Masters of The Air Tour
Location
Bury St Edmunds Guildhall, Guildhall Street, Bury St Edmunds IP33 1PR
Telephone
01284 758000- Next Event
- 26th October 2:00pm
- Event Finishes
- 26th October 3:30pm
About this event
This 60-minute Masters of The Air tour brings to life those Bury St Edmunds buildings and places which contributed to the war effort or helped raise the morale of allied servicemen and women during those dark days. It is combined with a 30-minute visit to Bury St Edmunds Guildhall, to see the only surviving Royal Observer Corps Operations Room in the country, where specialist guides will describe its vital role in Britain’s air defence and the many lives it saved.
The Tour was created to coincide with the release of the Apple TV+ World War II drama Masters of the Air starring Austin Butler. Made by Band of Brothers and The Pacific producers Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman, the nine-episode mini-series will focus on the courage and sacrifice of the US Eighth Air Force in the East of England during WWII.
“For our air superiority, which by the end of 1944 was to become air supremacy, full tribute must be paid to the United States Eighth Air Force. Now we were masters of the air.” (Winston Churchill, 1951)
Masters of the Air is on selected dates, starting from Bury St Edmunds Guildhall in Guildhall Street IP33 1PR (what3words///redeeming.reverses.readings).
Tours are in English and are suitable for all ages and abilities. Please let us know beforehand if you have any special access requirements. We regret that we cannot accept dogs (apart from assistance dogs) on our tours.
Adults £12, U-18s £6, U-5s free. Advance booking essential.
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About the Venue
Secrets, stories and scandals are yours for the asking on the daily official historic walking tour of Bury St Edmunds.
This 90-minute tour of the historic centre of Bury St Edmunds includes the Abbey Gate, the Abbey Gardens and Abbey Ruins, the statue of St Edmund, St Edmundsbury Cathedral, St Mary’s Churchyard, Church Walks, Guildhall Street, Hatter Street, Abbeygate Street and the main market area.
Find out about the legend of St Edmund and the wolf, Bury St Edmunds’ connections to the Magna Carta, where Charles Dickens stayed, and the final resting place of a French Queen and Henry VIII’s beloved sister. Hear about the story of the great Abbey - once one of Europe’s most important pilgrimage sites whilst visiting the ruins and see the oldest Norman building in the country and the second oldest building in England.
The history of Bury St Edmunds stretches back over a thousand years starting with the martyrdom of Edmund, Anglo Saxon King and the original Patron Saint of England. Later came the establishment of the Benedictine Abbey dedicated to St Edmund, which became a major focus of pilgrimage in the Middle Ages. With Medieval, Georgian and Norman architecture, a visit to Bury St Edmunds is like taking a trip through time.
The Bury St Edmunds Tour Guides are all green or blue badge registered having completed their training with the National Institute of Tour Guiding. With years of experience and with a love of Bury St Edmunds, its history and people and a great sense of humour, the tour guides will ensure you see the best that Bury St Edmunds has to offer.
Between April and October guided walking tours of Historic Bury St Edmunds (90 minutes) run daily at 11am.
Tours must be booked online in advance at the website above.
Tours cost Adults £10, Under 18s £5, and Under 5s free. We recommend parking at the long stay car park at Ram Meadow.
To manage social distance requirements the tour guides will now only accept online bookings, they have smaller group sizes and have modified their routes.
Ghost Tours
Visiting in Autumn or Winter? Then you'll love the Ghostly and Macabre Tours! Murder, executions, plague, riots, witchcraft and sightings of ghostly figures, the Bury St Edmunds Tour Guides take you on a journey around our haunted town.
Bespoke and Group Tours
The Bury St Edmunds Tour Guides also offer an extensive range of over 20 Themed Tours that can be pre-booked for groups and schools. All group, themed and ghost tours must be pre-booked and tickets are available from The Apex box office on Charter Square in the arc shopping centre. For information on the group tours and to book, contact The Apex box office on 01284 758130.
