Salford Priors

St Matthew 8: 15-0-14 in F# (GF)

Grid Reference 150/077510 Salford Priors. Source: Mike Chester
Postcode WR11 8UP
Affiliation Coventry DG
Peals Felstead Database
Sunday 1000-1030 (Ex 1st – Check)
Practice None
Other Information Church Website

History

This is he last tower in the Guild in this direction, it is a nice church with a good Gillett & Johnston ring of bells.

The church is mentioned the Domesday Book. It says that the church and lands of Salford Magna had been given to a nun, Levitha, who later bequeathed it to the Augustinian priory at Kenilworth (hence the village’s original name of Priors Salford). The Norman influence can be seen above the main door – a typical (and magnificently) carved stone arch with different patterns. The main aisle (the nave) was the original structure of the church which the monks decided to enlarge at the end of the 12th century. They extended the church at the side (south) and the square stone pillars supporting the 12th century Romanesque arches are part of the original Norman church wall. The monks also extended the church east. Another feature of interest is the large ‘flamboyant’ window in the centre of the north wall of the nave. ‘Flamboyant’ describes the Gothic architecture popular in in the 15th and 16th centuries and this window is one of only about twelve to be found in England. (Taken from the church website)

A ring of eight has been hung here since 1836 when Thomas Mears, using their Gloucester foundry, added two trebles to the ring of six cast by Richard Sanders of Bromsgrove in 1735. This ring had replaced and earlier one of five bells. Chris Pickford’s research shows that the ring of 5 had previously been rehung in 1687 by Thomas Williams of King Sutton. The tenor was recast by Mears & Stainbank in 1867.

According to The Ringing World of Feb 1st 1946, in its report of the Rededication Service, the bells had become unringable at some time shortly before the start of WWI. However, that of January 6th 1922, if its “Belfry Gossip” section states that J E Groves of Birmingham had rehung the tenor bell. Perhaps this alone was rung?  Can anyone help me with this?

The ring’s inscriptions are given in Tilley and Walters’ book, “The Church Bells of Warwickshire”:

Salford Priors Inscriptions

The G&J ring hangs in a two tier cast iron frame, treble and fifth on top in a lowside frame and the others below in an H-frame. Being a relatively new ring, none of the bells have been turned. This was the first complete ring cast and hung after the end of the Second World War. Tenor is F#+19c. The dedication of the bells was reported in The Ringing World of February 1st 1946:

Salford Priors. RW 1946

One of the Sanders bells, the sixth of the ring, is preserved in the church, having been incorporated as part of a War Memorial to the fallen of World War II. It is inscribed:

+ RICHARD SANDERS MADE US ALL 6 1735 +

There were two other small bells in the church, a C16 bell on a bracket that was returned to the church after being the local school’s bell for 100 years in 1961, it being formerly the church’s sanctus bell, and a Warner bell of 1876 that had been the bell at Dunnington School. Sadly, the older bell was stolen some years ago.

The following edition recorded:

“SALFORD PRIORS, WARWICKSHIRE.
The restoration of the Salford Priors bells referred to in our issue of February 1st was the first complete restoration of a peal since the war. The bells were not only recast, but rehung entirely in a new frame with modern fittings.
A record of part of the service, described by Mr. Eric Sanders, and the ringing of the bells was broadcast in the Midland Regional programme on Wednesday evening, January 30th.”

The first peal on the bells was not long in coming:

Salford Priors First Peal

There is parking leading up to the church and entry is via the North Door.

