GREAT WOLFORD, St Michael and All Angels 6, 11-3-7 in Ab
| Grid Reference | 151/328637 |  |
| Postcode | CV36 5HQ | |
| Recording | ||
| Affiliation | Coventry DG | |
| Peals | Felstead Database | |
| Sunday | Not Known | |
| Practice | By Arrangement | |
History
A pleasant village on the south edge of the Diocese. Look for the signpost of the A3400 to "The Wolfords". There has been a church on this site since Saxon times. The present church is a Grade 2 listed, early Victorian building by James Trubshaw, dating to the 1830s, although it is thought that the spire of its medieval predecessor was taken down and resurrected atop the new tower. The tower, though looking as if built of stone, is of brick which has been faced with stone. Some internal modifications were made in 1876 and 1885, but the layout has remained substantially unchanged, with a broad nave and large windows. The unusual east window, by Heinersdorf of Berlin, features four lights of painted rather than stained glass showing the four Evangelists.
It is probable that a ring of six was cast for this church by Richard Keene of Woodstock in in 1689/90 at the cost of Maj. Thomas Keyte. Bells 1, 2 & 4 of this ring remain. The other bells have been recast, in 1752, 1792 and again in 1864, at which point the bells were rehung by Whites of Appleton. The third, fourth and fifth were rehung by Bond of Burford in 1930. At this time their canons were removed and they were quarter turned.
These bells were retuned by Whitechapel and rehung in a new steel and cast iron frame by White's of Appleton in 1991/2 at a cost of £23,600, and therefore go well and sound much better than they previously did. The front 5 have been eighth turned and the tenor quarter turned. The old School Bell is hung in a wooden struture for display in the base of the tower: Taylors c.1874.
The inscriptions are given in Tilley and Walters' book, "The Church Bells of Warwickshire":
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The first peal on the bells was rung on Febuary 2nd 1910, though I have yet to locate the details of it, save that it was Grandsire Doubles
There is a small amount parking in front of the church. Access to the ringing chamber is va an external door round to the right of the west door of the tower. This church is in older editions of Dove's Guide as "Wolford".
Details of the Bells
1 Richard Keene, Woodstock 1690 4-0-02 27.50" 1230.0Hz (D#-20c)
2 Richard Keene, Woodstock 1689 4-0-20 29.25" 1100.0Hz (C#-14c)
3 John Rudhall, Gloucester 1792 5-0-26 32.00 979.5HZ (B-14c)
4 Richard Keene, Woodstock 1690 5-3-21 33.375" 929.5Hz (A#-5c)
5 Matthew Bagley, Chacombe 1752 7-1-18 37.375" 819.0Hz (G#-24c)
6 George Mears, London 1864 11-3-07 42.375" 731.5Hz (F#-20c)
Inscriptions
1 MAJOR THOMAS KEYTE CAST ME: LEADER OF THIS RING TO BE
2 CAPTAIN THOMAS KEYTE CAST ME 1689
3 W. FLETCHER & T. FOX WARDENS i. RUDHALL FEC
4 MAIGOR KEYTE CAST THIS RING 1690
5 THO: SHEPHARD; WM: HALL; C:W M:B; MADE; ME 1752
6 RECAST BY G. MEARS & CO, 1864
A. WHITE & SONS, BELLHANGERS
G. D. WHEELER, VICAR
JOHN RAINBOW & JOHN
FLETCHER, CHURCHWARDENS
I SEETLY TOLL WHEN ME DO CALL
TO TASKE ON FOOD THAT FEEDS THE SOLE
Photo Gallery |
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| The Church - Looking East | The Church - Looking West | The Old School Bell |
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| The Treble | The Second | The Third |
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| The Fourth | The Fifith | Teh Tenor |
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| The bells being rung at a Coventry Guild meeting | ||
Rings F-I