Bells have been rung at Saint Mary's for 5 centuries in Ixworth for weddings, funerals, church services and special occasions-such as Remembrance day. There were bells on the site before then though.
There have been bells in Saint Mary's since around 1490, when two bells were cast in Bury St. Edmunds, supposedly for the abbey that was on the church's site. Over the centuries four other bells have been added. In 2007, two more bells were cast in memory of Leonard S.Sharpe-a local ringer who had gotten back in to ringing again after the second world war-giving Ixworth a ring of 8.
It is now encouraged in the community for people to get in to bell ringing. The primary school is linked with the church and the children there are encouraged to use 'slightly' smaller bells, especially at Christmas. This means that they can learn to play lots of songs with the churches hand bells. These bells are also extremely old.
I was lucky enough to go right up the bell tower and right to the top. The view was amazing!
Now these bells are a familiar sound among the people living in Ixworth, and are referred to as 'the voice of the church'.
There have been bells in Saint Mary's since around 1490, when two bells were cast in Bury St. Edmunds, supposedly for the abbey that was on the church's site. Over the centuries four other bells have been added. In 2007, two more bells were cast in memory of Leonard S.Sharpe-a local ringer who had gotten back in to ringing again after the second world war-giving Ixworth a ring of 8.
It is now encouraged in the community for people to get in to bell ringing. The primary school is linked with the church and the children there are encouraged to use 'slightly' smaller bells, especially at Christmas. This means that they can learn to play lots of songs with the churches hand bells. These bells are also extremely old.
I was lucky enough to go right up the bell tower and right to the top. The view was amazing!
Now these bells are a familiar sound among the people living in Ixworth, and are referred to as 'the voice of the church'.