The Church Gate

The Church Gate. . This gateway led directly to the Abbey Church. The abbey's many visitors would all pass through here, from kings and queens to humble pilgrims in search of a miracle., Like the Abbey Gate to the north, this gateway provided an elaborate and imposing welcome. It was built during the rule of Abbot Anselm in the 12th century at the same time as the nave of the church. With its distinctive round arches it is a masterpiece of Norman or Romanesque architecture. Here you can get a clear idea of what the lost 11th and 12th-century abbey buildings looked like. It is faced in limestone from Barnack, now in Cambridgeshire, which would have been brought most of the way by barge., Today, it is known as the Norman Tower and is used as a bell tower for St Edmundsbury Cathedral., Artistic Excellence , In the 12th century Bury was a major centre for Romanesque art as well as architecture. A few works sell survive, such as the carved ivory Cloisters Cross and the illuminated Bury Bible (left). Written sources contain information about other works such as the sculpted bronze doors of the west front made by Master Hugo who may have been a monk at Bury.