(Photo: Chris Povey)
Stanway is one of those 'chocolate box' villages nestling under the Cotswold scarp, along with Stanton, Buckland and Broadway. The bells have been effectively unringable for years, but have been rung by experienced bands for special occasions following the maximum make-do-and-mend maintenance Simon Ridley of Cheltenham could apply within their terminally-poor state. The bells are now being rehung and will be augmented to 5, the bellframe having been constructed originally to accommodate 5 bells. Whites of Appleton came as expected in November and removed the four bells. The new treble bell has already been cast. Work to fit tie-bars to the wooden bellframe continues, as does adding steel beams underneath it to better tie it into the tower. Replacing the bells is scheduled to happen in February or March. All the bells will be tuned (they certainly weren't easy on the ears… Ed).
Also see Around the Towers
Chris Povey