to those who want to probe deeper into the past of the Abbey or to discover what has happened since its dissolution in 1539.

It wouldn't be a special occasion without a new outfit, and for the Bury St Edmunds Tour Guides they have smart new jackets which display the tour guides’ logo so visitors and locals alike will easily be able to spot them.

The dates, times of events, tour prices and booking arrangements vary as shown on the website http://www.burystedmundstourguides.org

For more details on all the events for the Abbey 1000 Celebrations visit our Abbey 1000 Guide.