Church Bells of Warwickshire

WELFORD ON AVON St Peter 8, 9-3-1 in G#

Grid Reference	151/143522
Postcode	CV37 8EN
Recording
Affiliation	G & B Association
Peals	Felstead Database
Sunday	0900 - 0930 (1, 2 & 3) 0930 - 1000 & 1800 - 1830 (4)
Practice	Monday 1930-2100 (Check)
Other Information	Benefice Website

History 

All Saints is a Grade I listed building, having been built following the death of Sir John Greville in 1480. Whether it was an entirely new building, an enlargement of a small chapel already on the site or partly built from stone from a demolished building is not known. Except for St Anne’s, a Chantry Chapel demolished on the suppression of Chantry chapels in 1545/1547, and the addition of a porch, the church is as originally built.

This church is right on the Warwickshire/Gloucestershire border. It moved into Warwickshire from Gloucestershire in 1931, due to a boundary change.

Until 1960 these were a ring of six by Barwell, cast in 1885 with a tenor weighing in at 9-1-11. These bells replaced an older ring of six, cast by Richard Sanders of Bromsgove at Stratford upon Avon in 1721, costing £48 and having a tenor of around 10cwt. These were destroyed by fire in 1884. Five of the bells were broken into pieces when they fell onto the floor below. Their inscriptions are given by Revd. H. T. Ellacombe in his book, "The Church Bells of Gloucestershire"

(Though he calls the church "Holy Trinity" the details match the bells)

Details of the fire were published in "Bell News" on December 20th 1884:

(Click to Enlarge)

The Barwell bells were in turn recast by Taylors and rehung in a new cast iron lowside frame for eight in 1960. Two trebles were added to complete the ring twenty years later. All the bells were cast "flat topped". They are a fine light 8.

The Barwell bells were never pealed and the first peal in the tower was rung on the new ring of 6 in 1960, the same year as they were cast.:

Only two other peals were rung on the ring of 6 and the ring of 8 has not been pealed.

Details of the Bells

1 John Taylor Bellfounders Ltd, Loughborough  1980  2-3-23  23.00"   1667.0Hz (G#+6c)
2 John Taylor Bellfounders Ltd, Loughborough  1980  3-0-17  23.875"  1574.0Hz (Fx+7c)
3 John Taylor & Co, Loughborough              1960  3-1-10  25.00"   1399.0Hz (E#+3c)
4 John Taylor & Co, Loughborough              1960  3-3-14  26.50"   1242.0Hz (D#-3c)
5 John Taylor & Co, Loughborough              1960  4-2-02  28.50"   1104.0Hz (C#-7c)
6 John Taylor & Co, Loughborough              1960  5-0-16  30.00"   1040.0Hz (B#-11c)
7 John Taylor & Co, Loughborough              1960  7-0-23  33.50"    925.0Hz (A#-14c)
8 John Taylor & Co, Loughborough              1960  9-3-01  37.50"    822.5Hz (G#-17c)

Photo Gallery
The Church - Looking East	The Church - Looking West