Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon

Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be always with you

Bells at Holy Trinity Church

The Bells

The first record of bells in the tower is from 1502 when a legacy of 6/8d (£0.33) was left towards their restoration. We have no record of their number or weights. In October 1617 the churchwardens reported: "we were cited Worcester because the bells were oute of order (Stratford was then in the Worcester Diocese). In December of the same year £4 12d. [£4.05] was paid for re-casting. The next bell-related memorandum in the Vestry minute book is from 1650: It was agreed upon yt there shalbe a leavy made for the gathering of x.li. [£10] vizt. v.li. [£5] for the Towne, and v.li. [£5] for the parish to cast three new belles. In 1887 the bells were all re-hung, the third and fourth of the existing six re-cast, and two new trebles added by Taylors to produce a 17½ cwt. octave. The metal from this eight was used in the present ring.

The present-day bells (10 19-0-2 in E) were cast as a complete ring by Taylors of Loughborough in 1948. The late forties were vintage years for Taylors and Stratford's bells are arguably the best light ten in existence.

	Weight	Inscription	Inscription before re-cast
1	5-1-2	Dick Stokes-Roberts, Lt., Grenadier Guards, MC., Italy, 1944 Aged 21 1948.
2	5-1-10	The Ringers' Bell 1948, V.B.Hunt, Captain.
3	5-1-6	Peace, cast 1887, recast 1948.	Queen Victoria’s Jubilee, 1887
4	5-3-14	Cast 1887, recast 1948.	God save the Queen. 1887
5	6-3-18	H. Bagley made me, 1742, recast 1948.	William Dyde, Thomas Badger. Church Wardens. H.Bagley made M. 1742
6	8-0-16	Matthew Bagley made me, 1683. Recast 1948.	Matthew Bagley made mee. 1683.
7	10-0-23	1733, recast 1887, recast 1948.	Mikell Evitt, Sam. Tombs. Churchwds. R.S. 1733. Recast 1887.
8	11-3-1	1733, recast 1887, recast 1948.	John Wakefield and Thomas Spiers. Churchwardens. 1733. Recast 1887.
9	14-2-2	1683, recast 1948, Noel Prentice, Vicar, Ashley Clayton, George Lea, Gerald Price, Harry Tompkins, Churchwardens.	John Taylor and John Hunt. Churchwardens. 1683.)
10	19-0-2	1717, recast 1948. The Faithful Dead, 1939-1945.	+ John Cooks, Richard Goode, Avery Edwardes, Richard Spires. C.W. 1717.)

Total weight of the ring: 4t. 12¼cwt. (= 4,686 kg.)

FITTINGS

The ringing peal is hung on ball bearings, on one level in a metal frame, and fitted with Hastings stays. There is no clock. The Ellacombe apparatus was disconnected after someone (we suspect a bored policeman stationed on the roof for the Shakespeare’s Birthday Celebrations) wound a hammer up unbeknownst to the ringers. The seventh stopped dead and lost a small chip of metal from its rim! In 1994 an additional bell (4-2-18, hung dead and electrically chimed) was installed alongside the ringing peal to act as a Service and Sanctus bell. This was cast by Warners in 1881 and hung for full-circle ringing in the Town Cemetery chapel (now redundant). The Town Council was kind enough to donate it to the Church.

VISITING RINGERS

We are very proud of our bells and welcome visitors to our regular Tuesday-night practices at 7.30 (door locked at 8.00). There is no practice in Holy Week or in last week of the Autumn school term (because of a school carol service). Sunday ringing is at 9.45 am for the Parish Eucharist and 5.15 pm for Evensong. Visiting and touring bands are always welcome.

Would visiting ringing masters please note the following:

• The seventh is slightly odd-struck and the ninth has been known slip wheel if not kept tight.
• The tenor goes beautifully and should not be feared.
• The light bells are not at all flighty and the front six make a fine ring for doubles and minor.
• Peals are limited to three a year (residential area) and the waiting list for visiting bands is long. Quarters are a little easier to arrange.

We hope you enjoy your ringing in Stratford-upon-Avon.