A SMALL market town in the East of the UK is home to several famous buildings and is also well-known to have inspired one of the country’s best-loved authors.
Charles Dickens loved his visits to the cathedral town so much that he even set one of his books in its streets, where he could often be found.
On the face of it, Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk may appear to be a typical British town, but it has a fascinating history all of its own.
Included in that is its inclusion as a setting in Dickens’ novel Pickwick papers.
The town, and the Angel Hotel, both feature very prominently in the novel, with the Victorian author known to have stayed in the accommodation on several occasions.
Fittingly, the town was also chosen as the setting for the 2019 film The Personal History of David Copperfield, with the hotel appearing on the screen.
Actor Dev Patel and his co-stars, including Tilda Swinton, Hugh Laurie and Peter Capaldi were filmed throughout the town as they brought the story to a new audience.
The Angel is still up and running and is now a boutique 4 star hotel right in the centre of town, famed for its ivy-clad walls.
It’s not the only famous Bury St Edmunds establishment that Dickens used to frequent, with the Nutshell also said to be a favourite haunt of the writer.
The pub is the smallest in the UK, with a bar that measures just 15ft by 7ft.
The Nutshell opened in 1867 and proudly holds the title of smallest pub in Britain, which is confirmed by the Guinness Book of Records.
Despite its diminutive size, the pub is full of interesting historical items, some of which verge on macabre.
Yet it remains a major tourist attraction for visitors to the town.
The Visit Bury St Edmunds website reads: “Now a major tourist attraction for local and worldwide visitors, The Nutshell continues the tradition of serving some of the region’s finest ales, and providing a bar not just full of customers, but interesting historical items, photos and memorabilia.
“From a mummified cat and currency notes on the ceiling to historical photos, military items and a plane propeller on the walls there is much to view and talk about while you enjoy a drink.”
There’s other pubs in the town centre that have garnered attention too, including its Wetherspoons.
The grade I listed Corn Exchange was branded the country’s “poshest” Spoons earlier this year.
The exterior Grecian columns remain on the building, with its grand facade renovated and restored.
Inside is a huge glass-domed ceiling with some of the column decorations protected by glass.
It also has a huge open plan room with lots of booths and tables, ensuring plenty of customers can get in at any time.
As well as its Spoons, its Greggs has also made headlines, with some people saying it’s most beautiful in the UK.
The bakery on Abbeygate Street features grand wooden arches and is built in a Grade II listed property dating back to the 17th century.
While inside is nothing special, one person called it a “Greggstraunt” with the tables and chairs inside the large shop.
Others deemed it the “Greggernaut” of all Greggs, while another called it “Ye Olde Gregges.”
Some even said it looked like something out of Harry Potter.
A night in Bury St Edmunds can be booked from £58, including bed and breakfast.
Meanwhile, a night for two at the Angel can be booked from around £157.
Meanwhile, this is the smallest town in the UK – and it has a Michelin starred restaurant.
And this UK village has been compared to a 1940s film set.
