Whitchurch – St Mary Virgin

Bells

Ring of 6 bells (8-0-9 / 411kg) in the key of A flat.

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.

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.

Contact

whitchurch@reading.odg.org.uk