Four Shires Guild of Bell Ringers

  1. TOC
  2. back
  3. next

Recent Mid-Week Monthly Tours

The July Outing, organised by Geoff Pratt, took us into North Warwickshire. Our first tower was St James, Bulkington, with its 8 bells (12cwt) a mix of modern Taylor and two ancient bells by Newcombe. We noticed some tower movement here when the bells are rung. The next tower, the 6, 12cwt, at St John the Baptist, Wolvey, went well. The 5th is by Johannes de York and dated about 1400. We had lunch at the New Inn, Bulkington, before motoring to the first tower of the afternoon, All Saints, Bedworth, with its 8 bells, 14cwt. These are a complete ring by Taylors, 1891, except for the 6th by Hugh Watts dated 1629. Our last tower of the day took us into the outskirts of Coventry, to St Giles, Exhall, where its light 6 (6cwt) awaited us. Thank you Geoff for an enjoyable day.

The August Outing was organised by Guild Committee member Stuart Cummings. It kept us in North Oxfordshire and South Warwickshire. The first tower was the heavy 8 (24cwt) at St Mary, Adderbury, which made some of us concentrate on the task in hand at that time of the morning. These bells are a complete 8 by John Briant of Hertford dated 1789, although the 3rd and the 6th have been recast since. The next tower, SS Peter & Paul, Swalcliffe, was very similar. Its 6 (13cwt) is a complete ring by Matthew & Henry Bagley dated 1685, with the 3rd recast subsequently. We went to The George Inn, Brailes, for lunch, but our first tower in the afternoon was not the heavy 6 opposite, but the light 6 (6cwt) at St John the Baptist, Cherington. (Guild member Paul Marriott gave the treble to augment to 6 in 2006. Ed) The last tower of the day was the 8, 12cwt, at Whichford, home of the Guild's oldest member, Rob Harvey (who gave the treble when the bells were augmented to 8 in 1998. Must be something in the water round those parts. Ed). A good day, Stuart.

The September outing, the 275th, took us between Coventry and Rugby, and was organised by Ian Thompson and Ruth Border. This was familiar country, but the first tower, St John the Baptist, Brinklow, provided us with a difference. The bells have recently been augmented (by Taylors. Ed) and are now 8 (8cwt). They are a very good light eight. From here we went to the heavy 8 (25cwt) at St Edith, Monk's Kirby, the 5th of which is by the Worcester Foundry dated about 1400. Lunch was taken at The Old Smithy, Church Lawford. The first tower afterwards was here at St Peter's Church, where the light 6 (8cwt) was put to good use. The last tower was St Margaret's Church, Wolston, where the 8 (11cwt), are rung from the chancel crossing. The 6th here is very old, being dated at about 1360. This was another good day. Thank you Ian and Ruth.

Frank Spiers