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The Tower

The tower was built in the mid fifteenth century, when the church that had stood on the site since Norman times was rebuilt. It is nearly 80 feet high. The tower is a prominent landmark as you enter or leave Wokingham by the London Road, and thousands of people pass it every day.

Millennium starPerhaps its most spectacular public appearance was over the period of Christmas 1999 and New Year 2000, when the flag pole on the tower roof was transformed into a 'Millennium star', and floodlit for the entire period.
 

There are four levels inside, plus the roof. Click the picture below for a description and pictures of each level, or for pictures of the outside of the tower. You can move between levels using the links at the bottom of the page for each level.

 Parts of the tower 


Improvements to the tower over the years

15th Century Tower built
1704Ring of six bells hung in timber frame by Samuel Knight of Reading
1767 Bells rehung by Robert Turner, Bell Hanger to Messrs. Lester and Pack
1814Two bells replaced by Thomas Mears of Whitechapel
1817Turret clock by Thwaites & Reed of London
1863/4Gallery opened into the nave
1873Bells rehung by Warners of London
1885Stained glass west window in memory of Com. Elliott Mores
1903Two bells replaced and two bells added by Mears. Hung in new 8-bell iron frame by Webb & Bennett of Kidlington
1955Plain bearings replaced with ball bearings by Whitechapel Bellfoundry
1980Tower rewired and lighting provided to upper levels by the ringers
1981New carpet laid in the ringing room
1981Ropes progressively replaced by the ringers with pre-stretched polyester top ends to prevent stretching
1982Sound control shutters installed by the ringers (closed to reduce the sound for the neighbours while practising, and opened while ringing for services and public occasions)
1982Rope spider provided (to permit ropes to be drawn up to the ceiling, out of the way when not in use)
1985 Modern locks provided for most levels by the ringers
1988Bell frame cleaned and painted by the ringers
1993Peal board installed by the ringers to commemorate the 800th anniversary Wokingham peal
1994Clock weight shaft extended to ground by the ringers (to restore 8 day working to the clock, after nearly a century of 5-day working)
2004Four bells replaced and all tuned by Whitechapel. Bells rehung on modern fittings by Whites of Appleton
2005External surface rendered, tower roof covering renewed, and top of the stair turret repaired, by contractors
2005Internal acoustics improved by hanging carpets on the clock room walls

Time line

Time line


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