Bell tower of St John the Baptist's church, Brinklow, with a ring of 8 bells.
Brinklow, Warwickshire
S John Bapt |
|
Bells |
|
Bell |
Weight |
Nominal |
Note |
Diameter |
Dated |
Founder |
Canons |
Turning |
|
1 |
3-2-23 |
1643.0 |
Ab |
24.50" |
2011 |
John Taylor & Co |
F |
N |
|
2 |
3-3-15 |
1551.0 |
G |
25.13" |
2011 |
John Taylor & Co |
F |
N |
|
3 |
4-0-11 |
1380.0 |
F |
26.00" |
1913 |
John Taylor & Co |
F |
4 |
|
4 |
5-0-27 |
1230.0 |
Eb |
27.25" |
1705† |
Joseph Smith |
R |
8 |
|
5 |
5-1-11 |
1099.0 |
Db |
30.50" |
1705† |
Joseph Smith |
R |
8 |
|
6 |
5-2-7 |
1036.0 |
C |
31.75" |
1705† |
Joseph Smith |
R |
8 |
|
7 |
5-3-8 |
926.0 |
Bb |
32.38" |
1705† |
Joseph Smith |
R |
8 |
|
8 |
8-1-20 |
822.0 |
Ab |
37.13" |
1705† |
Joseph Smith |
R |
8 |
|
Frames |
|
Frame |
Bells |
Year |
Material |
Maker |
Truss |
Layout |
|
1 |
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 |
1913 [2012] |
Cast iron |
Loughborough Bellfoundry |
8.3.A.h |
8.1 |
SOURCE - (Visit Link)
"A pleasant village close to Coventry. The church is just off the main road through the village. The bells are rung from upstairs, the entrance being round the south corner of the bottom of the tower inside the church. There has been a settlement here since Saxon times, at least. The earliest parts of the current church date from the 13th century. The tower and south porch were added in the 14th century. Between 1861/62, under the tenure of Reverend J. C. Ritson, much of the church interior was remodelled at a cost of £850, including a new high chancel arch, and the accentuation of the slope to the nave.
The frame and fittings are by Taylor, 1913 at which time the Smith of Edgbaston 5 were rehung and a treble added. The 2nd, 3rd & 5th bells indicate that they had been chip tuned after casting and the tenor "skirted" to raise its note slightly. Taylors tuned the whole ring to the note of the 5th during the restoration.
The first peal on the bells was rung in 1927.
Ball bearings were fitted by the local ringers (an early DIY job!) in 1969-70. These bells used to be rung from the ground floor. The ropes hung in two straight lines on opposite sides of the tower, and the ringers stood on a sloping floor! The ringers moved upstairs in 1970.
The scheme to augment these bells to 8 was completed at Easter 2011. The Guild donated the treble in memory of Harry Windsor. The Smith bells have been eight turned and their canons removed and the 1913 treble quarter turned.
The project's completion was reported in The Ringing World of November 23rd 2013.
Details of the Bells
1 John Taylor & Co, Loughborough 2011 3-2-23 24.50" 1643.0Hz (Ab-20c)
2 John Taylor & Co, Loughborough 2011 3-3-15 25.125" 1551.0Hz (E-19c)
3 John Taylor & Co, Loughborough 1913 4-0-11 26.00" 1380.0Hz (F-21c)
4 Joseph Smith, Edgbaston, 1705 5-0-27 27.25" 1230.0Hz (Eb-20c)
5 Joseph Smith, Edgbaston, 1705 5-1-11 30.50" 1099.0Hz (Db-10c)
6 Joseph Smith, Edgbaston, 1705 5-2-07 31.75" 1036.0Hz (C-17c)
7 Joseph Smith, Edgbaston, 1705 5-3-08 32.375" 936.0Hz (Bb-7c)
8 Joseph Smith, Edgbaston, 1705 8-1-20 37.125" 822.0Hz (Ab-18c)
Inscriptions
1?
2?
3 G.A. DAWSON RECTOR
JAMES HAIR M.D. ) CHURCWARDENS
JAMES JEFFRET ) 1913
4 Mr THOMAS MVSTON RECTER 1705
5 Mr IOHN FAIRFAX AND HVMFRY LESTER
CHURCHWARDENS 1705
6 IOSEPH SMITH IN EDGBASTON MADE ME 1705
7 IHS NAZARENVS RED IDEORVM FILE DEI MISERERE ME 1705
8 MY MOVRNFVLL SOUND DOTH WARNING GIVE THAT HEARE MEN CANNOT ALLWAYES LIVE 1705"
SOURCE - (Visit Link)
"The tower is built of light-coloured sandstone ashlar with a moulded plinth and battlemented parapet on a coved string-course; at each angle there are bases for pinnacles. It rises in four stages, diminished at each stage by weathered offsets on the north and south, and on the east and west at the first and half-way up the third only. At the angles there are diagonal buttresses rising in five stages and splayed off to a sharp edge, except at the third stages on the west side which have gabled trefoiled niches.The tower staircase is in the south-west angle, with a loop-light to each stage and a square-headed doorway opening on to the aisle roof. The belfry is lighted on each face by pointed traceried windows of two trefoil lights, and the ringing chamber by similar windows on the north and south.
The tower has a pointed arch of two splays to the tower and three to the nave, the inner order supported on three-quarter-round responds with moulded capitals and bases. The arch is of red sandstone with capitals of a light-coloured stone, and on the tower side in the apex there is a carving of an angel. The south-west angle is corbelled out in three steps for the tower staircase, the upper step being trefoiled, and below it there is a square-headed doorway.
The tower (15 ft. 10 in. by 13 ft.) has a window with widely splayed reveals, and a rear-arch of two splayed orders; the recess is carried down to include the doorway."
SOURCE - (Visit Link)