Bury St Edmunds tour guide tells the story behind the Market Cross, one of the historic town’s most iconic buildings

A Bury St Edmunds tour guide is about to launch his first book, exploring the history of one of the town’s most iconic buildings.

Adrian Tindall, a town tour guide for more than seven years, has produced A Neat and Beautiful Theatre: The Story of Bury St Edmunds Market Cross.

It will be launched with an illustrated talk at Moyse’s Hall Museum on June 6.

Over 120 pages it delves into topics including the building’s history, the actors who graced the stage there and the architect who designed the building in 1774, which is still celebrated as a brilliant example of decorative neoclassical architecture.

Often cited as the town’s finest post-medieval building, its story is longer and more surprising. In the middle ages it was a cross for preaching and trading, it then became Bury’s first corn exchange and playhouse and was later remodelled as an elegant Georgian theatre by architect Robert Adam.

It then became a Victorian concert room where many celebrities performed, and a town hall and art gallery, among others. It also played a vital community role.

Adrian said: “As a tour guide, I was researching the history of James Oakes’ house in Bury’s Guildhall Street. The house was redesigned by Robert Adam’s contemporary Sir John Soane and, browsing through the Sir John Soane’s museum archives, I came across Adam’s original pencil drawings of the Market Cross.

“This encouraged me to prepare a presentation on its history, which I had been researching for a couple of years.

“It proved such a fascinating and colourful story for anyone who knows and loves Bury, or who is particularly interested in the early theatre or the work of Robert Adam.”

Mr Tindall is a Green Badge Tour Guide and chair of the Bury St Edmunds Association of Registered Tour Guides.

He was a professional archaeologist for over 40 years and county archaeologist for Hereford and Worcester, Cheshire and Cambridgeshire.

He is a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, a member of the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists and a trustee of West Stow Anglo-Saxon Village.

The book launch at Moyse’s Hall Museum coincides with the 250th anniversary of Robert Adam’s commission to design the building.

Adrian will tell the story of the Market Cross, personalities and events.

For more information about the launch, click here

Entry costs £8.