St Matthew 8: 15-0-14 in F# (GF)
Grid Reference | 150/077510 | |
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”:
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:
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:
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#)