STONE plaques offer a glimpse into a west Suffolk town’s past, but it is feared some of the events they refer to may never have happened.

In 1906/7, 11 stone plaques were placed on buildings in Bury St Edmunds to commemorate various people who had connections with the town.

It has now emerged that the information on three of these plaques may be incorrect, for example the King of France, Louis Philippe, who died in 1850, may never have visited.

It comes following the launch of a blue plaque trail to celebrate seven more people with links with the town’s heritage, including writer Charles Dickens.

Plaque specialist Martyn Taylor, co-ordinator of the blue plaque trail, has been collating information on the historical markers for 12 years.

He said there were “question marks” over plaques commemorating the King of France, Louis Philippe, Robinson Crusoe author Daniel Defoe and Sir Thomas Hanmer, a speaker of the House of Commons, but added there was no hard proof either way.

The Louis Philippe plaque is located on 2 Angel Hill, the Daniel Defoe on the Strada restaurant in the Traverse and the Sir Thomas Hanmer on Eastgate House in Eastgate Street.

Mr Taylor, who is a committee member of the Bury Society, said: “The Hanmer one might not be on the correct building and Louis Philippe may never have visited Bury.”

The local history guide said there is more controversy surrounding the Defoe plaque, which was put up in 1906.

It was placed there in the belief that Defoe visited Thomas Macro, who lived in the building, but Mr Taylor said the men were “poles apart” given their religious beliefs. Defoe was a nonconformist and Macro was high church.

Bury Society president, Air Marshal Sir Reginald Harland, who carried out research into the plaques 16 years ago, added: “I don’t think you take them down, but if it’s practical you put up a correct one in the correct place.”

Mr Taylor said there were not the rules and regulations then like today, and cross-referencing information is much easier nowadays due to the internet.