Church Bells of Warwickshire

PRIORS MARSTON St Leonard 6, 14cwt in F (GF) Anticlockwise

Grid Reference	151/258657
Postcode	CV47 7SB
Recording	None Available
Affiliation	Coventry DG
Peals	Felstead Database
Sunday	Not Known
Practice	Monday 1930-2100
Other information	Anticlockwise

History

This is one of many very nice South Warwickshire village with a nice church. The earliest known church on this site was built in the 13th century. The tower dates from the 17th and 18th centuries, but the building was largely rebuilt in 1863 as it stands today. The church has recently undergone a significant renovation and improvement programme - including the addition of a kitchen and toilet, removing Victorian block work and modern organ pipe facade to reinstate and glaze an older arch to the tower, and removal of pews at the rear (west end) of the church.

Originally a complete ring of 6 by Bagley, the bells are hung anti-clockwise and rung from the ground floor, but nevertheless go well. The tenor cracked in 1844 and was recast in Loughborough. The Bagley bells are "listed". The wooden frame in contemporary with the bells (1721 - at which time the tower was partially rebuilt) but strengthened and underpinned when the bells were rehung by Mears & Stainbank in 1939. This was simply reported in "Belfry Gossip" in the edtion of Devcember 29th 1939, "The Whitechapel Foundry has also completely rehung with fittings. the six bells at Priors Marston, Warwickshire. The bell frame has also been strengthened"

All bells retain their canons and have been quarter turned. Their inscriptions are recorded in Tilley and Walters' book, "The Church Bells of Warwickshire":

A peal of Minor in seven methods was rung here in 3 hours & 11 minutes on Shrove Tuesday 1778 - one of the few recorded early change-ringing performances in the county.  This was repeated 200 years later and reported in The Ringing World of September 1st 1978:

(Click to enlarge)

However, a peal in 1946 claims to be the first on the bells! Perhaps their research was not up to today's standards?

Enter through the tower door on the south side.

The treble's headstock was replaced in May 2017, alongside minor work to the 3rd and 5th.

Details of the Bells

1 Henry Bagley III, Buckingham     1721   5½cwt  31.00"  1205.5Hz (D+44c)
2 Henry Bagley III, Buckingham     1721   6¼cwt  31.25"  1064.0Hz (C+28c)
3 Henry Bagley III, Buckingham     1721   7cwt   34.00"   965.5Hz (Bb+61c)
4 Henry Bagley III, Buckingham     1721   8¾cwt  35.25"   889.5Hz (A+18c)
5 Henry Bagley III, Buckingham     1721  11cwt   38.00"   807.5Hz (G+52c)
6 John Taylor & Son, Loughborough  1845  14cwt   43.25    706.0Hz (F+18c)

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