OS: SP163711
by John Clift
Lapworth, St Mary the Virgin
The parish Church of St Mary the Virgin, Lapworth is on the East side of Church Lane which runs roughly North-South through the village. There is parking behind the Church in the old school yard. The car park is reached by turning East off Church Lane (on to Tapster Lane) which is signposted Unfit for motor vehicles
, ignore the warning and the entrance to the car park is about 100m on the right. While maps do mark the middle of Lapworth as being near the Church the main body of the village has grown up about a mile from here along the B4439. If approaching along the B4439 turn South on to Church Lane at a crossroads about West of the main body of the village, the Church is marked on the signpost.
The layout of the Church is unusual with the tower on the North side and detached from the main body of the Church. Entrance to the tower is via the link between the tower and the Church. The ringing room is reached by climbing a short wooden stair/ladder. The room is not large but there is space for several people in addition to six people ringing.
2010-02-18
I visited for the first time on Thursday 18th February 2010 for the "Two Hundred and Fourtyfourth Mid-week Outing" of the Four Shires Guild of Bell Ringers. I rang a touch of Bob Minor followed by the Tenor for a touch of Stedman Doubles and ended by ringing down the Tenor.
The Bells
The tower has a ring of 6 bells with a tenor weighing 10-1-2 in G. Dove's Guide includes details of the bells at St Mary the Virgin and more information is provided by the St Martin's Guild of Church Bell Ringers.
