Eastlife Spring 2020

Suffolk
the immense church, St Mary’s Church and parts of St
Edmundsbury Cathedral. They are surrounded by the
award-winning, 14-acre Abbey Gardens and visited by
some 1.3million people from across the world each year.
Credit: Rebecca Austin
Year of celebrations
Cultural, musical, religious and civic functions will
highlight the 1,000 years since the Abbey’s foundation.
The Abbey 1000 Group, working closely alongside the
Cathedral and the Heritage Partnership, is planning a
wide range of events from musical concerts to religious
pageants culminating in a spectacular light show on St
Edmund’s Day Weekend.
For the first time in 500 years since the dissolution of the
monasteries, there will be a procession and gathering
on 23 and 24 May of 100 Benedictine monks and
nuns, plus 400 others, from communities across Britain
and possibly overseas. They will be joined by Rowan
Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury. Other
highlights include a pilgrimage from St Benet’s Abbey in
Norfolk and Ely in Cambridgeshire and an exhibition of
seven manuscripts from the Abbey Scriptorium, being
reunited in their place of origin for the first time since
1539.
A special Millennium anthem is being written by
composer John Rutter for the Abbey, while the opening
event for the 73rd Aldeburgh Festival will be held at St
Edmundsbury Cathedral on 12 June. This will be the
first time the Festival has opened outside of the Suffolk
coastal area in over 50 years.
Community projects include a mosaic at the arc
shopping centre with contributions from the public and
a monthly changing sculpture in the crypt within the
Abbey remains, where St Edmund’s shrine would have
stood. The Bury St Edmunds Festival, which runs from
15 to 24 May, will also be staging concerts to mark the
anniversary.
Local companies, schools and community groups are
being challenged to stage their own events to raise
‘£1,000 for 1000’ with proceeds being donated to
the anniversary year’s charities. These are St Nicholas
Hospice Care, St Elizabeth Hospice and EACH (East
Anglian Children’s Hospices).
For more details about the anniversary visit
www.abbeyofstedmund1000.co.uk, while
information about where to stay can be found on
www.burystedmundsandbeyond.co.uk.
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