Bell Tower

Bell Tower at Night

      The Bell tower was opened by Her Majesty the Queen and dedicated by The Rt. Rev. John Perry The Lord Bishop of Chelmsford on Friday 12th March 1999.

      The 30m high glass and steel bell tower which stands at the west end of the church, houses a peal of eight bells, six of which were presented to St Martins as a consecration 

      gift by the Bishop of Chelmsford. They came from the redundant church of St Nicholas, Colchester. All the bells  were cast at  the Whitechapel Bell foundry in the east end of

      London over a period of 500 years.

      The tenor bell was cast in 1441 by Joanne Hille and is the first bell in the world to have been cast by a woman.

      The other two bells which make up the peal were cast in 1997 and were donated by people from Basildon, one in memory of a member of the congregation. 

      All eight Bells were dedicated by the Rt. Revd. John Perry Bishop  of Chelmsford on the 40th  Anniversary of St Martin's Church in November 2002.