Ringing Master

Today I was lucky enough to climb to the top of St Mary's church tower under the kind supervision of the Ringing Master, and to look out over Woodbridge to the north, south, east and west.

I've wanted to climb this tower for more than 20 years.

To the south you can see the estuary winding down to the cranes of Felixstowe, 13 miles away; to the east, Sutton Hoo; to the north the Ringing Master assures me you can see up the coast to the dome of Sizewell of the day is clear enough. West is trees and Fen Meadow and Seckford Street.

To get to the top you have to crawl under the scaffolding that holds the huge eighteenth century bells. Its dirty, and you are likely to hit your head: you therefore wear overalls and a safety helmet.

Here is a portrait of the Ringing Master, Dr Bruce Wakefield, very cheerful on top of his tower, next to Luke's Ox, and one of the four weather vanes