Abbey Gate, Bury St Edmunds

A Grade I Listed BuildingThe great gate of the Abbey of St Edmund. Begun after the riots of 1327 but before 1346; completed after 1353. Barnack stone.EXTERIOR: 2 storeys and battlements. The west facade is richly decorated: a broad segmental entrance arch has 3 niches over it and a large ogee gable above has foiled circles to left and right. Buttresses to each side with ogee-headed steeply gabled niches in 3 tiers, the top tier relating to the upper storey, which has 5 tall blank niches. The taller centre niche has a crocketed gable, flanked by 2 circles containing 6-pointed stars. The east facade has a shafted doorway: leaf capitals to the shafts and an arch with a double quadrant moulding. A large transomed 3-light window to the upper storey. The entrance arch leads from the Angel Hill into an outer chamber with a longer principal chamber beyond it; between them are C17 timber gates with heavy outsize dumb-bell balusters.INTERIOR: the inner side walls of both chambers have large blank arches with bold flowing tracery; both originally had vaulting with ribs and tiercerons, now fragmentary. The principal chamber on the upper storey has the remains of an original fireplace.

This rather square cubicle building links the abbey gardens with the rest of the city. Though there is another entry to the gardens behind the church this one is way more impressive and provides the stronger contrast to the abbey ruins behind.