Church Bells of Warwickshire

WISHAW St Chad 3, 6-0-6 in Bb

Grid Reference	139/176946
Postcode	B76 9QB
Recording
Affiliation	St Martin's Guild
Peals	None
Sunday	None
Practice	None

History

The church consists of a chancel with a south vestry, nave, north and south aisles, and a west tower. The building is of 13th-century origin; the nave had a mid- to late-13th-century north aisle on the present lines, but the arcade and aisle were remodelled in the 15th century, perhaps because of the weight of the clearstory which was added in that century. The south aisle was added early in the 14th century (c. 1330) and is good typical work of its period. The chancel is of earlier 14th-century work than the aisle (c. 1310–20). It is curious that it had no buttresses. The west tower is of c. 1650 and there is no visible evidence that it replaced an earlier tower. Heavy raking buttresses have been built against the side walls of the chancel, probably part of the general restoration of 1886–7.

Originally there were three bells, but the broken tenor was sold in 1830 for £21 leaving a vacant pit in the frame, this probably dating from the rebuilding of the tower in about 1700. The two remaining bells were rehung with new ringing fittings by a Mr Holbeach for £6/4/-. They were put on ball bearings in 1954 when the bells were quarter turned and rehung, probably by Gillett and Johnston. The treble is a maiden bell, the second has been chip tuned.

The inscriptions of both bells is given in Tilley and Walters' book, "The Church Bells of Warwickshire":

More recently the frame has been strengthened by Hayward Mills Associates, and, in 1997, the same firm installed a redundant bell (originally at St. Michael's, Derby) to create a perfectly ringable three, all of which retain their canons. All the bells have also been quarter turned.

Details of the Bells

1 John Martin, Worcester     1650  4½ cwt  28.75"  1198.5Hz (D+35c)
2 John Martin, Worcester     1650  5½ cwt  31.50"  1070.5Hz (C+39c)
3 Thomas Mears, Whitechapel  1809  6-0-6   32.875"  955.5Hz (Bb+43c)

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1 John Martin, Worcester     1650  4½ cwt  28.75"  1198.5Hz (D+35c)
2 John Martin, Worcester     1650  5½ cwt  31.50"  1070.5Hz (C+39c)
3 Thomas Mears, Whitechapel  1809  6-0-6   32.875"  955.5Hz (Bb+43c)

Photo Gallery

Plan of the Church