Bell tower of All Saints' church, Leek Wootton, with a ring of 6 bells, plus sanctus bell and clock bell.
Leek Wootton, Warks
All Saints |
|
Bells |
|
Bell |
Weight |
Nominal |
Note |
Diameter |
Dated |
Founder |
Canons |
Turning |
|
1 |
3-1-24 |
1494.0 |
F# |
24.50" |
2014 |
John Taylor & Co |
F |
N |
|
2 |
3-3-0 |
1331.7 |
E |
26.13" |
1793 |
John Briant |
R |
4 |
|
3 |
3-3-10 |
1189.6 |
D |
27.63" |
1793 |
John Briant |
R |
4 |
|
4 |
3-3-15 |
1122.4 |
C# |
28.00" |
1703 |
Abraham I Rudhall |
R |
4 |
|
5 |
5-0-7 |
997.6 |
B |
30.75" |
1703 |
Abraham I Rudhall |
R |
4 |
|
6 |
7-3-4 |
887.3 |
A |
34.88" |
1923 |
John Taylor & Co |
F |
8 |
|
Sanctus |
0-1-7 |
|
|
11.75" |
1911 |
John Warner & Sons |
R |
|
|
Clock |
6-1-16 |
891.5 |
A |
33.88" |
c1360† |
Johannes de Stafford |
R |
8 |
|
Frames |
|
Frame |
Bells |
Year |
Material |
Maker |
Truss |
Layout |
|
1 |
1,2,4,5,6,Clock |
1792 |
Oak |
William Steel (senior) |
6.A |
5. |
|
2 |
3 |
2015 |
Steel |
Loughborough Bellfoundry |
|
|
|
Updates |
17/06/2015: Work now completed and bells installed [Paul Mason (JT) via e-mail]
29/05/2013: PN amended (from Fri 8pm) [Mike Chester via e-mail] |
SOURCE - (Visit Link)
"A church has stood on or near the present site certainly since the year 1122 and probably longer, possibly preceded by a pagan temple. Little is known of the old Saxon/Norman church as it was pulled down in 1789, and all that now remains are some parts of the tower, a 12th Century tapered circular font, some mediaeval tiles and a 14th Century bell."
SOURCE - (Visit Link)
"The Bells & Clock -
The church tower contains five bells. The tenor was in the original belfry of the earlier church, and is of particular historical significance. It is the work of Johannes de Stafford, who lived in the 14th Century. The other bells originate from 1792. These bells were restored in memory of The Honourable Rupert Leigh in 1921, and in 1966 the bells were re-hung on bearings.
Will and Worton of Birmingham made the original clock mechanism which, together with the iron ringing gear, was installed in 1792. This is all still in situ together with an original clock face, now redundant, on the south side of the tower. Smiths of Derby installed an electric clock movement with electronic hourly striking device in 1968."
SOURCE - (Visit Link)
"Since around the year 1360 the tower of All Saints’ has contained at least one bell; for calling the people to church, ringing the hours and curfew.
The Five Bells
For 220 years All Saints’ Church’s peal consisted of five bells:
* The ‘Ancient Bell’, a tenor, which is believed to have been cast in the mid 1360. It is listed in the Church Building Council’s Schedule of Bells for Preservation in Coventry Diocese and, until 4 January 2015, it was the oldest bell still ringing in a peal within the Coventry Guild.
* Two bells cast in 1703
* Two bells cast in 1793
The last two bells were cast shortly after the current church was built, but the first three would have hung in the ancient mediaeval church, which stood on the same site; the ‘Ancient Bell’ was probably cast in a pit in the church grounds, because transportation of a 7cwt bell would have been fraught with difficulties in the 14th Century.
We don’t know for sure who paid for the first three bells, The ancient church, demolished 1789 although the 3rd Bell has “Mr Winter, Warden”, inscribed on it, which probably refers to Thomas Winter, who’s memorial is on the south wall of the Upper Room and who would have been aged about 39 when the bell was cast. He and his wife, Ann, lived at Wootton Grange to the north of the Village of Leek Wootton. We know that The Hon Mary Leigh, who donated the bells in 1793 was the older sister of Lord Leigh, who had died in 1786 and left the Stoneleigh estate to her for the length of her life. She was a great benefactor of the Church, contributing to the building of the new Church in 1790.
Restoration, 1921 -
In 1921 Beatrice Mary Leigh had the bells restored in memory of her husband, Major The Hon Rupert Leigh of the 4th Dragoon Guards (formerly 15th Hussars), who had died in 1919, aged 63. He was the younger brother of Lord Leigh.
The work was carried out by John Taylor & Co of Lou ghborough, a firm which can trace its history back to Johannes de Stafford who cast the ‘Ancient Bell’ in the 14th
Century. In 1921 the bells were ‘de-crowned’ (the original cast crown was removed so that the bells could be bolted onto modern headstocks). In 1926, when consulted about insurance of the bells, Taylors stated, “In our opinion this bell should not be rung, and should be very carefully preserved in the Church. There are only a few specimens of this founder’s work in existence today.” In 1966 a letter to Taylors refers to the 1921 restoration when the bells were, “...de-crowned and bolted up to wooden headstocks”. It also describes the arrangement, “...the ring is anti-clockwise” and the condition, “The wheels are somewhat warped and loose worn pulleys, does not allow the ropes to run true...”.
In 1966 some remedial work was undertaken to repair the wheels and bearings and, perhaps, to replace the wooden headstocks with steel ones."
SOURCE - (Visit Link) - With several further pages with the history of the bells in the church.