Heritage Open Day Events 2026 – A hidden gem in the heart of Bungay – St Edmund’s Catholic Church
A hidden gem in the heart of Bungay – St Edmund’s Catholic Church
Friday 11 September to Saturday 12 September
10am to 4pm
Guided Tours: Friday at 2pm and Saturday at 10am and 2pm
Location: St Edmund’s Church, 1 St Mary’s Street, Bungay, Suffolk, NR35 1AX
Contact on day: Pete Johnson, 07708065338
Pre-booking not required
Discover one of the largest baptisteries in England, a wonderful collection of stained glass and wood carving, displays of historical vestments and historic photos and not forgetting the secret garden.
St Edmund’s Catholic Church is a grade II listed building in the heart of the town. Behind high walls it is often missed by passers-by. The church and parish have a long association with the Benedictine order of monks. The Catholic Relief Act of 1791 allowed Catholics to worship openly and so the first church in Bungay was opened by the Benedictines in 1823. This was enlarged to the present proportions in 1890, with the baptistery added in 1894. Funding provided by a local donor, Frederic Smith, amounts to well over a million pounds in modern terms. The association with the Benedictines came to an end in 2021, with the parish being handed over to the diocese of East Anglia.
- Full wheelchair access
- Accessible toilets
- Pushchair / pram friendly
- Refreshments