Patron Announced for The Abbey of St Edmund, Reborn Project

The Abbey of St Edmund, Reborn – the new, shorter name for the important heritage and cultural project which is based in Bury St Edmunds and serving all the communities of Suffolk - announced today that its Patron will be The Marquess of Bristol.

Made possible by National Lottery players, The Abbey of St Edmund, Reborn will conserve and protect the Abbey ruins, build a visitor centre facing onto Angel Hill, expand and improve the footpaths around the site, and provide exciting interpretation and activities for all ages and interests. It will be a magnet for cultural tourists and an important gathering place for local residents.

Speaking earlier today, Frederick Bristol said ‘I am delighted to be the Patron of the project The Abbey of St Edmund, Reborn. I have always loved the Abbey Gardens, which my family owned prior to transferring ownership to the Borough Council, and they will benefit greatly from conservation of the ruins and inspiring interpretation. I think it is a wonderful idea to have the visitor centre with good links to the town centre, making it easy to get to while preserving the peace and tranquillity of the gardens. Personally, I feel a strong connection to The Abbey of St Edmund because my title of Hereditary High Steward of the Liberty of St Edmund is almost as old as the Abbey itself – so it feels like we have nearly a thousand years of shared history. I very much look forward to being involved with such an ambitious and thoughtful project.’

In welcoming this announcement, Joe Hawes, Dean of St Edmudsbury said, ‘We are honoured and thrilled that the Marquess of Bristol has agreed to become Patron of The Abbey of St Edmund, Reborn. We are looking forward to a long and fruitful collaboration as we develop and deliver this important project for the people of Bury St Edmunds and Suffolk.

St Edmundsbury Cathedral, West Suffolk Council and English Heritage (the project partners) have come together as members of The Abbey of St Edmund Heritage Partnership (comprising 29 organisations and individuals who care about the Abbey) to develop and deliver this project.