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Introduction
The 12th century church of St Mary’s is situated in the very centre of the village and has,
over many centuries, played a central and pivotal role in village
life. The church has stood on the same site since
1186 and has witnessed many changes during its long 900-year
history. The building is substantially
12th century, with later additions and alterations which were made in the
16th,
17th and 19th centuries.
The attractive hammered beamed ceiling,
interesting 13th century lancet windows
and 12th century doorways
enhance the beautiful interior. There is a rare 13th
century painting of ‘Our Lady’, preserved under a glass panel and an unusual
13th century stone carving depicting a
mounted knight in full armor, carrying a lancet and shield.
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Everybody is welcome to visit the church with its
spectacular graveyard and enjoy the woods, walks, and other local attractions.
The Village Community
Shop and Cafe are next to the Church and the White Hart just across the
road.
Simply put RG18
0TD into your SatNav.
If you have any
questions, or would like to submit local bell information please E-MAIL us.
Would you like to
have a taster session ringing the bells, or join our local band, then please send your details to
us HERE
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The
Tower and Tower Bells
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During the
16th century the Bell Tower was added to the
west-side of the church building. It is a stone and flint construction covered with a lime wash
with a rectangular stair turret under a stone and flint ’embattled’ parapet. In the north face of
the bell chamber is a two trefoiled windows with a four-centered head. Set into the west wall is
the original four-centered arched doorway, with a three-light
window and the original old, planked door with plain iron hinge.
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St. Mary’s Church has a ring of six bells, dating from 1619 which are still hung on
their original oak frame, made by James Smith in 1680. It is now quite rare to find bells mounted
on their original oak frame due to many frames being replaced in recent years with steel
fabrications. The positioning of the bell frame, which lies diagonally across the tower, is very
unusual and this, together with the age of the frame, makes this bell
installation extremely important and of the highest conservation priority.
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| Details of the Six
Bells |
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Bell
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Weight
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Note
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Founder
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Date
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Legend
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Treble
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4¼ cwt (215kg)
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E
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Samuel Knight
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1703
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Samvell Knight Made Mee The Leder Of This Ring To Bee 1703
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2
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4 ¾ cwt (241kg)
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D
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Henry Knight
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1619
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HENRX KNIGHT MADE MEE 1619
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3
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5 ½ cwt (279kg)
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C
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Ellis Knight
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1637
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HONOR GOD 1637
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4
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7 cwt (355kg)
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B
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Samuel Knight
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1704
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Samuel Knight made me
1074 *
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5
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8 cwt (405kg)
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A
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John Taylor
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1930
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Fear God © honour © theking © ts © gd © cw : sk 1685 / (T.) / recast 1930 / Eustace
e. palmer / patron. **
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Tenor
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10 cwt (510kg)
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G
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Henry & Ellis Knight
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1666
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NO INSCRIPTION
WHICH IS
UNUSUAL FOR THIS
ERA
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* Only bell inscribed in lower case and note
misspelling of the date which should have
been 1704
** Recast in 1930 by John Taylor & Co from the metal
from the original bell made by
Knights of Reading in 1680
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The bells were all cast
locally at the ‘Knights Bell Foundry’ in
Reading. However, bell No. 5 was recast in 1934 by John Taylor’s of Loughborough,
due to the development of a severe crack in its casing. All the bells are interestingly
inscribed with the year and name of the member of the Knight family who cast the
bell as well as a short verse etched in old English with the appropriate variance
in spelling.
Annual Bell
Surveys
The bells
are inspected annually to ensure that their operational fixings are in good safe
working order. The bell frame is also checked to ensure that there are no
problems with its structure and strength.
Until their
closure in 2017 Whitechapel Bell Foundry carried out the annual inspections and
repairs to the bells at St Mary’s. In 2016 a report stated that the condition of
the bells was so poor and precarious that it would be inadvisable for them to
continue to be rung until extensive repairs and restoration work had
been carried out.
The bells fell silent but in 2019 a major restoration project was launched
called the "The Silent
Knights Project" in recognition of the bells founders -The
Knights
Family.
The bell restoration was completed by the bell foundry, J Taylor & Co, in 2020
and the bells are back in full use. Their first major ring was to celebrate Easter
2021 and the start of moving out of Covid restrictions. The Tenor bell was tolled
shortly afterwards on Friday 9th April in remembrance of HRH THe Prince Philip,
Duke of Edinburgh.
The
bells continue to be inspected annually by J. Taylor &
Co
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