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The village has always claimed to be the true place of his death and martyrdom and people here also believe a local bridge is where St Edmund tried to hide from the Danes in AD 870, before being denounced by a passing bridal party.

Julie Craven lives in Hoxne and is the former Assistant County archivist - she has researched the area's links to St Edmund and she says, according to most of the historical records she's seen, Hoxne has the greatest claim to be the place where St Edmund was killed.

The stone cross

The village has always claimed to be the true place of his death and martyrdom and people here also believe a local bridge is where St Edmund tried to hide from the Danes in AD 870, before
being denounced by a passing bridal party.

Julie Craven lives in Hoxne and is the former Assistant County archivist - she has researched the area's links to St Edmund and she says, according to most of the historical records she's seen, Hoxne has the greatest claim to be the place where St Edmund was killed.

Julie says village folklore now warns brides from crossing the bridge on their wedding day for fear of bad luck.

It was supposedly a bridal party who gave away St Edmund's hiding place to the marauding Danes and - it is said - he later put a curse on all future bridal processions using the bridge.

The bridge

A stone cross was put up in the year 2000 in a field between the two halves of the village to mark the site of an old oak tree that, traditionally, is thought to be the place where St Edmund was slain.

The tree collapsed about a hundred years ago and to the amazement of villagers, a Viking arrow head was found embedded in it. Some believe it was a stray Danish arrow which, instead of piercing St Edmund, pierced the trunk of the young oak….

Julie says village folklore now warns brides from crossing the bridge on their wedding day for fear of bad luck..

It was supposedly a bridal party who gave away St Edmund's hiding place to the marauding Danes and - it is said - he later put a curse on all future bridal processions using the bridge.

A stone cross was put up in the year 2000 in a field between the two halves of the village to mark the site of an old oak tree that, traditionally, is thought to be the place where St Edmund was slain.

The tree collapsed about a hundred years ago and to the amazement of villagers, a Viking arrow head was found embedded in it. Some believe it was a stray Danish arrow which, instead of piercing St Edmund, pierced the trunk of the young oak.