Historic Bury St Edmunds charity Guildhall Feoffment, which provides housing for elderly people in need, has celebrated centuries of community support with the help of a stunning eight-foot puppet of one of the town’s most famous benefactors. Chair Mark Merriam explains more
A giant puppet has been paraded through Bury St Edmunds as part of a 500-year-old ceremony held by Guildhall Feoffment to celebrate the life of one of the town’s most famous benefactors. The well-established local charity, which provides housing for elderly people in need, marked the 545th annual Jankyn Smyth commemoration with a service at St Mary’s Church yesterday (Thursday 25 June, 2026). School children, almshouse residents, feoffees, clergy, councillors and dignitaries – including Mark Pendlington, the Lord Lieutenant of Suffolk – then processed through the streets to the Guildhall as local people watched on.
Guests were then given cake and an ale brewed by Greene King before cheering Smyth’s portrait in recognition of the impact he made on the town. A wealthy merchant, Smyth founded the Candlemas Guild, which is now known as Guildhall Feoffment. He left a bequest for a mass to be held each year on the anniversary of his death in 1481, including money for cake and ale. The service has been taking place ever since and is widely recognised as the country’s longest running commemoration ceremony.
This year’s event was extra special as year six pupils from Guildhall Feoffment Primary School made an eight-foot puppet of Jankyn Smyth, together with banners celebrating fellow benefactors John Baret and Margaret Odham, to lead the parade.
Mark Merriam, Chair of Guildhall Feoffment, said: “It was an honour to welcome so many friends and distinguished guests to St Mary’s Church and the Guildhall to celebrate the life and achievements of Jankyn Smyth. We were especially pleased that so many of the residents from our almshouses were able to join us and raise a glass to the founder of our charity whose generosity has had an enormous impact on so many people.
“We would also like to thank everyone at the primary school who went the extra mile to create a stunning puppet of Smyth, together with a variety of fantastic medieval accessories, to really bring his story to life once more.”
Daphne Moore, 89, who lives in a Guildhall Feoffment almshouse, was chauffeured to the event by volunteers from Bury St Edmunds Rickshaw. She also helped to make white roses for guests to wear in memory of Smyth’s heritage as a Yorkist.
She said: “I’ve been in a Guildhall Feoffment home for 17 years and it is a beautiful place to live. There is a great community spirit, and the scheme managers lay on lots of different activities for us. It was also nice to be invited to take part in the cake and ale ceremony – the celebration was lovely and I really liked the puppet.”
Fellow Guildhall Feoffment resident Paul Dunn added: “It was very interesting to take part in the celebration and see the charity’s work and the story of Jankyn Smyth taken out into the community. The puppet was outstanding and it was amazing to be invited and involved in the day.”
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Featured image credit: Abbott Photography
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