All Saints 4: 8cwt in Ab (GF)
Grid Refernce | 140/437841 | |
Postcode | CV7 9LP | |
Recording | ||
Affiliation | Coventry DG | |
Peals | None | |
Sunday | By Arrangement | |
Practice | By Arrangement |
History
A delightful village setting by a stream. Find the church on a 90 degree bend on the main road, hidden behind The Pheasant pub, (that is worth visiting in itself). Leave your car around here, as the narrow road down the right side of the pub to the church has no parking or turning space at the end.
The church, east of the village, stands in a small churchyard. It consists of a chancel, nave, north and south aisles, north chapel, south porch, and a tower built into the north-west corner of the church. It was rebuilt in the 14th century when the aisles were added. The only evidence of an earlier church is a late-12thcentury font. Late in the 15th century the tower was built, the aisle being widened to accommodate it, the chapel and clearstory added, and the chancel partly rebuilt. It was restored in 1821 and again in 1890.
The bells are an old fashioned set that take some ringing, but are by no means unringable. They have had a fine iron rope guide added and the pullies overhauled and therefore go a bit better than previously.
They hang in an oak frame from c.1820, with fittings by Barwell, 1907. The three cracked trebles, Robert(?) Newcombe of Leicester, 1582, Bryan Eldridge of Coventry, 1656 and John Martin of Worcester, 1654 were all recast at this time. Tilley and Walters state that these bells were cracked, the second and third being so by 1876. The treble was one of the earliest dated bells in the county, and it therefore a pity that it was lost. The tenor retains its canons and has been quarter turned, the others were cast with flat tops.
The fittings consist of elm headstocks, plate gudgeons, plain brass bearings and traditional wooden wheels, stays and sliders.
The inscription details can be found in Tilley and Walters’ book,. “The Church Bells of Warwickshire”:
The tower is, unusually, on the North-West side of the church. There is also an unusual Easter Sepulchre beside the altar – the host and wine used in mediaeval times be “buried” in it between Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Entry is via the south door. The worn steps in the tower that were previously been referred to have now been fixed.
Details of the Bells
1 James Barwell, Birmingham 1907 4cwt 28.25″ 1148.0Hz (Db+60c)
2 James Barwell, Birmingham 1907 5½cwt 29.00″ 1081.0Hz (C+56c)
3 James Barwell, Birmingham 1907 6cwt 33.00″ 960.0Hz (Bb+51c)
4 Newcombe, Leicester 1612 8cwt 36.50″ 850.0Hz (Ab+40c)
Photo Gallery |
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Looking East | Looking West |
The Altar | The Font |
The Treble | The Second |
The Third | The Tenor |
The Fine Rope Guide | The Bells |
The Ringing Chamber | The Frame Layout |