Picturesque buildings and rugged windswept beaches are what tempted me to make the long journey from our Lancashire home to Suffolk. Arriving from the northwest, we pulled into the upmarket town of Bury St Edmunds that grew around a wealthy Benedictine monastery.
Like many monasteries, the roof and exterior stones of the abbey were removed after its dissolution and, today, romantic weathered remains trace the shape of the monastic buildings. Wandering around the park and ruins, we agreed this was a promising introduction to Suffolk.
After visiting the light and airy interior of the cathedral, we circled the handsome building. In a peaceful green, facing further abbey ruins, we stumbled upon a striking statue of Edmund by renowned sculptor, Elisabeth Frink. Edmund was King of East Anglia, a martyr and saint. Noticing a wolf statue lurked behind the figure, I asked a helpful woman in the tourist office its significance. She retold the somewhat gory tale of the wolf that protected Edmund's head until it was found, after he was decapitated by Vikings for his faith.
We mulled this tale over with coffee and delicious shortbread in
