St Mary-le-Tower

St Mary-le-Tower is the civic church of Ipswich and a Grade II* listed building.[1][2] It was in the churchyard of St Mary that the town charter of Ipswich was written in 1200.[3]

St Mary-le-Tower
Saint Mary-le-Tower church
The tower of the church
St Mary-le-Tower
Location in Suffolk
52.0584°N 1.1554°E / 52.0584; 1.1554
LocationIpswich, Suffolk
CountryEngland
DenominationChurch of England
ChurchmanshipCentral
Websitehttp://www.stmaryletower.org.uk/
History
DedicationSaint Mary
Architecture
Heritage designationGrade II*
Designated19 December 1951
Specifications
Spire height176 feet (54 m)
Administration
DioceseDiocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich

History

Although medieval, the church mostly dates from 1860-1870, when it was rebuilt by Richard Phipson.[4] Rebuilding was funded by George Bacon, banker and philanthropist. St Mary Le Tower is mentioned in the Domesday Book, demonstrating that the site has been occupied by a church since at least 1086.[5]

Memorials

The church contains a brass memorial on a chancel pier to H.A. Douglas-Hamilton, vicar from 1915 to 1925. There are also four brasses in the chancel floor.

Organ

The church has a large three-manual pipe organ, which has its origins in an instrument by Renatus Harris of 1690.[6] There was subsequent work by Henry Willis, Spurden Rutt and Bishop and Son. A specification of the organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register.[7]

Bells

Originally there were five bells and a Sanctus in 1553 of which Miles Graye I of Colchester recast the Treble in 1607 and the Tenor in 1610. The church was the first in Suffolk to achieve a tower a peal of 12 bells in 1865. With the addition of a sharp second in 1980, the current bells are all by John Taylor of Loughborough (except for No. 7, which is by Mears & Stainbank of London).

Incumbents

See also

References
  1. official website
  2. Historic England. "Church of St Mary le Tower (1235800)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  3. St Mary Le Tower, Suffolk Churches website
  4. The Buildings of England; Suffolk. Nikolaus Pevsner. Yale University Press. ISBN 9780300096484
  6. The Organ, its History and Construction. Hopkins & Rimbault. 1st Ed: 1855
  7. http://npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi?Fn=Rsearch&rec_index=A00297
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