St Edmundsbury Cathedral awarded more than £700,000 of National Lottery funding
It will be used to protect the ruins
St Edmundsbury Cathedral is getting nearly £730,000 of funding which will be used to conserve the medieval site.
The National Lottery Heritage Fund's awarded £729,553 worth of development funding to the The Abbey of St Edmund: A Millennium of History in West Suffolk project.
It will go towards protecting the cathedral ruins, building a visitor centre, west cloister, and network of footpaths.
Commenting on the funding, The Very Reverend Joe Hawes, Dean of St Edmundsbury, said: “We’re delighted that we’ve received this support thanks to National Lottery players.
"This project captures what is so special about heritage in Bury St Edmunds. The community has such a strong sense of pride in the Abbey site. It has been a central feature of the town’s identity for a thousand years and this project will ensure that will continue well into this century and beyond.
"St Edmundsbury Cathedral, West Suffolk Council and English Heritage are working together to deliver this transformative project which will benefit those who are already engaged with the Abbey site, and those who are yet to discover the Abbey and be captivated by its place in our culture, history and heritage.”
"A thousand years of history"
Eilish McGuinness, Chief Executive of The National Lottery Heritage Fund said: “The Abbey of St Edmund holds a thousand years of history within its ruins and surrounding gardens, inspiring and connecting generations of people to its unique heritage as a place of worship and medieval pilgrimage, dating back to the Magna Carta.
"I am delighted that our grant award of £730,000 will enable development of the project and continued collaboration between a range of community and conservation organisations, whose focus is to ensure that this heritage treasure can be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future.
"As the largest funder for the UK’s heritage we believe in the power of heritage to ignite imagination, offer joy, and to build pride in a place by connecting people to the past. The Abbey of St Edmund is a fantastic example.”