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The bells have been added as a separate entity, as all of them have been re-cast, and are not the originals. The tower contains a ring of six bells, all of which were re-cast in 1984 by J.Taylor & Co. of Loughborough. The largest, and perhaps the most interesting, carrying facsimiles of the lettering on the original bells which reads: RICHARD ADRIAN VICAR IOHN BOLES . THOMAS HARRIS CHURCH WARDEN 1702 HARK DOE YE HEARE OVR CLAPERE WANT BEERES This is the smaller of the two weighing over 400lbs. The drinking theme is carried on
in the largest bell which weighs over 700lbs and carries the latin inscription
It seems that bell-ringing was thirsty work, and many ringers used to take a supply of beer to the church with them to relieve their thirst. Obviously, the rest of the congregation needed to be tempted from the local inns - possibly 'The Shoulder of Mutton' which stood across the road from the church, or the 'Red Lion' behind it. The original bells were cast in the year 1702 by William Bagley of Chancombe in Northamptonshire, the larger of the two carries the quaint inscription 'WILLIAM BAGLEY MADE ME'. When the bell was re-cast in 1984, the incumbent vicar and churchwardens' names were added to its waist. Two of the bells, which weigh over 300lbs each, were originally cast by W.& G.Taylor of Oxford in 1843, and were brought to Walsgrave along the Oxford canal which passes across Sowe Common in the north of the parish. The remaining bell, which was cast from an original, weighs over 300lbs and was re-cast by the very same firm that had cast the original in 1872 - J.Taylor & Co. Founders of Loughborough; it carries the names of the vicar and churchwardens of the time. The bells of St. Mary's carry the following inscriptions: No1 IN MEMORY OF MARGRET FROM BOB & ROBERT HALL RIP MAY 1972
No2 W. & J. TAYLOR FOUNDERS OXFORD 1843 COVENTRY DIOCESAN GUILD OF CHURCH BELL RINGERS
No3 W.& J. TAYLOR FOUNDERS OXFORD 1843 IN THANKSGIVING FOR THE EXTENSION AND RESTORATION OF ST. MARY'S 1984
No4 J. TAYLOR & Co FOUNDERS LOUGHBOROUGH 1872 REVd. R. ARROWSMITH VICAR I.B.IZON AND W.WATSON CHIURCHWARDENS 1872 HAIL MARY FULL OF GRACE
No5 RICHARD ADRIAN VICAR IOHN BOLES AND THOMAS HARRIS CHURCHWARDENS 1702 HARKE DOE YE HEARE OUR CLAPERES WANT BEERE ADORAMUS TE DOMINE
No6 QUANTUM SUFFIIFIT BIBIERE VOLO CLANCULA VOS A MUSICA TONE 1702 REVd. A TUCK VICAR S.BANDY DR.GILES CHURCHWARDENS WILLIAM BAGLEY MADE MEE
The re-cast bells were dedicated by the Bishop of Warwick on 15th December, 1984 and the bells rang again after a long silence which had lasted for 40 years. |
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