Being on the edge of the Coventry Guild and very close to the border with the Worcester & Districts Association this tower has links with both. Here is a link to the W & D entry for Salford Priors

Details of the Bells

1 Gillett & Johnston, Croydon  1945   4-2-11  26.75″  1460.0Hz (F#-24c)
2 Gillett & Johnston, Croydon  1945   4-3-20  27.50″  1372.0Hz (E#-31c)
3 Gillett & Johnston, Croydon  1945   5-1-11  28.94″  1220.0Hz (D#-34c)
4 Gillett & Johnston, Croydon  1945   6-1-01  31.00″  1098.0Hz (C#-17c)
5 Gillett & Johnston, Croydon  1945   7-1-12  33.50″   976.0Hz (B-21c)
6 Gillett & Johnston, Croydon  1945   8-0-02  34.875″  915.0Hz (A#-32c)
7 Gillett & Johnston, Croydon  1945  10-3-09  38.375″  824.0Hz (G#-14c)
8 Gillett & Johnston, Croydon  1945  15-0-14  42.875″  732.0Hz (F#-19c)

Inscriptions

The old inscriptions are repeated around the shoulder of each bell, but not in facsimile, and all bar the tenor have
GILLETT & JOHNSTON
CROYDON
on one side of their waists. On the other side of the waist they are inscribed:

1 RECAST 1945
IN MEMORY OF
ERICA GWENDOLINE SANDERS
2 RECAST 1945
IN MEMORY OF
JAMES HEDGES
3 RECAST 1945
IN MEMORY OF
ERNEST JOSEPH ROGERS
4 RECAST 1945
IN APPRECIATION OF
MISS MARY ASHFORD
5 RECAST 1945
IN MEMORY OF
MISS ALICE ELIZABETH JAMES
6 DEDICATED TO THE FALLEN
OF SALFORD PRIORS
1939-45
RONALD STEPHEN CLARKE
FRANCIS A. EDGINGTON
ALFRED RONALD ROBBINS
ERIC WILFRED SHERWOOD
JOHN FOSDROKE SLATTER
DONALD TIDMARCH
GEOFFREY CLARE (MISSING)
PEACE I LEAVE WITH YOU
7 RECAST 1945
IN MEMORY OF
FLT. SGT. ALFRED RONALD ROBBINS
R.A.F.
8 RECAST BY
GILLETT & JOHNSTON
CROYDON. 1945
(other side)
MEARS & STAINBANK, FOUNDERS, LONDON
RECAST A.D. 1867
SAMUAEL GARRARD, VICAR
THOMAS SHAILER }
JOHN SLATTER } CHURCHWARDENS

Details of the Unhung Bells

Ex 6 Richard Saunders, Bromsgrove    1735  9-0-06 35.50″ (A)
Brk Unknown C16th                                 11.50″
Sch John Warner & Sons, Cripplegate  1876         11.75″ (F#)

Photo Gallery

Salford Priors East. Source: Mike Chester Salford Priors West. Source: Mike Chester
 The Church – Looking East The Church – Looking West
Salford Priors Chancel. Source: Mike Chester
The Chancel
Salford Priors Ringing Chamber. Source: Mike Chester Salford Priors Plaque. Source: Nigel Taylor
The Ringing Chamber The Plaque on the Preserved Bell
Salford Priors Old Bell Salford Priors Old Bell
The Richard Saunders bell of
1735. 35.50″, Note A.
A closeup of the impressions of
coins on the Saunders bell
Salford Priors Removal. SourcE: Windows on Warwickshire Salford Priors Removal. SourcE: Windows on Warwickshire
The old bells are removed
from the tower
The bells ready for
transporting to the foundry.
Salford Priors Foundry. Source: Windows on Warwickshire Salford Priors New Bells. Source: Windows on Warwickshire
The new bells are cast Two of the new bells and the
preserved Bell in the foundry,
with a party from the church.
Salford Priors Treble. Source: Nigel Taylor Salford Priors Treble. Source: Nigel Taylor
Either side of the treble, showing the inscriptions
Salford Priors Treble. Source: Nigel Taylor Salford Priors Upper Frame. Source: Mike Chester
The Treble in the Upper Frame The Upper Frame
Salford Priors Second. Source: Nigel Taylor Salford Priors 6th. Source: Nigel Taylor
The Second Bell The Sixth Bell
Salford Priors 5th. Source: Nigel Taylor Salford Priors Seventh Source: Nigel Taylor
The Fifth Bell The Seventh Bell
Salford Priors Hopper. Source: Nigel Taylor
The “Hopper” to bring the sound of the treble down to the Ringing Chamber
Bell images ©Nigel Taylor