Grid Reference:-
140/285724
Postcode:
CV8 1LD
Bell Audio:-
Hear the bells
Guild Affiliation:-
Coventry DG
Peals Rung Here:-
Felstead Database
Sunday Ringing:-
1000 - 1030
1745 - 1830
Practice Night:-
Tuesday
1930 - 2100
History Of The Bells
Set at the Coventry side of Kenilworth, by the Abbey Fields and its car park, don't mistake this church for St John's at the other end of the town near the A46 road just north of Warwick, it having a spire and a chime of 10!
A very nice church in a nice setting with nice bells! The then existing four bells were recast, tenor apparently around 19cwt, in 1656 by Bryan Eldridge, an iterant founder from Chertsey, in Coventry into a ring of five, tenor 15-0-13. The frame was made by William Ragge of Coventry, assisted by his son. Some of this frame may remain in the base of the spire. The trebles were recast by John Briant of Hertford (1795) and Joseph Smith of Edgbaston (1734) respectively. The other three survived to the 1875 restoration, when the tenor was retained and five new bells cast. The second of the ring of 5 found its way to St Matthew's, Surbiton where it is the service bell, alongside 8 hemispherical bells cast by Warner's. How it came from Taylor's at the same time as this remains something of a mystery.
Frame and fittings are by Taylor 1960 - the frame, unusually, being positioned diagonally in the tower. The canons have been removed from the treble, second and tenor, the others appear to have been cast with flat tops. The ringing room is also unusual in that it has a clock face in the ceiling, driven by the main church clock.
Worth a visit, enter via the north door by the tower. If you have time you may wish to explore the historic ruined castle near to the church.
Details Of The Bells
1 John Taylor & Co, Loughborough 1875 5-1-19 29.50" 1244.0Hz (D#-1c) 2 John Taylor & Co, Loughborough 1875 5-2-12 31.50" 1107.0Hz (C#-3c) 3 John Taylor & Co, Loughborough 1875 7-2-11 34.25" 988.0hz (B+0c) 4 John Taylor & Co, Loughborough 1875 8-3-10 36.25" 933.0Hz (A#+1c) 5 John Taylor & Co, Loughborough 1875 10-3-25 39.25" 831.0Hz (G#+1c) 6 Bryan Eldridge, Coventry 1656 14-0-22 42.50" 741.0Hz (F#+2c)
Photo Gallery
The church, looking east. |
The ringing room ceiling clock. |
The Trebles |
The Third |
The Fourth |
The Fifth |
The Tenor |