Church Bells of Warwickshire

ETTINGTON Holy Trinity 4, 10½cwt in Ab

ettington.jpg (43956 bytes)

Grid Reference:-
151/267490

Postcode:
CV37 7TR

Bell Audio:-
Hear the bells

Guild Affiliation:-
Coventry DG

Peals Rung Here:-
None

History Of The Bells

There was some debate about the ringability or otherwise of these bells. They were rung in the recent past but were not for the less experienced and had a period of time when ringing was not allows. Recent work means that these bells are ringable, but with limited access due to their condition. There is plenty of room for a ring of six, if you wish to take on a project!

The frame is by John Waters of Kings Sutton, 1803. Fittings also by Waters, but overhauled and partly renewed when the bells and frame were moved from the previous church, dedicated to St Thomas of Canterbury, to the present one by George Day of Eye in 1909. All the bells retain their canons and have been quarter turned.

These bells have hung in three different churches - in the mediaeval church in Ettington Park until 1803, in the new church, St Thomas', (tenor recast) on the Stratford Road (built in 1795-8 - the tower still stands) until 1909, and since then in the present church (church 1903, tower 1908-9). The note of the tenor is Ab, rather than the G quoted until analysis in 2009.  It is a little sharp for the other bells and "Dove" now has them as 1, 2, 3, 3b of 4. All but the tenor are "listed" bells.

The  current church was built of Bourton stone in 1903 in the 14th-century style and consists of a chancel, north tower and organ chamber, south vestry, and nave. The previous church was built in 1798, partly as the population of the village was in now living in this area, and demolished in 1913, the "Shirley Transept" being built in 1800. The original parish church, dedicated to the Holy Trinity are about 1½ miles to the south-west of the current church. It consisted of a chancel, nave, north and south transepts, north aisle to the nave, and a west tower. The south transept, restored in 1825 by E. J. Shirley, and the west tower still stand. The remainder is effectively a ruin

From the Ettington Park Website

"All that remains now are the tower, which is home to rare Horseshoe bats, the walls of the nave, and the chapel which houses the Shirley family's mausoleum, and which can still be used for blessings."

Details Of The Bells

1    Edward Newcombe, Leicester           1595    5½cwt    31.50"   1055.5Hz  (C+15c)
2    Edward Newcombe, Leicester           1595    7cwt     33.00"    987.5Hz  (B+0)
3    Richard Purdue of Bristol (Banbury?) 1624    8¼cwt    36.50"    899.0Hz  (A+37c)
4    John Briant, Hertford                1803    10½cwt   38.75"    820.5Hz  (Ab-21c)

Photo Gallery

ettington_old.jpg (82219 bytes)
Ettington, St Thomas of Canterbury
the second home of the bells.
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The first home of the bells as it is today.
ettington_old3.jpg (82219 bytes)
Inside St Thomas of Canterbury
shortly before demolision.
"The Shirley Pew"
ettington_old2.jpg (76564 bytes)
The first home of the bells in the 1920s.
ettington_altar.jpg (103406 bytes)
The church looking towards the altar
ettington_nave.jpg (82376 bytes)
The Nave
ettington_stone.jpg (97652 bytes)
The Dedication Stone
above the ringing room doorway
ettington_treble.jpg (103406 bytes)
The Treble
ettington_2nd.jpg (97652 bytes)
The Second
ettington_3rd.jpg (103406 bytes)
The Third
ettington_tenor.jpg (97652 bytes)
The Tenor