St Mary's Priory Church - Bell Tower - Abergavenny, Wales
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member veritas vita
N 51° 49.290 W 003° 00.958
30U E 498899 N 5741185
The central tower of St Mary’s Priory Church has a ring of 10 bells, some dating back before 1539,(Re-cast in 1947). St Mary's Priory Church is the parish church for the Welsh town and community of Abergavenny, and has been for over 1000 years.
Waymark Code: WMK34Y
Location: South Wales, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 02/06/2014
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member silverquill
Views: 2

"St Mary’s has a peal of 10 bells, the tenor weighing in at 25 cwts 18 lbs. At the dissolution of the monasteries in 1536-39, the parishioners bought the four bells, weighing a total of 45.5 cwt, which hung in the Priory Church.
The tenor was recast in 1603 and the 3rd recast in 1666, by the Purdues of Bristol. The treble was recast in1706 by Abraham Rudall.

The bells were augmented to five in 1835 and then to six in 1845 by Jeffries & Price of Bristol. To commemorate Queen Victoria’s Jubilee in 1887, the bells were rehung and augmented to eight by Llewellins & James of Bristol, the same firm recasting the tenor (19 cwt) in 1893.

Finally, in 1947, these bells were replaced by the present magnificent 10 from the Loughborough foundry, in thanksgiving for the end of the Second World War. They are considered to be the finest ring of 10 bells in Christendom and bell-ringers from all over the country come to ring the changes.

The medieval 6th of the old ring, dated 1308, is preserved in the nave and inscribed ‘May the bell of John last many years’ – perhaps indicated that this was one of a peal of bells donated by John de Hastings, the man responsible for the first restoration of the Priory Church." Text Source: (visit link)
Address of Tower:
St Mary’s Priory Church Vicarage, Monk Street, Abergavenny, NP7 5ND


Still Operational: yes

Number of bells in tower?: 10

Relevant website?: [Web Link]

Rate tower:

Tours or visits allowed in tower?: Unknown

Visit Instructions:
Please post an original picture of the tower taken while you were there. Please also record how you came to be at this tower and any other interesting information you learned about it while there.
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veritas vita visited St Mary's Priory Church - Bell Tower - Abergavenny, Wales 01/15/2015 veritas vita visited it