Beccles bell tower
Encyclopedia
The Beccles bell tower is a free-standing Grade I listed edifice associated with the adjacent St. Michael's church in the market town of Beccles
, Suffolk
, England
.
It stands near the edge of a cliff overlooking the River Waveney
, the bell tower rises an additional 97 feet (29.6 m) and is thirty feet square (9m) at its base. It dominates the town as well as the surrounding countryside, much of which is comprised by The Broads National Park. Views of the Waveney, the North Sea
on the eastern horizon, and the flat terrain of the broads extending south into Suffolk and, across the river, into nearby Norfolk
, can be obtained by scaling the hundred steps to the top of the tower.
Construction started around 1500, under the direction of the monks of the Abbey of St Edmundsbury, the important pilgrimage destination in the nearby town of Bury St. Edmunds
. Like the main body of St. Michael's church, the tower is Perpendicular Gothic in style. The tower is supported by deep foundations, very thick walls faced with Roche Abbey
stone (so called because of its use in the now-ruined abbey near Maltby
, South Yorkshire
), and huge buttresses; there is a newel
ed staircase at each corner of the tower.
It is customary for bell towers (also called campanile
) to be built at the western end of a church, the end opposite the altar
. However, the site at Beccles, near the edge of a cliff, and the enormous weight of the proposed tower, approximately three thousand tons, dictated that the tower be built to the east of the church as a free-standing structure. Local historians believe that the tower was originally intended to have a steeple
and spire
but after forty years of construction, the Protestant Reformation
during the reign of King Henry VIII
(and the suppression of Roman Catholic institutions) intervened to bring work to a halt.
Great skill and care is evident in the tower's construction, particularly in the tracery and the ornamental niches and panels of the stonework. The tower entrance is similar to the south porch (portico
) of the church; it features the coats of arms of local families who contributed substantially to the project. These families include the Garneys, the Redes, and the Bowes.
The interior of St. Michael's was badly damaged by fire in 1586, but the tower was unaffected.
Early in the eighteenth century, two clock
faces were affixed to the north and south sides of the tower, and, a century later, another was added to the east side and all three were raised to a slightly higher level. At present the clock is run by electricity and controlled by computer, allowing the twice-yearly change between Greenwich Mean Time
and British Summer Time
to be made quickly. The tower bells sound on each quarter-hour and ring out the time on the hour, stopping at 8pm to allow town residents some peace and quiet during the night.
Originally there was a ring of eight bell
s, but this was replaced, in 1762, by Lester & Packe of Whitechapel Bell Foundry
, London
, with a ring of ten bells. In 1909 all ten bells were completely restored by Taylors Eayre & Smith Ltd (Loughborough
) and re-hung on a new steel frame. The ringing chamber is on the second level of the tower, and the belfry is on the fourth.
One of the most historically significant events associated with this church and bell tower is the wedding, in 1749, of Catherine Suckling
and the Reverend Edmund Nelson, the parents of England's seafaring hero, Lord Horatio Nelson.
Beccles
Beccles is a market town and civil parish in the Waveney District of the English county of Suffolk. The town is shown on the milestone as from London via the A145 Blythburgh and A12 road, northeast of London as the crow flies, southeast of Norwich, and north northeast of the county town of...
, Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
It stands near the edge of a cliff overlooking the River Waveney
River Waveney
The Waveney is a river which forms the border between Suffolk and Norfolk, England, for much of its length within The Broads.-Course:The source of the River Waveney is a ditch on the east side of the B1113 road between the villages of Redgrave, Suffolk and South Lopham, Norfolk...
, the bell tower rises an additional 97 feet (29.6 m) and is thirty feet square (9m) at its base. It dominates the town as well as the surrounding countryside, much of which is comprised by The Broads National Park. Views of the Waveney, the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
on the eastern horizon, and the flat terrain of the broads extending south into Suffolk and, across the river, into nearby Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, can be obtained by scaling the hundred steps to the top of the tower.
Construction started around 1500, under the direction of the monks of the Abbey of St Edmundsbury, the important pilgrimage destination in the nearby town of Bury St. Edmunds
Bury St. Edmunds
Bury St Edmunds is a market town in the county of Suffolk, England, and formerly the county town of West Suffolk. It is the main town in the borough of St Edmundsbury and known for the ruined abbey near the town centre...
