BAA Transactions Volume XX

Early Bury St Edmunds maps by Bernard Gauthiez in 'Bury St Edmunds Medieval Art, Architecture, Archaeology and Economy' editor A Gransden.

Bury 1066 by Bernard Gauthiez The illustration shows the old Saxon town layout as envisaged by Bernard Gauthiez before Abbot Baldwin embarked upon major construction works both at the monastery site and in the town.

Bury 1086 by Bernard Gauthiez Baldwin was Abbot of St Edmunds from 1065 to 1097 and Domesday credited him with building 342 houses by 1086 on land which used to be under the plough. This building was probably arranged in five new streets to the west of the Abbey, running north to south in a grid plan, still clearly visible today. The east-west axis was centred upon Churchgate Street.

Bury c1150 by Bernard Gauthiez The building of St James's gate, now called the Norman Tower, pushed the boundary of the abbey precinct westwards, and must have necessitated the demolition of properties along the old High Street, which had run along the line of the abbey church's west front. The Bury Customary recorded that during this time the Sacrist Hervey acquired 46 houses in the town. This may well indicate the new homes that would have been needed to house the people evicted from the High Street. The street which we call Abbeygate Street may have been part of this new development.

All images are copyright of Bernard Gauthiez Taken from 'Bury St Edmunds Medieval Art, Architecture, Archaeology and Economy' editor A Gransden. Published by the British Archaeological Association, Conference Transactions Volume XX