Leamington Spa R.C.

LEAMINGTON SPA St Peter (R.C.) 8, 16-0-4 in F

Grid Reference:-
151/317657

Postcode:
CV32 5BB

Bell Audio:-
Hear the bells

Hear the bells2

Guild Affiliation:-
Coventry DG

Peals Rung Here:-
None

All ringing is by
arrangement, usually
for important services.

Church Website

History Of The Bells

In Dormer Place, you can see this church from the steps at the west of the parish church, but on the other side of the river. Of brick construction, the tower is only connected to the main church via a low entrance corridor and as the bells are hung right at the top of it they are extremely difficult to ring due to the large amount tower movement. This can be clearly felt in the tower, even at its lower stages when the bells are rung. This is a pity as they are a magnificent sounding ring of bells.

Perhaps there will be a solution at stage in the future, but at present these bells are only rung on important church occasions, around once a month. Experienced ringers find these bells very difficult to handle, as one bell being allow to "drop", for instance, can affect other bells, and therefore the inexperienced are, regrettably but understandibly, not encouraged to ring here.

The tower was not built when the church was opened in 1864. It was eventually built in 1877-8, at the cost of Miss France who contributed generously to the building of the church itself. It is within the Catholic Archdiocese of Birmingham. The current bells replace a ring of six (tenor 14-1-8) cast by William Blews of Birmingham in 1877. The Blews bells cost £562 and were in poor order by 1903. The order for recasting them by Taylors was in hand towards the end of 1905. Within a matter of weeks before the planned dedication on November 16th, the Parish ordered 2 trebles to make up the eight. The works, apparently, had only 15 days to complete them! They are hung in a two tier frame, (bells 1, 2 & 5 above). The tenor was rehung on ball bearings by Taylors in 1931.

They are a fairly tight squeeze and are therefore difficult to photograph, but I have done my best! These bells have been mainly chimed (rather than rung) since an Ellacombe chiming apparatus was installed by Taylors in 1955.

An angelus bell was installed in 2005, the gift of Fr. David Cawley, originally cast for Mount St Bernard Abbey in Leicester. It was displaced by the present massive two bells in 1939.

The following article is contemporary with the casting of the first ring

The New Peal Of Bells. Reported in the Birmingham Daily Post, The Birmingham Daily Gazette, and the Sutton & Erdington News (Oct 31st 1878 & Nov 2nd 1878)

CONSECRATION OF THE BELLS.
ST. PETER'S CHURCH, LEAMINGTON.

The ceremony of the blessing of the new peal of bells which are about to be erected in the tower of this church (recently completed from the designs of Mr. Henry Clutton of London), was celebrated on Wednesday afternoon (30th Oct) by the Hon. and Rev. Wm. CLIFFORD D.D., Bishop of Clifton, deputed by Dr. ULLATHORNE, Bishop of Birmingham, assisted by Cannon O'SULLIVAN, Vicar General of the Diocese of Birmingham, Cannon JEFFRIES of Leamington, Cannon LONGMAN, the Rev. V. CAVE and other clergy.

The bells were founded by Messers Wm. Blews of Birmingham, and they form a sister peal to that recently erected by them at Erdington Abbey.

The weight of the peal is around 58cwt and they cost £562, with £120 for the massive strong woodwork from which they hang.

The bells are cast from Lake Superior copper and refined tin, and they are considered very sweet and powerful in tone.

(By 1903 these bells were out of order.)

Details Of The Bells

1    John Taylor & Co, Loughborough   1905   4-3-15  26.625"  1444.0Hz (F#-43c)
2    John Taylor & Co, Loughborough   1905   5-0-11  27.625"  1359.5Hz (E#-47c) 
3    John Taylor & Co, Loughborough   1905   5-2-03  29.50"   1210.0Hz (D#-49c)
4    John Taylor & Co, Loughborough   1905   6-0-27  31.50"   1081.0Hz (C#-44c)
5    John Taylor & Co, Loughborough   1905   7-1-18  34.00"    961.0Hz (B-48c)
6    John Taylor & Co, Loughborough   1905   8-0-00  35.50"    904.0Hz (A+47c)
7    John Taylor & Co, Loughborough   1905  11-1-26  39.50"    809.5Hz (G#-45c)
8    John Taylor & Co, Loughborough   1905  16-0-04  44.50"    720.0Hz (F#-47c) 
                                                            (or F-2c Old Concert Pitch)

Angelus Bell John Taylor & Son, Loughborough, 1852, 1-0-6 in A. (1807Hz - A+46c)
The inscription is IN TEMPLVM VIVOS / IN TVMVLVM MORTVOS / CONVOCAMVS 
in rather fine gothic capitals, designed by Charles Hansom.

