Ipswich Minster

Ipswich Minster
Saint Mary-le-Tower church
The tower of the church
Ipswich Minster is located in Suffolk
Ipswich Minster
Ipswich Minster
Location in Suffolk
52°03′30″N 1°09′19″E / 52.0584°N 1.1554°E / 52.0584; 1.1554
TM 16415 44695
LocationIpswich, Suffolk
CountryEngland
DenominationChurch of England
ChurchmanshipCentral
Websitehttps://www.ipswichminster.org
History
DedicationSaint Mary
Architecture
Heritage designation
Grade II*
Designated19 December 1951
Administration
DioceseDiocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich

Ipswich Minster, previously known as St Mary-le-Tower, is the civic church of Ipswich, Suffolk, England and a Grade II* listed building. It was in the churchyard of St Mary that the town charter of Ipswich was written in 1200.

History

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

Redesignation as a Minster

On 19 January 2025, the church known as St Mary-le-Tower, was redesignated as Ipswich Minster in recognition of its increasingly important role in serving the community of Ipswich.

Memorials

The church contains a memorial brass, 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. There was subsequent work by Henry Willis, Spurden Rutt and Bishop & Son. A specification of the organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register.

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 & Co, 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
  5. ↑ "St. Mary-le-Tower, Ipswich | 267586". Emporis. {{cite web}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  6. ↑ Ipswich, Diocese of St Edmundsbury and. "A prominent Ipswich church will be redesignated by the Bishop as a Minster - Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich". www.cofesuffolk.org. Retrieved 13 January 2025.
  7. ↑ "Ipswich church is redesignated as a Minster". BBC News. 20 January 2025. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  8. ↑ The Organ, its History and Construction. Hopkins & Rimbault. 1st Ed: 1855
  9. ↑ "The National Pipe Organ Register - NPOR".