St Mary's Church, Mildenhall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church, Mildenhall |
|
|---|---|
St Mary's Church, Mildenhall
|
|
| 52°20′34.04″N 0°30′33.05″E / 52.3427889°N 0.5091806°E | |
| Location | Mildenhall, Suffolk |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Website | mildenhallanglicanchurches.org |
| History | |
| Dedication | St Mary |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade I listed |
| Specifications | |
| Bells | 10 |
| Tenor bell weight | 16 long cwt 3 qr 23 lb; 1,899 lb or 861 kg |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Mildenhall |
| Deanery | Sudbury |
| Archdeaconry | Suffolk |
| Diocese | Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich |
St Mary's Church is a very old and important church in Mildenhall, Suffolk. It's part of the Church of England and is considered a special building, known as a Grade I listed site. This means it's one of the most important historic buildings in England!
Contents
A Look Back in Time
Most of St Mary's Church was built in the 1300s, which is the 14th century. A famous church expert, Simon Jenkins, gave it 4 stars in his book 'England's Thousand Best Churches'. This shows how special and beautiful it is!
Important Memorials
Inside the church, you can find memorials that remember important people from history. These are like special plaques or tombs that tell us about people who lived long ago.
- Sir Henry Barton: He was the Lord Mayor of London in 1416 and 1428. His memorial is a cenotaph, which is a monument to someone buried elsewhere.
- Sir Henry North: He passed away in 1620. You can see his alabaster tomb chest with statues of him and his family.
- Sir Henry Warner: He passed away in 1617. His memorial is a wall tablet in the Chancel.
The Church Family
St Mary's Church is part of a larger group called the Mildenhall Team Ministry. This means it works together with other local churches.
- St Mary the Virgin's Church, Barton Mills
- St John's Church, Beck Row with Kenny Hill
- St Laurence & St Peter's Church, Eriswell
- St Andrew's Church, Freckenham
- St Ethelbert's Church, Herringswell
- St James's Church, Icklingham
- St Christopher's Church, Red Lodge
- St Mary & St Andrew's Church, Tuddenham with Cavenham
- St Peter's Church, West Row
- All Saints' Church, Worlington
The Church Bells
St Mary's Church has a set of 10 bells! Most of these bells were made by Mears & Stainbank at the famous Whitechapel Bell Foundry between 1887 and 1913.
Two new bells were added in 1946 by Gillett & Johnston. These were special additions to celebrate peace after World War II. The bells hang in a strong frame made of steel and cast iron. The church tower is also connected to the Suffolk Guild of Ringers, a group that loves ringing church bells!
| Bell | Date | Note | Diameter | Founder | Weight (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Treble | 1946 | G | 25.75 in (65.4 cm) | Gillett & Johnston | 213 |
| 2nd | 1946 | F | 26.50 in (67.3 cm) | Gillett & Johnston | 246 |
| 3rd | 1887 | Eb | 28.50 in (72.4 cm) | Mears & Stainbank | 265 |
| 4th | 1913 | D | 30.00 in (76.2 cm) | Mears & Stainbank | 269 |
| 5th | 1913 | C | 31.75 in (80.6 cm) | Mears & Stainbank | 295 |
| 6th | 1913 | Bb | 34.25 in (87.0 cm) | Mears & Stainbank | 345 |
| 7th | 1913 | Ab | 37.50 in (95.3 cm) | Mears & Stainbank | 417 |
| 8th | 1913 | G | 39.00 in (99.1 cm) | Mears & Stainbank | 465 |
| 9th | 1913 | F | 42.50 in (108.0 cm) | Mears & Stainbank | 613 |
| Tenor | 1887 | Eb | 48.50 in (123.2 cm) | Mears & Stainbank | 850 |
The Church Organ
The church also has a beautiful pipe organ. It was built in 1865 by a famous organ maker named Father Henry Willis. You can find more details about this organ on the National Pipe Organ Register website.
