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Development

At the heart of Cambridge - a plan to develop the church building

Great St Mary’s has a Development Appeal to enable the church to improve its fabric and fulfil its 21st Century ministry.

An initial phase saw the installation of a new ring of twelve bells to enhance the quality of the peal at this historic tower. The 18th century bells which made up part of the previous ring have been retained. These include the bells for which the ‘Cambridge Quarters’ were composed three hundred years ago. The melody was later used for the clock tower at the Houses of Parliament in London, so is now better known as the ‘Westminster Chimes’, recognised the world over. The new bells at were installed in 2009 thanks to the generosity of a single donor.

The new bells arrive at Great St Mary's, Summer 2009

  • A new glazed entrance at the West end (at the foot of the tower), inside the historic wooden doors. This will allow the doors, which open on to the important gathering space on Senate House Hill, to be open all the year round, providing a welcoming and inviting way in for visitor. It will also provide enhanced light to the Narthex, and help to reduce our energy consumption. This will be part of the renovation of the Narthex to enable us to establish an education centre there.


  • This will be the first step in the restoration of the narthex, which will house a new Education Centre.

Artist's impression of the view into the church through the new glass doors, to be installed inside the historic wooden doors

  • A new, enlarged and enclosed shop, separated from the worship space. This will provide improved facilities for tourists and visitors, as well as preserving the tranquility of the church itself.
The GSM shop as it currently is - squeezed into the back of the North aisle Artist's impression of the new, enclosed shop area
  • A new reception area will be provided in the Narthex, at the West end of the Church, where visitors can admire the historic Gibbs North staircase, and view the benefactors’ boards, which record the generosity of those who have supported Great St Mary’s in past centuries.

Artist's impression of view from the Nave altar platform through the West doors.

  • A new, safer and more spacious working area in the South East corner (nearest the Guildhall). This will enable our staff to serve our visitors more effectively throughout the year.

  • A new roof for the South Aisle, safeguarding the structure of this part of the church for future generations, and also helping to retain heat and conserve energy.

Architect's drawing of the church from South Side following the proposed works

The total cost of these works detailed above is estimated at £2m.  Of this, £1,015,000 has already been donated.

Will you help us to achieve this next stage, so that Great St Mary’s can continue to serve visitors, pilgrims and worshippers for centuries to come?

Help us by:

  • Becoming a Silver, Gold or Platinum Patron Benefactor, receiving a handsome sealed, display certificate acknowledging your gift (Donations of £2000, US$ 3500 or €2000 and over) and enjoying the special privileges we accord to our Patron Benefactors. Click here to make a donation.
  • Making a personal gift that would not qualify for a certificate but which would be greatly appreciated. Click here to make a donation.
  • Coming to support our Appeal at one of our ‘Come and Sing’ Events in 2011. Click here for more information.


The unseen heritage of Great St Mary’s

In any medieval church, some of the heritage features go almost unnoticed. At Great St Mary’s it is easy to miss the clerestory windows, ten metres above ground. These feature the words of the 4th Century Christian Hymn, the Te Deum, depictions of patriarchs and prophets of the Old Testament and apostles, saints and martyrs down the ages since the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.




Te Deum Presentation