St Mary's Church, Melton Mowbray

St Mary’s Church stands in the centre of Melton Mowbray, a market town in Leicestershire. Built mainly in the 13th to 15th centuries, it is the largest parish church in the county and has a tower that rises 30 metres above the surrounding streets. The lowest part of the tower still shows Norman stonework from 1170, while earlier Anglo-Saxon churches once occupied the same spot. Inside, the plan follows cathedral style with aisled transepts, a feature found in only five parish churches nationwide. Visitors can see fine monuments, including the tomb of Roger de Mowbray from the 14th century and a tablet to the equine artist John Ferneley. The church’s belfry holds ten bells, the oldest dating from the fourteenth century. A small sanctus bell from the seventeenth century also hangs in the tower. Each day the restored carillon plays three times, its mechanism updated in 1938 thanks to a bequest by Alice Henton. The organ, rebuilt several times since 1832, now has 69 stops spread across three manuals and pedals. Its console sits in the north transept, ready for the choir of around forty singers who perform regularly. The building forms part of the Framland church trail, a route linking fifteen churches across the local countryside. Guides to the trail can be collected nearby. The recent reordering added underfloor heating, a new floor and improved lighting. From the churchyard the tower still commands views over the town, marking the place where generations have gathered for centuries.