Bells
Ring of 6 bells (8 cwt / ~410kg) in the key of A flat. The bells are clearly audible within and especially outside the tower. There is no sound control and no simulator. The clock hammer must be disconnected before ringing the tenor.
Church website
www.stmargaretmapledurham.org.uk
Location
Post Code is RG4 7TR, OS map ref. SU 670766 (map 175)
Click to view map.
Parking
There is a hard-surfaced car park adjacent to the church.
Access/Height
Entry to the (ground floor) ringing chamber is via the main entrance to the church. There are two steps down into the church (portable ramp nearby for wheelchairs) then one step up to the chamber.
The draught of the bells is about 40ft comprising of the ringing chamber floor to ceiling (no guides) height of about 20ft plus about 20ft from the ringing chamber ceiling to the bells.
Service ringing
Service ringing is every Sunday (subject to occasional cancellations when we have too few ringers), 10.45 – 11.10 for 11.15 service.
Except on a fifth Sunday of the month when service is rotated between the three churches of the parish so only sometimes at Mapledurham; see website for details.
Practice ringing
Practices are held every Thursday (with very occasional cancellations) 7:30 – 9pm.
Facilities
There is emergency lighting in the ringing chamber, a first aid box, and a clock. There is a toilet in the churchyard and taps in the ringing chamber, but water is a private supply from Mapledurham House, and not always available.
A water fire extinguisher is located outside the ringing chamber door and a carbon dioxide extinguisher inside the main door to the church.
Belfry fittings
There are canons on bells 2-6 but they have been removed from the treble. Bells are on ball or roller bearings.
Ringers
There are seven ringers in the regular band. There is a band of ringers from other towers who regularly assist at practices only.
A tower dinner, and a tower outing are held annually. There are also annual social events hosted by individual members of the band.
Bell details
| No. | Weight cwt qr lb | Note | Date Cast | Founder | Inscription |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3-1-0 | F | 1787 | Thomas Janaway | IOHN ALLAWAY CHURCH WARDEN. T : JANAWAY FECIT (John Allaway, Churchwarden. T. Janaway made me) |
| 2 | 3-3-0 | Eb | 1907 | John Warner & Sons | NON BRVTVM; AST HOMINEM DELECTAT MVSICA QVIDNAM EST IGITVR QVEM NON MVSICA NOSTRA IVVAT 1664 (Music delights not the brute creature, but it delights man. Why than is there anyone whom our music does not please?) |
| 3 | 4-1-0 | Db | 1623 | Ellis Knight I | LET YOVAR HOPE BE IN THE LORD E.K. (Let your hope be in the Lord E.K. [Ellis Knight, bell founder]) |
| 4 | 4-3-0 | C | 1664 | Reading foundry | SEX SVMVS ET qVAMIS RARA EST CONCORDIA FRATRVM, NOS SEX CONCORDES, HARMONICIqVE SVMVS 1664 (There are six of us, and although agreement is rare among brothers, we six are in agreement and we are harmonious) |
| 5 | 6-0-0 | Bb | 1690 | Samuel Knight | WALTER CRESSWELL CW. COELESTAS TEMET SPHAERAS AVDIRE PVTARES SI NOS AVDIRES PYTHAGORAEE SENEX 1690 ABARAM ILSLEY S.K. (Old Pythagorean, if you heard us, you should think you heard within yourself the heavenly spheres. S.K. [Samuel Knight, bell founder] |
| 6 | 8-0-0 | Ab | 1764 | Robert Wells I | ROBERT : WELLS : ALDBOURNE : FECIT : 1764 (Robert Wells of Aldbourne made me) |
History
The church building is probably 13th-14th century with 19th cent. revisions. Features of note are the Norman font and the Catholic aisle/ chapel. A brief history is to be found on the church website.
The bells were rehung in the existing frame in 2010 and rededicated by the Bishop on St. Margaret’s Day that year.
Six peal boards record full peals in 1907-1909 and 1947-1953; none recent. Mapledurham is now one of three churches forming the combined Parish of Caversham, Thameside and Mapledurham. However, and although some of our band are also members of the Caversham band, we function and are organised independently of Caversham.