TOPOGRAPHICAL PARTICULARS OF BURY ST. EDMUND'S.

THE opinions of many well-known antiquarians whose attentions have been directed to the subject, assign to the town of Bury St. Edmund's, a Roman origin. It appears probable that under the name of Villa Faustina, the place was once the residence of a noble Roman, named Faustinus, but that the spot occupied by the modern Bury was at any time a Roman settlement of importance, appears to be a question involved in so much obscurity, as to render a satisfactory solution at this dis tance of time impracticable. Previous to the time of the Romans, it is believed a herd of Britons held their residence upon the spot, and some antiquaries contend, that they have discovered in the present name of the place, a corroboration of the truth of this supposition. The glimmering and uncertain light thrown on the subject by reference to its early name, serves at best however but to render the darkness more distinctly visible, and as regards the occupation of the scite by the early Britons, the opinion must sink into uncertainty and mere conjecture.

The name of Villa Faustini supposed to be anciently applied to Bury, is believed to signify the Vill, or, seat of Faustinus, but of Faustinus himself there remains no record.* It is probable, however, that he was a Roman soldier of eminence, who, pleased with the salubrity of the air, and charmed with the beauty of the situation, fixed his residence upon the spot. By some antiquaries, even this slender connection of the town with classic origin, has been violently disputed. The Villa Faustini has been placed at Woolpit, and Reynolds, who holds that opinion, mentions in proof, that great numbers of Roman coins, have been * Batteley who could not endure giving up Bury, as not being classical ground, has in his MSS. varied the beginning of his elegant Essay, several times. This looks as if he could not satisfy himself, that what he said was perfectly true.-Gilling water.

frequently found at that place, and none at Bury. It may be said in answer however, that the discovery of Roman coins in a particular spot, cannot surely denote the certain existence of a Roman station, or Villa, at that place. Neither can their absence be advanced as proof to the contrary. The want of evidence upon the point in question, is so great, that not only is it rendered uncertain, if Woolpit or the modern Bury, be the ancient seat of Faustinus, but it is doubtful if its scite existed in the county. Camden originally placed it at Chesterford, in Essex. Salmon says, the Villa Faustini, was situated at Maldon, in the same county. Horseley fixes it at Dunmow, and Gale adopts the same opinion as Camden. Among so numerous an array of conflicting statements-the opinions of men wellversed in the antiquities of the country-who, it may be asked, in the present day, when so many centuries have gone by since the early period to which reference has been made, each obliterating in its course, some important fact relating to its predecessor, shall decide respecting the Roman origin of Bury St. Edmund's. The question must remain for ever in obscurity.

That the ancient Romans were resident at various places in the neighbourhood, there is but little or perhaps no doubt. Roman coins and other antiquities, have been discovered at Icklingham. In a meadow called Habyrdon, lying contiguous to Bury, are the remains of ancient entrenchments and Roman aggera.* Blomefield observes, that a miliare stood in the road from Ickburgh to Bury. At Whelnetham Magna, a Roman sacrificing knife, the head of a spear, bricks, coins and vessels, were found by Sir R. Gipps, in 1701, and at various other places adjacent to the town, Roman antiquities have been discovered in some abundance. The only place that appears exempt from similar remains, is Bury St. Edmund's itself, and this circumstance induces a presumption, but does not substantiate a proof, that the Romans were but slightly, if at all cou nected with it in any way.

* Yates.

It has been said, that during the recent excavations, for the foundations of the gas works, a portion of wall broken in upon by the workmen, was believed by some, to be constructed of Roman materials. The evidence on this point, is however, so vague and unsatisfactory, not only as regards the quality of the workmanship, but even of the discovery, that no reliance can be placed upon the report.

