Dedication of Magna Carta Bells at St Mary’s Church - Photo ReviewOn 8 September, St Mary’s Church in Thorpe celebrated one of their patronal festivals, The Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in conjunction with the dedication of their four new bells. The Very Revd Diana Gwilliams, Dean of Guildford Cathedral, presided over a Sung Eucharist and bravely climbed the Tower to baptise the new bells which were recently installed to complement four existing bells. The new bells were made possible through a grant from the Magna Carta 800 Commission and generous local donations, and all bear the Magna Carta 800 logo. The Thorpe Bells Project may well become the longest lasting part of the Magna Carta 800 celebrations, as “King John and the Barons”, “Stephen Langton Archbishop of Canterbury” and ”Adam Abbot of Chertsey” ring out to future generations.
Photos: one of the new bells; from left to right: Revd Damian Miles (Vicar of St Mary’s), The Very Revd Diana Gwilliams (Dean of Guildford Cathedral); Mrs Jane Lowe and Cllr Margaret Roberts (Wardens at St Mary’s); Cllr Derek Cotty (Mayor of Runnymede); the Dean baptising the new bells in the Tower |
