Rowington

St Laurence 6: 13-3-0 in F (GF)

Grid Reference 151/204693 Rowington. Source: Mike Chester
Postcode CV35 7AB
Affiliation Coventry DG
Peals Felstead Database
Sunday Festivals and Holy Days
Practice None

History

A fine church set in the west of the Diocese near to Warwick, but actually in the Coventry District. The bells are rung from the chancel crossing and handle well. The church is of more than average interest both for its architectural detail and the abnormal development of its plan. The earliest part of the present structure was a nave of unusual proportions, 46 ft. long by 29 ft. wide. The two plain traceried windows in the south wall belonged to it, as well as the blocked lancet in the west wall, and are probably of late-13th-century date; but the north wall may be the relic of a still earlier church. There is no evidence that this nave had any arcades within it to form side-aisles, but there was probably a small chancel, indicated approximately by the present ante-chancel. The first change appears to have been the addition of the central tower, built within the east end of the nave, leaving shallow transeptal chapels to north and south. This was done c. 1330 and was followed immediately by the addition of the chancel, east of the former chancel. There is a record of a chapel north of the chancel, but no traces of its walls remain.

In the early 15th century the two arcades were inserted inside the nave, the south-west respond partly blocking the 13th-century lancet in the west wall, and the chancel arch was rebuilt and probably widened. The west doorway and window are also of the same century and the north half of the west wall was rebuilt at the same time. In 1554 the north aisle-chapel was added; the earlier north chapel seems to have been entirely destroyed, but two windows reset in the north wall may have belonged to it. The west wall of the aisle was built west of the central tower, probably to allow direct access to the aisle from the north aisle of the nave, the north walls of the tower-transept and ante-chapel perhaps not being removed until later. Besides the abolition of the north walls mentioned, the archway which opened into the former chapel has been widened and fitted with a beam-lintel in place of the head. The south porch is of 1906 and various restorations were carried out during the 20th century.

This ring used to be well know for its very much too low/long ropes. Happily, the newly established band have seen to this and they are now perfectly acceptable.

Until 1887 they were a complete Leicester ring of 5, when Carrs of Smethwick recast the treble. Tilley and Walters give the inscriptions in their book, “The Church Bells of Warwickshire”:

Rowington Inscriptions

The following appeared in The Ringing World of July 28th 1944, in a section about churches with central towers:

Rowington RW 1944

They were hung in a new cast iron (lowside) frame and fittings by Taylors in 1958 at which time the second was recast and a new treble added. This replaced the old wooden frame which had the treble hung above the other four in the middle of the frame and set diagonally to it. Only the fourth has canons today. The Taylor bells were cast with flat tops, the Newcombe bell retains its canons and the others have had them removed.

This was reported in The Ringing World of February 27th 1959: “Rowington’s bells have just been rehung and made into six. At the dedication service on Sunday, February 8th last, they were rung by a local band for the first time. These bells have been silent for some years, so we can look forward to some renewed interest here..”

The treble is inscribed:

J. G. DAVIES M.A. VICAR
R. A. CORBETT }
T. G. BRADLEY }
* * *
CHURCHWARDENS
W. L. BARROWS TREASURER

The first peal on the bells was rung in 1964

Rowington First Peal

You can park in a church car park on the opposite side of the road near the lych gate. Follow the path to a door on the north side of the church.

Details of the Bells

1 John Taylor & Co, Loughborough  1958   4-3-16  28.375″  1185.0Hz (D+15c)
2 Charles Carr, Smethwick         1887   6-1-08  31.125″  1069.0Hz (C+37c)
3 John Taylor & Co, Loughborough  1958   6-3-24  32.875″   949.0Hz (Bb+31c)
4 Newcombe, Leicester             1609   7-2-26  35.25″    887.0Hz (A+14c)
5 Hugh Watts II, Leicester        1620   9-1-22  38.125″   803.0Hz (G+41c)
6 Hugh Watts II, Leicester        1633  13-3-00  42.75″    711.0Hz (F+31c)

Photo Gallery

Rowington East. Source: Mike Chester Rowington Sanctuary. Source: Mike Chester
The Church Looking East The Sanctuary
Rowington Ringing Area. Source: Mike Chester Rowington Bells. Source: Mike Chester
The Ringing Area
in the Chancel
The Bells
Rowington Door Layout 6.1
The Door to the stairs up the tower, in one of the piers The frame layout
Rowington Plan. Source: British History Online
Plan of the Church