The first notice which can lay claim to historical certainty relating to the origin of Bury, is that the Saxons, upon the departure of the Romans from the Island of Britain, erected a "royal town" upon its scite, under the name of Bedericsguord, or Bedericksworth. Bederic is said to have been the ancient Lord of the town. It constituted a portion of his demesne, and being seized of the place previous to the martyrdom of the pious and noble St. Edmund, he made that celebrated individual, the heir to his possession. The appellation of Bedericksworth, seems to have been attached to the embryo town for upwards of two centuries, at the end of which period the extraordinary impression produced by the circumstances attending the life of St. Edmund upon the minds of the simple inhabitants of the period, caused the removal of his body from Hoxne to that place, and changed the name to that of St. EDMUND'S BURY, or St. EDMUND'S TOWN. It is conjectured that the scite of the ancient residence of Bederic, was in the neighbourhood of the present East Gate Street, near where the dilapidated houses in Mustow Street, now stand. The Liber Albus, according to Gillingwater, agrees with other authorities, in fixing the court of the principal offices of the Abbey on the scite of Bederic's mansion. It was said to have been stationed near the Scur fountain, where the infirmary was afterwards kept, and then chosen or appointed as the spot where the steward of the convent yearly held his court. It is on the connection of this latter word, Bury, with the name of the royal martyr preceding it, that the advocates of its early British origin found their opinion.

In the foregoing disquisition, we have perhaps, bestowed

more consideration upon the early history, or rather upon an attempt to discover the probability of the first existence of Bury, than the subject demands. The establishment of the town however, has always been a question of very considerable dispute, and therefore the subject is worthy of even an extended enquiry. The place is we think, more indebted for its origin, to the establishment of the monastery within its walls, than to any conqueror, whether Roman or Danish.

The history of the great monastery just recorded, is so closely interwoven with that of Bury itself, that it is unnecessary, having given the one, to enter upon the other. We shall therefore confine ourselves to a description of the various objects of interest and antiquity, not immediately connected with the convent, scattered throughout the town.

Bury St. Edmund's owns two churches only, one of which, the finest, is dedicated to St. Mary, and the other to St. James. The church of St. Mary, is the noblest ecclesiastical structure in the whole county, and possesses architectural beauties, vieing with some of the best English cathedrals. It was first erected in the year 1005, but afterwards rebuilt in the 15th century, and was finished in its present condition, about 1430. The greatest beauty of the interior, is a roof of the most exquisite workmanship, carved in France, and then brought over to this country. Each rib or arch, is supported by an effigy of an angel, of a large size. At the time of the reformation, St. Mary was full of altars, images and pictures. The length of the whole structure within the walls, is 214 feet, the width of the chancel 68 feet, and that of the nave and aisles 67 feet.

It is in this church, that the remains of Mary, Queen of France, the wife of Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, lie interred. Abbot Reeve, also, the last superior of the monastery sleeps here unconscious now of the powers of bell, book, and candle.

At the east corner of the south aisle, lies a beautiful monument erected to the memory of John Baret. He died in 1643.

This part of the church, was formerly divided into a chapel, the ceiling of which highly ornamented and enriched with labels displays itself in the roof above the gallery, the communication below being separated. On the top of this tomb, lies a figure carved in freestone, representing an emaciated or skeleton body. The name of the person to whom so revolting a memorial was erected, is unknown, but tradition, with her hundred tongues, tells us that the carving perpetuates the feat of some pious individual, who, in his zeal to serve the church, attempted the task of fasting, forty days and forty nights. Death, however, we believe, overtook the would-be saint, before he had completed his penance.

As we enter the chancel, we find two stately tombs with figures reposing upon them. One of these monuments lies on the north and the other on the south. That on the north side is erected to Sir William Carew and his wife. The lady died in 1525, and her husband in 1501. The tomb on the south side covers the remains of Sir Thomas Drury, a privy-councillor of Henry VII and VIII. The effigy of his wife lies beside him. He died about 1533. In the church are figures of Jankyn Smith and his wife. This personage was an inhabitant of the town in the reign of Edward IV, and was a considerable benefactor to the place. A portrait of Jankyn Smith, also, decorates the council chamber of the Guildhall.

The church of St. James, is a fine structure, but yields the palm both in beauty and size to St. Mary. Abbot Sampson, as early as 1200 commenced the building. The present structure, was finished after the reformation, although in 1500 we find that it was in a considerable degree of forwardness. Edward VI gave £500 to complete the building. The dimensions of St. James's church are 193 feet in length, and its breadth at the aisles and nave 69 feet-at the chancel 27 feet 5 inches.

The only monument worth notice, is that of the Honorable John Reynolds, chief Baron of the Exchequer, who died in 1738.

The tower usually termed the Saxon tower, though built by