Bell Tower, Church of St.Mary, Stratford St Mary, Suffolk. CO7 6LS. - Bell Towers on Waymarking.com

The west tower of St.Mary's Church is a C15th-C16th build largely rebuilt in the C19th. The restoration was carried out in 1876-9 by H Woodyer, and is built of knapped flint with ashlar dressings as is the rest of the church. The 3-stage tower has a stair to the north-west angle. Built on an ashlar plinth there are offset diagonal buttresses and a string course to each stage. There are angle pinnacles and a flushwork embattled parapet. The clock face is at the top of the 2nd stage directly in line with the clock mechanism which is at high level in the ringing chamber. The winding of the clock has been automated and the hours are struck on the tenor bell.

The church was cut off from the rest of the village when the A12 dual carriageway was built, a great shame.

There are six bells in the tower hung for ringing in the English manner. They are of a range of ages, the fourth being over 600 years old, cast by Robert Burford of London, whilst the treble is the youngster being cast in 1878 by John Taylor & Co. of Loughborough. The whole installation was overhauled in 1977 by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry.

The tenor weighs in at 838kg and sounds the note F. It was cast in c1515 by William Culverden. The fifth sounds G and weighs 613kg, cast in 1589 by Richard Bowler who cast bells in Colchester between 1587 and 1604.

The second and third are a Thomas Gardiner pair. He cast bells in Sudbury from 1709 until 1745, so this example of his work is one of his last.

Below is a table from Dove's Guide giving the details of the bells as recorded therein, the weights are expressed in kilograms.

Bell 	Weight 	Note     Diameter     Dated 	Founder 	
1 	305.7 	D 	  31.00"      1878 	John Taylor & Co
2 	336.6 	C 	  32.50"      1745 	Thomas Gardiner
3 	392 	Bb 	  36.00"      1723 	Thomas Gardiner
4 	529     A 	  39.00"     c1400 	Robert Burford 	
5 	613 	G 	  42.00"      1589 	Richard Bowler 	
6 	838 	F 	  45.50"     c1515 	William Culverden

Address of Tower: Church of St.Mary Stratford St Mary, Suffolk UK CO7 6LS Still Operational: yes Number of bells in tower?: 6 Rate tower: Relevant website?: Not listed Tours or visits allowed in tower?: Not listed

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