| St Mary-le-Tower | |
|---|---|
| Saint Mary-le-Tower church | |
 The tower of the church | |
  St Mary-le-Tower Location in Suffolk | |
| 52°03′30″N 1°09′19″E / 52.0584°N 1.1554°E | |
| Location | Ipswich, Suffolk |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Central |
| Website | http://www.stmaryletower.org/ |
| History | |
| Dedication | Saint Mary |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 19 December 1951 |
| Specifications | |
| Spire height | 176 feet (54 m) |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich |
St Mary-le-Tower is the civic church of Ipswich, Suffolk, England 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]
Although medieval, the church mostly dates from 1860 to 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]
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.
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]
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).
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