Grid Reference:-
150/077510
Postcode:
WR11 8UP
Bell Audio:-
Hear the bells
Guild Affiliation:-
Coventry DG
Peals Rung Here:-
Felstead Database
Sunday Ringing:-
1000 - 1030
(Exc. 1st)
Practice Night:-
By Arrangement
History Of The Bells
The last tower in the Guild in this direction, St Matthews is a nice church with a very nice Gillett & Johnston ring of bells. A ring of eight has been hung here since 1836 when Thomas Mears of Gloucester added two trebles to the ring of six cast by Richard Sanders of Bromsgrove in 1735. This ring has replaced and earlier one of five bells. The tenor was recast by Mears & Stainbank in 1867.
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 after the Second World War. Tenor is F#+19c.
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. 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.
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)
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#)
Photo Gallery
The Richard Saunders bell of 1735. 35.50", Note A. |
The new bells are cast. |
The old bells are removed from the tower. |
The bells ready for transporting to the foundry. |
The new bells and the preserved bell back in the church |