Church Bells of Warwickshire

BARSTON* St Swithin 6, 5-2-3 in C (GF)

Grid Reference	139/207780
Postcode	B92 0JU
Recording
Affiliation	St Martin's Guild
Peals	Felstead Database
Sunday	1000-1030
Practice	2nd Thursday 1845-2000
Other Information	Church Website

History

In Saxon times Barston, sometimes known as ‘Bertanestone’ or ‘Bercestone’ included almost all of Berkswell. In the reign of Henry II and King John, portions were given to the Knights Templars and on their dissolution to the Hospitallers. For many years the ‘Chappell’ dedicated to St Swythin belonged to the Church of Berkswell, who provided a Curate.  The old ‘Chappell’ was burnt down in 1721 and the present church built. The following in Latin formed an inscription, now obliterated, above the West door: This Church, nearly destroyed, was rebuilt by the generous help of this County A.D. 1721. Thomas Fisher. The present building was Georgian before the Victorian ‘restorers’ got at it! Examples of the round-headed arches remain in the tower windows, in the south wall of the nave (the blocked off south door now housing the Charities Board) and in the east window. These arches, thought to be pagan in concept, offended the Victorians and similar ones elsewhere in the nave and chancel, together with the chancel arch, were replaced by the present Neo-Gothic style. This work was carried out in 1897 at which time the gallery at the west end of the nave and a carved wooden chancel screen were removed and the vestry and north porch added. 

The bells are in a 6-bell wooden frame by Charles Hope of Berkswel,l who rehung the bells for £31 in 1856. The treble pit remained empty for just over a century before the back 5 were rehung. being quarter turned, except for the current 4th which was eighth turned, and a treble added Taylors in 1960.

The first peal on the bells was rung in 1961:

The tenor is 1068Hz - C plus 36 cents and is nearer to being in C than in the key of C# as previously reported in "Dove".

The inscriptions of the then five bells is given in Tilley and Walters's book, "The Church Bells of Warwickshire":

The new treble has the normal Taylor markings on the shoulder and, on the waist:

There is a church car park on the west side of the church.

Details of the Bells

1. John Taylor & Co., Loughborough      1960  2-1-22  21.50"  1793.0Hz (A+32c)
2. William Bagley, Chacombe             1691  2-2-07  22.75"  1596.0Hz (G+31c)
3. Matthew & William Bagley, Chacombe   1689  2-3-24  24.00"  1422.0Hz (F+31c)
4. Unknown (blank),                    c1380  2-2-23  24.00"  1345.0Hz (E+34c)
5. Joseph Smith, Edgbaston              1728  3-3-24  27.00"  1197.0Hz (D+33c)
6. Matthew Bagley, Chacombe             1683  5-2-03  30.50"  1068.0Hz (C+35c)

Photo Gallery
The Church - Looking East	The Church - Looking West