St Edmundsbury Cathedral Christmas Market 2026
A perfect place to find your Christmas gifts!
- Date
- 26th November 2026 - 28th November 2026
- Time
- 10:00am - 4:30pm
About this event
In 2026 the St Edmundsbury Cathedral Christmas Market takes place from Thursday 26 November – Saturday 28 November.
50+ stallholders from Suffolk and beyond will showcase their products – a perfect place to find your Christmas gifts and to shop local.
You’ll get the chance to browse stalls while also taking in the beautiful setting of the 16th century Cathedral. In addition to the shopping experience, there will be daily entertainment for visitors including carols and live music.
Doors will open to welcome shoppers into the intimate atmosphere of the Cathedral between 10am and 4.30pm daily.
As a safety measure, random bag searches may take place before entry. Entry fee £2.
Find out more at the St Edmundsbury Cathedral website.
Enjoy 15% off a festive stay at All Saints Hotel!
Planning a visit to the St Edmundsbury Cathedral Christmas Market? Make a festive getaway of it with 15% off dinner, bed and breakfast (DBB) rates at All Saints Hotel, just outside Bury St Edmunds.
Available for stays from 26–28 November, simply book directly through the hotel’s website and use code MARKET to claim your discount.
Enjoy the St Edmundsbury Cathedral Christmas Market and the festive atmosphere of Bury St Edmunds, with a relaxing hotel stay to round off your visit.
Book your stay: All Saints Hotel website
Offer valid for stays from 26–28 November. Use code MARKET when booking online. Terms and conditions may apply.
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About the Venue
For over 1,000 years, the site of Suffolk ’s Cathedral has been one of worship and pilgrimage.
The death of Edmund, King of the East Angles, at the hands of the Danes in 869 led to the building of an abbey to house his remains. St James’s Church was built within the precincts of the Abbey, becoming a Cathedral in 1914. The Cathedral building has continued to develop over recent years with the addition of the Millennium Tower, completed in 2005, and its magnificent painted and gilded vault, added in 2010. In 2009 the Cathedral changed its dedication to become the Cathedral Church of St James and St Edmund.
Visitors are welcome to look around the Cathedral on their own. Entry is free but donations gratefully received. A free introductory leaflet is available in English, Dutch, French, German, Italian, and Polish. Visitors are most welcome to attend any of the daily services.
Guided Tours of the Cathedral run Monday to Saturday at 11.30 am and some Wednesdays and Thursdays at 2pm. Tickets can be purchased at the Cathedral Shop. Occasionally a tour may have to be cancelled if another event is taking place in the Cathedral. If you are travelling some distance, please do ring the Cathedral office to check. These tours last approx 1 hour and cost £7 per person (under 16s free).
St Edmundsbury Cathedral Tower Tours - Experience a fascinating behind-the-scenes tour of St Edmundsbury Cathedral's Millennium Tower with fun and knowledgeable guides. Explore heady heights with amazing views from the top of the tower, the highest point in Bury St Edmunds! Don’t forget your camera!
St Edmund Statue by Dame Elisabeth Frink - A trip to Bury St Edmunds would not be complete without a photo of the iconic St Edmund statue by Dame Elisabeth Frink. The statue can be found outside in the Great Churchyard of the Cathedral.
Cathedral Lego Project - St Edmundsbury Cathedral has launched an ambitious project to recreate the Cathedral out of 200,000 LEGO bricks! Visitors can see the Lego Cathedral being built before their eyes and donate a brick to be part of this amazing project. The Lego Cathedral is located in the South West corner of St Edmundsbury Cathedral. Opening times may vary based on volunteer availability.
The Ancient Library - The Ancient Library was founded by Dr Miles Mosse in 1595 as a resource for clergy training. There are over 550 books, mainly printed in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The library, in a room over the north-west porch designed by Stephen Dykes Bower in 1960, has bookcases made by Leonard Goff in 2004. If you would like to visit the library, please contact the librarian through the Cathedral Office on visits@stedscathedral.org or 01284 748730.
The Cathedral Treasury - Visitors can view a wonderful collection of treasures including the beautiful Bury Psalter - an illuminated book of psalms made and used at the Abbey of St Edmund, a replica of The Bury Cross or Cloisters Cross (the real cross is on display The Met in New York) made by Master Hugo during the days of the Abbey. The Treasury is open seven days a week: Monday – Saturday 10am – 4pm and Sunday 12.30pm – 3pm.
Pilgrim's Kitchen - after touring the Cathedral why not relax with a cuppa at the Cathedral's cafe?
"A lovely gem in Bury St Edmunds, a must visit."
"Really gorgeous cathedral with a lot of history and a lot of areas to explore."
"The grounds are spectacular enough as they contain the remains of a destroyed abbey but once you enter the Cathedral it's like entering something from Camelot. I have never come across a Cathedral with such a range of textures and colours on the floor, cleaning and stained glass."
