On 1 September 1973 the charity now called the Round Tower Churches Society was formally launched. Its mission: to preserve and maintain the heritage of these important buildings. Last year, it celebrated its golden jubilee. There are 184 round tower churches in England and the overwhelming majority are found in East Anglia: 124 in Norfolk, 38 in Suffolk and 7 in Essex. The majority are of medieval origin, dating from the 11th to the 14th centuries.