Many a Sunday…
was spent here at Bury St. Edmunds, near where we lived. We enjoyed visiting the ducks with bags of day-old bread and walking among the old stone walls.
The Abbey Gardens are situated on the site of a 7th century Benedictine Abbey, now in ruins. It’s really striking to see the old and new together.
You can see here the “Chicken and Teapot”, just two of the interesting structures left to wander through. In the previous photo you can see two columns that stand side by side like sentinels.
Inside the cathedral, there is a feast for the eyes, as well as for the soul. These prayer cushions are hand-stitched. Not as lovely as the ones at Ely, but beautiful all the same - and each one different.
Imagine the choir filled with starched white ruffs and crimson robes on Sunday morn, the angelic sound of voices raised in praise. I always think of the boys choir heading acroos a market square for vespers at another Cathedral in Peterborough, what a beautiful sight.
The sunlight streaming though these Victorian stained-glass windows, depicting the creation of our first parents Adam and Eve, is breathtaking. I especially love all of the curving lines used in the pieces, something that older glass pieces could not seem to achieve.
This tapestry tells the story of the Martyrdom of St. Edmund, who refused to deny his Christianity after being captured by Vikings. He was beheaded and later laid to rest on the site of the Cathedral which now bears his name.
The altar cloth is an exquisite example of needlework, using quilting and embroidery together. The colors are deliciously jewel toned. Notice the lilies, or perhaps they’re daffs?
After a visit to the Cathedral and Abbey Gardens, it’s time for a lovely Sunday lunch at The Angel, directly over the road.
I’ve enjoyed sharing with you some of my memories of England. I cherish them. They are wonderful gifts that I can pull out, and be transported by, anytime. These images and my reminiscences are a window into my heart.
September 20th, 2007 at 8:16 pm
I miss England too… I was born and raised there. I especially miss the countryside (it is so different to here in the states) and the historical sites!