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| Bells: | Ring of 6 bells (8-0-9 / 411kg) in the key of A flat. | ||||||
| Dedication: | St Mary Virgin. | ||||||
| Location: | OS map ref. SU 635770 (map 175) Click to view map. | ||||||
| Parking: | In the main street, along the wall opposite the Greyhound public house. This is a short walk from the church along a privately-owned driveway (a torch may be useful on winter evenings). | ||||||
| Access/Height: | Follow the main path from the lych gate to the main church door, then bear right across the grass and through an archway (tread carefully). The tower is accessed via an external door. There is a curved staircase of approximately 15 wooden steps up to the ringing chamber. The chamber itself is wooden-framed with low beams and an overhanging clockcase. | ||||||
| Service ringing: | 1st and 3rd Sunday mornings of the month - 9:00am to 09:30am. | ||||||
| Practice ringing: | Wednesday evenings - 7:45pm to 9:00pm. | ||||||
| Facilities: | There are no toilets in the Church. | ||||||
| Belfry fittings: | There are clock hammers in the Tower. The bells are on plain bearings. | ||||||
| Ringers: | |||||||
| Picture: © 2005 BM |
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 - St Mary, Whitchurch Date:2008, ODG Reading Branch Striking Competition, St Lawrence Team (2nd), Grandsire Doubles | |||||||
| Bell details: | No. | Weight cwt qr lb | Note | Date Cast | Founder | Inscription | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2-3-6 | F | 1912 | Gillett & Johnston, Croydon | Founded at London 1790 : Recast by Gillett & Johnston, Croydon 1912 : Canon H.E.Trotter. Rector. Chas.H.Palmer Col.E.Dickinson Churchwardens | ||
| 2 | 3-0-8 | Eb | 1912 | Gillett & Johnston, Croydon | I AS SECOND WILL RING : RECAST BY GILLETT & JOHNSTON, CROYDON 1912 | ||
| 3 | 3-2-20 | Db | 1912 | Gillett & Johnston, Croydon | I AS THIRD WILL SING : RECAST BY GILLETT & JOHNSTON, CROYDON 1912 | ||
| 4 | 4-1-11 | C | 1912 | Gillett & Johnston, Croydon | I AS FORTH WILL SOVND : RECAST BY GILLETT & JOHNSTON, CROYDON 1912 | ||
| 5 | 5-2-10 | Bb | 1912 | Gillett & Johnston, Croydon | (I) AS TENOR HUM THEM ROUND 1624 L.W.T.F : This bell recast A.D. 1858 Rev Edward Moore M.A.Rector : RECAST BY GILLETT & JOHNSTON, CROYDON 1912 | ||
| 6 | 8-0-9 | Ab | 1912 | Gillett & Johnston, Croydon | LAUS: DEO: D:D:E:J:BLYTH:1878 : RECAST BY GILLETT & JOHNSTON, CROYDON 1912 | ||
| History: | The church was founded by the Saxons in the 9th
century. Various refurbishments have been made since then,
including a shorter wooden spire built in 1857 to house the 6
bells. Unfortunately, the tower was not strong enough to
cope with the stresses of the ringing bells, so the rector turned
to the workshops of the Great Western Railway for help. They
manufactured the four massive iron pillars at the western end of
the aisle which now support the tower. The upper part of
the tower is wooden. The whole upper part sways when the
bells are rung, with ominous creaks. Wooden supporting beams
and a ladder go up to the wooden belfry which is surmounted by a
short shingled spire.
In 1912 the 6 bells were recast by Gillett and Johnston, tuned on a 5 tone Simpson Principle, hung in a new steel and iron frame, and provided with new fittings throughout. The bells were rededicated by the Archdeacon of Oxford on 23 December 1912. | ||||||
© Oxford Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers 2011 - Reading Banch