Inscriptions On The Bells

Inscription, (Translation), Dedication & Baptismal Sponsors

Treble

206 / JOHN TAYLOR & CO. * FOVNDERS * LOVGHBOROVGH * 1905 * / (vine border all round)
On waist: DE PROFVNDIS CLAMAVI AD TE DOMINE / * * * / IESVS SALVATOR MVNDI DONA OMNIBVS / FIDELIBVS DEFVNCTIS REQVIEM AETERNA
(Out of the depths I cried unto Thee, O Lord Jesus, Saviour of the world, grant to the faithful departed eternal rest)
Name: Jesu, Lover of Souls
Sponsors: Rev.Father H.D. Yeo and Mrs.Willes

Second
172 / JOHN TAYLOR & CO. * FOVNDERS * LOVGHBOROVGH * 1905 * / (vine border all round)
On waist: ANGELI DOMINI DOMINVM / BENEDICITE IN AETERNVM / * * * / OMNES ANGELO DEI ORATE PRO NOBIS.
(Ye Angels of the Lord, bless Ye the Lord for ever. All Ye Angels of the Lord pray for us)
Name: Holy Angels
Sponsors: Mr. J. J. Parfitt and Mrs. White

Third
151 / RECAST BY JOHN TAYLOR & CO. * LOVGHBOROVGH * LEICESTERSHIRE * 1905 * / (vine border all round)
On waist: ISTE SANCTVS PRO LEGE DEI SVI / CERTAVIT VSQVE AD MORTEM / * * * / SANTE THOMA ORA PRO ANGLIA
(This Saint strove for the law of his God even unto death, and was not afraid of the words of the wicked. St.Thomas pray for England.)
Name: St. Thomas of Canterbury
Sponsors: Mr. J. R. Willington and Mrs. Hind

Fourth
143 / RECAST BY JOHN TAYLOR & CO. * LOVGHBOROVGH * LEICESTERSHIRE * 1905* / (vine border all round)
On waist: SACERDOS MAGNVS / QVI IN DIEBVS SVIS / PLACVIT DEO / * * * / SANTE PATRITI ORA PRO NOBIS
(A great High-Priest who in his days pleased God. St Patrick pray for us)
Name: St.Patrick
Sponsors: Colonel W. P. Magrath and Mrs. Willington

Fifth
131 / RECAST BY JOHN TAYLOR & CO. * LOVGHBOROVGH * LEICESTERSHIRE * 1905 * / (vine border all round)
On waist: DEVS TVORVM MILITVM / SORS ET CORONA /* * * / SANTE GEORGI ORA PRO NOBIS
(God, the lot and crown of Thy soldiers. St. George pray for us)
Name: St. George
Sponsors: Mr. J. F. Shaw and Mrs. Bowyer

Sixth
147 / RECAST BY JOHN TAYLOR & CO. * LOVGHBOROVGH * LEICESTERSHIRE * 1905 * / (vine border all round)
On waist: IESVS ERAT SVBDITVS ILLIS / * * * / SANTE IOSEPH ORA PRO NOBIS
(Jesus was subject unto them. St. Joseph pray for us)
Name: St. Joseph.
Sponsors: Mr. A. Newdigate and Mrs. Goodfellow

Seventh
208 / RECAST BY JOHN TAYLOR AND CO. * LOVGHBOROVGH * LEICESTERSHIRE * 1905 * / (vine border all round)
On waist: TV ES PETRVS / ET SVPER HANC PETRAM / AEDIFICABO ECCLESIAM MEAM / * * * / SANTE PETRE ORA PRO NOBIS
(Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church. St.Peter pray for us)
Name: St.Peter
Sponsors: Rev. Cannon William Greaney and Miss Hade

Tenor
175 / RECAST BY JOHN TAYLOR & CO. / LOVGHBOROVGH * LEICESTERSHIRE * 1905 * / (vine border all round)
On waist: AVE MARIA GRATIA PLENA / DOMINVS TECVM / * * * / SANTA MARIA ORA PRO NOBIS
(Hail Mary full of Grace the Lord is with Thee. St. Mary pray for us)
Name: St. Mary.
Sponsors: Rev.Father A. E. Emery and Hon Lady Smythe

Inscriptions taken from a document prepared by CJP in 1976
Translations and sponsors taken from The Leamington Spa Courier
Bells 1 – 7 have Victorian Gothic Capitals
The Tenor has Large Bold Hansom Gothic Capitals

Details of the Previous Bells


1    William Blews & Son, Birmingham  1877   5-0-20  29.625"   
2    William Blews & Son, Birmingham  1877   6-2-00  32.125"   
3    William Blews & Son, Birmingham  1877   7-0-22  34.625"   
4    William Blews & Son, Birmingham  1877   8-1-07  36.375"   
5    William Blews & Son, Birmingham  1877  11-0-17  40.00"      
6    William Blews & Son, Birmingham  1877  14-1-08  44.125"   
These are "scrapping" weights: (recorded by J.Taylor & Co, in 1905. researched by CJP)