Aston Cantlow

St John the Baptist 6: 14-0-14 in F

Grid Reference 151/138599 Aston Cantlow. Source: Coventry DG
Postcode B95 6JB
Affiliation Coventry DG
Peals Felstead Database
Sunday 1045-1115 (1 & 3 +festivals)
Practice Wednesday 1930 – 2100

History

Famed as the church where Shakespeare’s parents were married in 1557, this is a very pleasant village with a nice ring of bells.

The chancel, nave, and tower date from late in the 13th century. The nave had a narrow north aisle with the existing arcade of four bays. About the end of the 14th century the north chapel was added, with the arcade of two bays, and the nave aisle was widened to the same span, and probably the arcade rebuilt with much of the original material.  The bell-chamber was added late in the 14th century, and the diagonal buttresses to the lower story then or later. The south walls, probably because of the pressure of the roofs, have been forced out of the perpendicular. In the restoration of 1850 the south wall of the nave had to be entirely rebuilt, with the chancel arch. That of the chancel is still standing; it leans out as much as 1½ ft. at the west end, but has been reinforced outside by additional masonry.

The seventeenth century, c.1625. oak frame was extended in 1924 using a cast iron frame section, with oak head and cill, when Charles Carr of Smethwick added a treble to make six. There is no record of the inscription on this bell. Carr had a country cottage in the village.

The first peal on the bells was rung in 1925:

First Peal

Further restoration was undertaken by Taylors in 1957 when the treble was recast. This is the only bell that does not have canons. Apart from the bearings, the Carr fittings were reused on this bell, including the wooden headstock. The four tenors were eighth turned, the second quarter turned and the back four were rehung with cast iron, canon-retaining, headstocks. The old bells were retuned.

The inscriptions are given in Tilley and Walters’ book, “The Church Bells of Warwickshire” for the back 5 bells:

Aston Cantlow Inscriptions

The treble is inscribed:

HERALDE CAMPANARUM SON IN LAUDEM SCTI JOHANNES PRAENUNTII DOMININI * 1957 * around the shoulder and

C. S. GOODE. VICAR
J. .N. G. HUNT       }   C.W.
H. A. WOODFIELD }
opposite side JOHN TAYLOR & CO.
FOUNDERS
LOUGHBOROUGH

The entrance is from inside the church. The old, rather scary, wooden ladder has recently been replaced by a spiral staircase. Parking is reasonably easy nearby. Visiting bands may wish to enquire about using the Village Hall car park on the opposite side of the road to the church.

Details of the Bells

1 John Taylor & Co, Loughborough  1957   5-2-17  29.625″  1161.0Hz (D-20c)
2 Thomas Hancox, Walsall          1629   7-0-24  33.25″   1034.0Hz (C-21c)
3 Thomas Hancox, Walsall          1626   7-3-10  33.75″    921.0Hz (Bb-21c)
4 Thomas Hancox, Walsall          1626   9-1-27  35.50″    873.0Hz (A-14c)
5 Worcester Foundry              c1410  12-1-07  40.75″    774.0Hz (G-22c)
6 Richard Keene, Woodstock        1681  14-0-14  43.75″    690.0Hz (F-21c)

Photo Gallery

Looking East. Source: Mike Chester Looking West. Source: Mike Chester
The church – looking east The church – looking west
The Stairs. Source: Mike Chester
The new spiral staircase
The Treble The Second
Treble Second
The Third The Fifth
Third Fourth
The Fifth The Tenor
Fifth Tenor
Treble Inscription King's Head
The treble’s inscription The “King’s Head” on the fifth bell: Edward III
Photos of the bells. Source: John Newbold
Layout 5.3
The layout of the 17th century 5-bell frame.
A is the treble of the 5, round to E being the tenor. The “new” treble was fitted in the spare space bottom left of the diagram.