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Bungay
Town Trail
Exploring
historic buildings and places of interest in Bungay's ancient town centre.
Bungay
is a fine old market town, rich in history. The town centre is officially
recognised as a Conservation Area by English Heritage.
The
Town Trail includes virtually all of Bungay's historic buildings, churches
the River Waveney and shops of special interest. The routes are ideal
for visitors to the town and offer a chance to explore the 'old world
charm' that is unique to Bungay.
Both the
eastern route and the western route start at the Market Place and at
normal walking pace the trail can be completed in under two hours.
Western
Route
- See Eastern
Route
THE MARKET PLACE
A right turn at the gates of St. Mary's Churchyard will Market Place,
a lownscape which has remained unchanged for centuries. Prominent buildings
include two old coaching inns, the King's Head and the Three Tuns, both
of which are still a vital part of the hostelry scene. On the other
side of the roundabout is Wightmans furnishing shop, a handsome Victorian
building. The "roundabout" is distinguished by the Black Dog
of Bungay weather vane. On this site stood the old Corn Cross, made
redundant in 1609. and more recently the Town Pump, which was dismantled
by order of the Town Reeve in 1933.
BROAD
STREET AND CORK BRICKS
Alongside the Three Tuns runs Broad Street, once the main route for
livestock heading towards the Market. On the right. depicted by a wall
plaque, is the old Fisher Theatre which was opened in 18E8. This popular
venue attracted famous actors who appeared wilh the Fisher family until
the Theatre's closure in 1844. Further down the street is Threshers,
a building that survived lhe fire of 1666. Continue to Broadly Antiques,
cross
over lo visit the Green Dragon, a pub which brews real ale on the premises.
Turn back towards the Town and just before Cork Bricks is the local
Waveney District Council office which houses the Tourist information
Centre as well as the Town Museum.
EARSHAM
STREET
This is one of the Town's busiest streets with a rich diversity of specialist
shops and commercial premises. The route follows the right side of lhe
street passing a variety of antique shops to St. Mary's House. From
here there is an excellent view of the fine
terrace of 17th-century cotlages. Cross the road to Scott House near
Cock Bridge. This old house was formerly the residence of John Barber
Scott, famous diarist and philanthropist. The return journey will enable
a visit to the Black Dog Antique Centre, the largest of a number of
antique shops in this area. At the 16th- centLiry Castles Hotel, turn
right into the yard and follow the footpath to Bigod's Castle.
BIGODS
CASTLE AND VISITORS CENTRE
Here on the high ground, virtually surrounded by the Waveney and a site
of earlier fortifications, Hugh Bigod, as feudal lord, built a massive
Norman keep in 1165. From this site the truculent Hugh terrorised the
local Saxons and at times illegally occupied the castles at Norwich
and Orford. In 1174 he supported Henry 11's rebellious sons in armed
insurrection, which ended in surrender of the Castle to lhe King's forces
and the payment of 1,000 Marks for his disloyalty. Hugh Bigod was killed
in Syria on a crusade in 1178, at last fighting for his King.
A second
castle was built by Roger Bigod in 1394, which protected the town with
curtain walls and provided the famous twin towers of the gate house
which remain today. Further information can be found on the Bigod Castle
plinth by the entrance to the site.Following a successful bid for European
5b matched funding in 1997 by the Bungay Castle Trust, money was obtained
for the conversion of a derelict garage site, on the approaches to the
Castie, into a visitors centre.
THE
VISITORS CENTRE
The centre, officially opened in July 2000, provides a new entrance
to the Castle and improved facilities for visitors. These include a
courtyard cafe area, tourist information, heritage area and a model
of medieval Bungay produced by TheBungay Society.
Initially the centre will be open during the tourist season but is available
for booking for exhibitions and other events throughout the year.
CASTLE
HILLS
From the visitors centre, turn right into Castle Orchard leading to
the Castle Hills. These were earth works constructed by the Saxons to
defend the town against lhe Danes. On the western side there are fine
views of the Waveney Valley across to Earsham.
UPPER
OLLAND STREET
On leaving Castle Hills by the main gate, follow Priory Lane and turn
right at lhe junction with St. Mary's Street and enter Upper Olland
Street. The street name is probably a derivation of "oak lands",
the wood being used to build wherries in the Staithe area.
At the junction of Upper and Lower Olland Streets stands one of the
oldest buildings in Bungay, now a motor accessory shop. Further down
the street there is an interesting mixture of shops, the largest being
Nursey & Son, a factory shop specialising in high quality sheepskin
products. Nurseys is an old family business which recently celebrated
its bicentenary.
EMMANUEL
CHURCH
A classic Congregational Chapel dating from 1S18. In recent centuries
independent church communities have exercised a strong influence in
the Town. John Childs, a printer whose business was the forerunner of
Clays Ltd, and who broke the bible monopoly enabling bibles to be sold
at a much cheaper rate, worshipped here. His tombstone near the Chapel
records his death in 1853 and there is a beautiful commemorative window
in the Lecture Hall at the rear of the Church. Visitors are welcome
inside.
THE
ANGEL AND DINKY'S GARDEN
From Emmanuel Church cross the road and return to the Town, taking a
right turn through Turnstile Lane, and left at the junction. Here is
the 16th-century Angel Inn and alongside is Dinky's Garden, named after
Dinky and Sid Payne, champion fundraisers with their stalls in the Angel
yard.
St.
MARY'S STREET
From the Angel continue along St. Mary's Street to St. Edmund's RC Church.
Land in this area was set aside by the Duke of Norfolk and a small chapel
was opened in 1823. Frederic Smith, a former Town Reeve, rebuilt and
renovated the Church, and the present Church was opened in 1B94. The
martyrdom of St. Edmund is depicted in sculptural relief. From St. Edmund's
cross to the other side of the street to visit this busy section of
shops housed in a variety of architectural styles. Continue past another
two of the Town's old pubs, The Fleece and Swansons. Walk on to Farm
House Bakery in the Market Place where a plaque on the wal! marks the
outbreak of the Great Fire of Bungay in 1638. From here cross the road
to finish vour iournev where it began at the Butter Cross.
Also see
Eastern Route
www.bungay-suffolk.co.uk
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