Tidmington

Unknown Dedication 3: 6-0-22 in C

Grid Reference 151/261385 Tidmington. Source: A MAcRae Thomson
Postcode CV36 5AH
Affiliation Coventry DG
Peals None
Sunday For 11.15 service (1st)
Practice None

History

Until 1931 this village was in Worcestershire. It had become part of the Diocese of Coventry on its formation in 1918; formerly being in the Worcester Diocese.

The church is a small one, and consists of a chancel, nave, west tower and south porch. The building dates from about the year 1200, and was then probably of the same size and plan as at present, except that the chancel may have been shorter. This was rebuilt at the beginning of the 16th century. The nave windows have all been restored and the early 13th-century tower has been repaired. The south porch is relatively modern.

The tower is of three stages, the lowest having a small square-headed west window and being strengthened by clasping buttresses at the angles. A later buttress has been added in the middle of the south wall. The second stage is lighted by plain square-headed loops on the north, south and: west. The belfry windows are apparently original, each being of two lancets with a common semicircular label and divided by a semi-octagonal shaft with moulded base and capital. The pyramidal roof rests on the original corbel tabling, the corbels being moulded or carved with heads. The lowest stage of the tower is of ashlar, the upper stages of rubble with quoin stones. To the north of the tower is a small modern vestry. The font is round and tub-shaped and quite plain.

The bells were rehung in a new frame of deal (or pitch pine) by Henry Bond of Burford 1901, at a cost of £39/15/-; at the same time he rehung the bells at Shipston on Stour. The headstocks were wooden and had hoop gudgeons. They were on plain bearings and retained their cast-in crown staples. All three bells have had their canons removed, probably at this rehang.

The West tower consists of 3 stages. The ground floor is the ringing room and is also open to the rest of the church. The ropes fall in nearly a straight line along the south wall of the tower.

The sanctus bell hangs between two beams in the roof of the tower. It is 11½” in diameter – an unidentified 15th century bell; 0-1-3 in Eb-17c, 2464.0Hz

The treble, in the south of the tower, swings east to west. In the North of the tower the 2nd and Tenor both swing north to south, the 2nd in the west and the tenor in the east.

The bells were removed from the tower by Taylors in 2012 to allow access for repairs to the tower itself.  They were rehung on new fittings by them in November 2013.

Details of the Bells

1 Robert Atton       1619  26.50″  4-0-06  1257.0Hz (D#+17c)
2 Reading Foundry   c1530  30.00″  5-1-09  1148.0Hz (D-40c)
3 Bartholomew Atton c1590  31.00″  6-0-22  1061.0Hz (C+24c)

Inscriptions

The inscriptions are given in, “The Church Bells of Worcestershire
– by H. B. Walters”, though he has the 2nd and tenor reversed.

Tidmington Inscriptons

The tenor is inscribed

B A R T E L M E W   A T O N
L

the “Es” being reversed.

The Sanctus, though barely decipherable, is possibly inscribed

(cross)  W T M A (crown)  X 3 (mark) A T (rosette A E

Again, E is reversed, as are the “Ws”

Tidmington Sanctus. Source: Andrew Marchant Tidmington Bells. Source: Andrew Marchant
The Sanctus Bell The Installation
Prior to the Rehang
Tidmington Treble. Source: Andrew Marchant Tidmington 2nd. Source: Andrew Marchant
The Treble The Second
Tidmington Tenor. Source: Andrew Marchant Tidmington Taylors. Source: Taylors
The Tenor The Refurbished Bells at Taylors
Frame Layout 3.3
The Frame Layout