. Like the main body of St. Michael's church, the tower is Perpendicular Gothic in style. The tower is supported by deep foundations, very thick walls faced with Roche Abbey
Roche Abbey
Roche Abbey is a now-ruined abbey located near Maltby, South Yorkshire, England. It is situated in a valley alongside Maltby Beck and King's Wood.-Early history:...
stone (so called because of its use in the now-ruined abbey near Maltby
Maltby, South Yorkshire
Maltby is a town and civil parish of 17,247 inhabitants in the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England, situated in a rural area about 7 miles east of Rotherham and 12 miles north-east of Sheffield...
, South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield...
), and huge buttresses; there is a newel
Newel
A newel, also called a central pole, is an upright post that supports the handrail of a stair banister. In stairs having straight flights it is the principal post at the foot of the staircase, but it can also be used for the intermediate posts on landings and at the top of a staircase...
ed staircase at each corner of the tower.
It is customary for bell towers (also called campanile
Campanile
Campanile is an Italian word meaning "bell tower" . The term applies to bell towers which are either part of a larger building or free-standing, although in American English, the latter meaning has become prevalent.The most famous campanile is probably the Leaning Tower of Pisa...
) to be built at the western end of a church, the end opposite the altar
Altar
An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes. Altars are usually found at shrines, and they can be located in temples, churches and other places of worship...
. However, the site at Beccles, near the edge of a cliff, and the enormous weight of the proposed tower, approximately three thousand tons, dictated that the tower be built to the east of the church as a free-standing structure. Local historians believe that the tower was originally intended to have a steeple
Steeple (architecture)
A steeple, in architecture, is a tall tower on a building, often topped by a spire. Steeples are very common on Christian churches and cathedrals and the use of the term generally connotes a religious structure...
and spire
Spire
A spire is a tapering conical or pyramidal structure on the top of a building, particularly a church tower. Etymologically, the word is derived from the Old English word spir, meaning a sprout, shoot, or stalk of grass....
but after forty years of construction, the Protestant Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
during the reign of King Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
(and the suppression of Roman Catholic institutions) intervened to bring work to a halt.
Great skill and care is evident in the tower's construction, particularly in the tracery and the ornamental niches and panels of the stonework. The tower entrance is similar to the south porch (portico
Portico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls...
) of the church; it features the coats of arms of local families who contributed substantially to the project. These families include the Garneys, the Redes, and the Bowes.
The interior of St. Michael's was badly damaged by fire in 1586, but the tower was unaffected.
Early in the eighteenth century, two clock
Clock
A clock is an instrument used to indicate, keep, and co-ordinate time. The word clock is derived ultimately from the Celtic words clagan and clocca meaning "bell". A silent instrument missing such a mechanism has traditionally been known as a timepiece...
faces were affixed to the north and south sides of the tower, and, a century later, another was added to the east side and all three were raised to a slightly higher level. At present the clock is run by electricity and controlled by computer, allowing the twice-yearly change between Greenwich Mean Time
Greenwich Mean Time
Greenwich Mean Time is a term originally referring to mean solar time at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London. It is arguably the same as Coordinated Universal Time and when this is viewed as a time zone the name Greenwich Mean Time is especially used by bodies connected with the United...
and British Summer Time
British Summer Time
Western European Summer Time is a summer daylight saving time scheme, 1 hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. It is used in the following places:* the Canary Islands* Portugal * Ireland...
to be made quickly. The tower bells sound on each quarter-hour and ring out the time on the hour, stopping at 8pm to allow town residents some peace and quiet during the night.
Originally there was a ring of eight bell
Church bell
A church bell is a bell which is rung in a church either to signify the hour or the time for worshippers to go to church, perhaps to attend a wedding, funeral, or other service...
s, but this was replaced, in 1762, by Lester & Packe of Whitechapel Bell Foundry
Whitechapel Bell Foundry
The Whitechapel Bell Foundry is a bell foundry in Whitechapel in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, in the East End of London. The foundry is listed by the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest manufacturing company in Great Britain...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, with a ring of ten bells. In 1909 all ten bells were completely restored by Taylors Eayre & Smith Ltd (Loughborough
Loughborough
Loughborough is a town within the Charnwood borough of Leicestershire, England. It is the seat of Charnwood Borough Council and is home to Loughborough University...
) and re-hung on a new steel frame. The ringing chamber is on the second level of the tower, and the belfry is on the fourth.
One of the most historically significant events associated with this church and bell tower is the wedding, in 1749, of Catherine Suckling
Catherine Suckling
Catherine Suckling was the mother of Horatio Nelson. Catherine had 11 children of which Nelson was the third surviving son.-Family and marriage:...
and the Reverend Edmund Nelson, the parents of England's seafaring hero, Lord Horatio Nelson.