The immense minster with its lofty western and central towers rose above the monastic buildings which were enclosed by a wall. To the north was a great cloister with the various conventual offices, to the south-west lay the cemetery and church of St Mary, while immediately before the west front of the church stood the Norman tower leading to St James’ Church. Sufficient is left of the reverend walls to convey some idea of the former vastness of the abbey and its attendant buildings. Of the minster itself little remains--some arches of the west front, now converted into private houses, and the bases of the piers which supported the central tower. The site of St Edmund’s chapel--the part of the building which contained the famous and much visited shrine--is at the east end of the church. Besides these relics of the minster, there still exists the Norman tower--built during the time of Abbot Anselm and formerly known as the principal entrance to the cemetery of St Edmund, and latterly as the “Churchgate” and bell tower of St James’ church;--the abbot’s bridge (Decorated) of three arches; portions of the walls; and the abbey gateway. The latter was restored in 1327 after one of the many quarrels between the monks and townspeople and is of rich Decorated work. Within the extensive abbey demesne lie the churches of St James--another piece of Anselm’s work--and St Mary. The latter was built by the parish folk. A small portion of its west end protrudes beyond the abbey precincts and was built thus with the intention of distinguishing it as the work of the town and not of monastical enterprise. It is a beautiful and imposing edifice in the Perpendicular style, and among its many beauties is the unique waggon-roof of the chancel. The remains of Mary Tudor, Queen of France, and afterwards those of Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, were brought from the abbey and reinterred there. First among the abbots of Bury stands the name of Samson, “the wolf who raged among the monks.” Many of the brothers had become entangled with Jewish moneylenders in the 12th century, and Abbot Samson, while protecting the Jews at the time of the massacre, discharged all the debts of his house, established many new rules, and set a godly and strenuous example to his followers. Later, in 1205, the chief barons met at Bury in opposition to King John and swore at the second meeting, four years later, in the presence of the King and Archbishop Langton, to stand by their cause till the King should be induced to sign the Great Charter, and to establish those liberties which we still enjoy.