"Sanctuary! Sanctuary!"


Yesterday, I was lucky enough to climb the bell tower at St Mary’s Church in Hitchin; something I’ve wanted to do for years now, but have always missed out on through not knowing it was open until after the event.


It was lovely to be able to see my picturesque home-town from such an advantageous angle. St Mary’s is the largest parish church in Hertfordshire and the tower is unusually high for a church in a town of Hitchin’s size, but it was still surprising just how far you can see, with the view stretching far into the neighbouring towns and villages in the distance.

Just the route up the tower was interesting as it afforded views of the inside of church you wouldn’t normally see. It’s a beautiful building it’s easy to take for granted through familiarity, which must have seemed huge back in the day. On the way up, I stopped to talk to a couple of the bell-ringers who were very informative about their pet subject. Apparently the oldest bell is from the 1700s, so bang on 5pm (to book me for live work, visit www.dadjokes.com).

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