Church Bells of Warwickshire

HONINGTON All Saints 6, 11cwt in Ab (GF)

Grid Reference	151/261426
Postcode	CV36 5AB
Recording
Affiliation	Coventry DG
Peals	Felstead Database
Sunday	None
Practice	None

History

This estate church is just off the old A34, now the A3400 - look for the signpost just south of Tredington. The square west tower is constructed in a limestone ashlar dated to around 1275 - 1300. The rest of the church is built in a classical style to resemble a London church of the 17th century (circa 1680). It was built the same time as the large country house of Honington Hall which it adjoins. The painted interior has several interesting monuments including a double statue to Sir Henry and his son 1713.

These are a ring of 6 rung from the ground floor. They were probably cast as a ring of five by Bagley and augmented by Rudhall to six in 1810. It is likely that this new bell was originally cast for Newnham on Severn, where the treble and tenor bells had proven to be unsatisfactory. Previously, the fourth required recasting in 1726. 

The wooden frame and fittings are by Thomas Mallaby & Sons of Masham, 1892 (cost £90). The bells have been quarter turned and retain their canons.

The first peal on the bells was rung in 1908 - notice that the village was then part of an exclave of Worcestershire and was only transferred to Warwicskhire in 1931.:

The inscriptions are given in Tilley and Walters' book, "Church Bells of Warwickshire":

As of November 2020 the bells are to be rehung by Taylors of Loughborough, "Major maintenance work will now be carried out. The bells will be lowered, and the headstocks will be brought to Loughborough for the fitting of new plate gudgeons and ball bearings housed in cast iron bearing housings. The clappers and crown staples will be fully refurbished, and the rope roller boxes will be restored before the bells are rehung."

The entrance is at the base of the tower and not through the church.

The bells go reasonably well, some much needed routine maintenance being carried out recently.

Details of the Bells

1 John Rudhall, Gloucester        1810   4½cwt  29.00"   1371.5Hz (F-32c)
2 Matthew Bagley, Chacombe        1687   5cwt   29.875"  1239.5Hz (Eb-7c)
3 Matthew Bagley, Chacombe        1687   5¾cwt  31.75"   1080.5Hz (Db-45c)
4 Abraham Rudhall II, Gloucester  1726   6½cwt  33.125"  1040.5Hz (C-10c)
5 Matthew Bagley, Chacombe        1687   8cwt   37.00"    908.0Hz (Bb-46c)
6 Matthew Bagley, Chacombe        1687  11cwt   40.75"    812.5Hz (Ab-38c)

Photo Gallery
The Church - Looking East	The Church - Looking West	The infamous 'ugliest cherub in Warwickshire',  with his misshapen cranium, on the monument to Joseph Townsend (d.1793).