Evesham Bell Tower
Evesham Bell Tower is the freestanding belfry for the town of Evesham, Worcestershire. Originally founded in 1207 by Adam Sortes, the present tower, the fourth to stand on the same site, was founded and built by Clement Lichfield, Abbot of Evesham as the bell tower for Evesham Abbey in the 16th century. It is the only part of the abbey complex to survive wholly intact.
| Evesham Bell Tower | |
|---|---|
The Bell Tower from the southeast in April 2022 | |
Evesham Bell Tower Location in Worcestershire | |
| Location | Evesham, Worcestershire, England |
| History | |
| Founded | c. 1207 |
| Founder(s) |
|
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 7 May 1952 |
| Style | Perpendicular Gothic |
| Years built | 1524−1532 |
| Specifications | |
| Tower height | 110 feet (34 m) |
| Bells | 12 + extra treble + flat sixth (change ringing) |
| Tenor bell weight | 35 long cwt 2 qr 20 lb (3,996 lb or 1,813 kg) |
Considered one of England's finest medieval belfries, the tower sits in the centre of Abbey Park, alongside the parish churches of All Saints and St Lawrence. Since the Dissolution of the Monasteries, during which Evesham Abbey was almost entirely demolished, the tower has served as the belfry for the town's churches. The tower is the town's most significant landmark and is designated a Grade I listed building on the National Heritage List for England, the highest rating.
The tower has been widely celebrated for its architecture, being possibly the largest and most complete example of a late medieval belfry in the country. The author and historian James Lees-Milne said the tower is "one of the nation's architectural treasures".