Bury St Edmunds grew around the shrine of the martyred King Edmund, its magnificent abbey ruins still dominating the town centre within beautiful gardens. The town played a crucial role in English history as the birthplace of Magna Carta, where barons swore their oath in 1214. A fine array of Georgian buildings lines the grid-pattern streets, housing independent shops, antiques dealers, and the delightful Theatre Royal. The Greene King brewery has been producing beer here since 1799, while the surrounding countryside offers gentle walking through Suffolk villages.