There is great uncertainty about the life and final days of St Edmund, though aspects of his life story are sometimes misleadingly presented as historical fact.  However there is no doubt that his legend is intimately interwoven with the folklore of Hoxne so make up your own mind! 

St. Edmund is believed to have lived between 840 and 870, being King of the East Angles from about 865. There is uncertainty as to the place of Edmund's death and first burial, though it has traditionally been identified as Hoxne.   His kingdom was invaded by  Danish Vikings and Edmund himself was captured. He was offered his life if he would consent to share the throne with one of the invaders; he refused and was used as an archery target by the invaders before finally being beheaded on 20 Nov. 870.  Legend has it that King Edmund was captured after being given away by a wedding party while hiding under Goldbrook Bridge. To this day it is said that no bride shall cross the bridge on her way to church for fear of bringing bad luck.

Edmund was originally buried near the site of his martyrdom, but sometime before 945 his body was transferred to the monastery at Beodericsworth; it quickly became a significant pilgrimage site, and eventually the town changed its name to Bury St. Edmunds.

The tree at which tradition declares Edmund to have been slain stood in the park at Hoxne until 1849, when it fell. In the course of its breaking up an arrow-head was found embedded in the trunk. A  church dedicated to St. Edmund begged a piece of the tree, and it now forms part of his communion-table.  Another portion is in the possession of Lady Bateman of Oakley Hall.

The feast day of St. Edmund is 20 November; the celebration of the translation of his relics is 29 April.  In Hoxne, a memorial to St Edmund can be found along Oak Hill, and a memorial stone (pictured) was unveiled near Goldbrook Bridge in the autumn of 2005.