Project description:
Napton on the Hill, St Lawrence, Warwickshire |
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Bells: | 6; 11-0-11 in F (GF) |
| Grid Reference/Map: | 151/463612 | |
| Postcode: | CV47 8NW | |
| District: | Warwick | |
| Peals: | Felstead Database | |
| Practice Night: | Tuesday 7.30pm-9.00pm | |
| Service Ringing: | 10.00am-10.30am (1st-4th) 5th Sunday ringing times variable, please check with correspondent |
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Recommended Pub:
The King’s Head, Southam Road, Napton on the Hill, Warwickshire, CV47 8NG. Tel: 01926 812202 |
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Contacts:
Mrs M Ingman, “Greystones”, Butt Hill, Napton on the Hill, Southam CV47 8NE Tel: 01926 812041 Click to Email |
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History Of The Bells
Unsurprisingly, given the name, this church is on the top of a hill but can be missed – look for the signpost pointing up a small road to the church. There is a fairly easy going ground floor six with an outside tower entrance on the south side.
The Russell bells are the remnants of a complete ring of five put in place shortly after the upper stages of the tower were rebuilt. The tenor was recast and the bells rehung by Warners in 1874 at a cost of £100. Whitechapel restored the bells in 1958, installing a “built-up” lowside frame for six. They added a treble five years later. The fourth bell cracked in 2002 and was welded by Soundweld and rehung on a new canon retaining headstock by Eayre & Smith. The tenor has “Doncaster” canons and the other old bells retain their canons. All five older bells have been quarter turned. The treble was cast with a flat top.
At some point in the past, the local ringers do not know when or why, the arch in the east wall of the tower was bricked up, meaning that there is no direct access any more from the church to the ground floor ringing room. One wonders if it was to keep the parishioners in or the ringers out!
There is room for a few cars by the churchyard gate. On one approach road to the village there is a fierce hump-backed bridge over the canal – drive slowly!
Details Of The Bells |
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| 1 | Mears & Stainbank | 1963 | 3-3-9 | 27.625″ |
| 2 | Thomas Russell, Wootton | 1731 | 4¼cwt | 29.252 |
| 3 | Thomas Russell, Wootton | 1731 | 5cwt | 31.25″ |
| 4 | Thomas Russell, Wootton | 1731 | 6-2-23 | 33.25″ |
| 5 | Thomas Russell, Wootton | 1731 | 8cwt | 36.75″ |
| 6 | John Warner & Sons, London | 1874 | 11-0-11 | 41.00″ |