18th June 2020

The Abbey tennis courts serves up an ace

New public tennis courts are to open in the Abbey Gardens from 1 July marking the completion of the first physical project by the Abbey of St Edmund Heritage Partnership. West Suffolk Council, which is part of the partnership, has completed work after gaining Scheduled Monument Consent from Historic England.

Two new courts will be available from next month, replacing the old ones which have been removed from near the Abbey crypt. Titan Tennis will be offering coaching sessions on Saturday mornings. Players are asked to ensure they follow social distancing guidelines.

Cllr John Griffiths, Leader of West Suffolk Council said: “It has long been our ambition to replace the old courts and move them to a more suitable setting within the Gardens. The Gardens provide a wonderful opportunity for people to relax and unwind, as well as to enjoy and participate in certain sports including tennis and mini golf. It is perhaps particularly important at this time, when many of us may have been struggling to get enough exercise, that there are these opportunities to enjoy sport for our physical as well as mental health. That is why we are so delighted that our £263,000 investment in the extension of the public gardens into the former Eastgate nursery, which includes these new public tennis courts, is now complete. We anticipate that these courts will be very popular and I’d like to thank all the partner organisations and the neighbouring residents and clubs, both for their support as well as their tolerance during the works.”

The new tennis courts, which meet Lawn Tennis Association standards, have been built on the site of the former Eastgate Nurseries, a site which had in more recent years been used for storage. Community archaeological investigations were carried out on the site ahead of the new courts being laid.

As well as new courts, the work has also seen pedestrian improvements from Eastgate Street to the River Lark path and provided a new riverside picnic area while English Heritage funded repairs to sections of the boundary walls.

Reverend Canon Matthew Vernon, chairman of the Abbey of St Edmund Heritage Partnership said: “Part of The Abbey area has, in modern times, been used for recreation and leisure, and these new courts will ensure that that continues. It also presents further opportunities. The partnership’s aim is to find out more about its archaeology and history so we can understand and share more of the story of St Edmund and The Abbey with local people and visitors. We still hope to have a scan of a wide area of the site to further the research and discover more about what links to the Abbey’s medieval past may lie beneath and we will announce more on this when we are able.”

 

The new tennis courts can be booked via the Lawn Tennis Association court app – simply go into the app and search for Abbey Gardens (Bury St Edmunds). Alternatively visit https://clubspark.lta.org.uk/AbbeyGardens/Booking

Similar articles

7th March 2024

New visitor guide leaflet

The latest and probably final version of the visitor guide leaflet has…


20th December 2023

Abbey Christmas token found at Oxburgh Estate

By Shannon Eustace, BBC News, Suffolk   Archaeologists have discovered a token that…


17th November 2023

Council to spend £250k protecting and enhancing the Abbey

By Shannon Eustace, BBC News, Suffolk A council has earmarked £250,000 to protect…


View all news