The Ringing World
Holy Trinity, Barrow upon Soar
In EARLIER TIMES Barrow was one of the four Manors of Charnwoood, and so Holy Trinity was the mother church for an area far more extensive than the present parish. The cruciform church is the largest of those in the Manor and its proportions are such that many visitors upon entering the church have been surprised by its size.
Although of ancient foundation, the building shows signs of numerous alterations, repairs and additions, which is only to be expected in a thriving community.
As in many Soar Valley churches the work of the 15th, 17th and 19th century restoration, is most in evidence.
The church originally had a central tower, but this was replaced by a western tower in Reformation times. The earliest bell, by George Oldfield of Nottingham, is dated 1620. Three more followed before the century was out. One was by William Noone of Nottingham. The other two, cast in 1642, were probably the last bells cast by the wei!-known founder Hugh Watts of Leicester before his death early in 1643. (There is only one other bell in existence dated 1642—at Newton Regis. Warwickshire.)
The next bell to be added was the mystery bell of 1522. The date is its only inscription. A comparison of figures, shapes and canons leads us to presume that it was cast by T. Mears of London. Yet in Nichol's History of Leicestershire, written in 1800, it is stated that there were at that time five bells in the tower.
In 1868 the tower was rebuilt. There must have been serious faults in the work, because a week before Christmas 1868, it collapsed, taking part of the nave with it. Worship was transferred to St. Bartholomew's at Quorn and it is interesting to guess at the local politics at this time which resulted in Quorn becoming a parish, in its own right. However, Holy Trinity was re-opened for worship in 1870, the bells having been re-hung in a new oak frame by John Taylor of Loughborough.
So there were certainly five bells in the tower in 1894 when William Hyde Inglesant conducted the first peal - 6000 Doubles in 4 hours and 5 minutes. What an effort that must have been! The only other two peals on the five waited until they had been mounted on ball bearings in 1927. In that year Ernest Morris called a peal here as part of his ambition to ring a peal in every tower in the county. There was then another long gap until 1945, when the first local band peal was rung.
TREBLE ADDED
A treble was added in 1945 by the generosity of the Towle family of Barrow. Since then belfry improvements have been carried out—at one time Barrow could make a good claim to be the noisiest ringing room in Leicestershire. This, and the heavy "go" of the bells, explains why there have been only 14 peals rung here with less than 40 ringers being involved. Yet the tower set of handbells have had over 150 peals rung on them since 1945!
All in all it was clear that something would have to be done. In 1971 a scheme was drawn up with the assistance of Mr Paul Taylor. This again came to the ears of the Towle family, and Mr. W. H. Towle and his sister undertook the financial responsibility for the work as a memorial to their father. Holy Trinity is indebted to this family for half the bells and the frame, but even more important is the love of bells which has prompted the action. It was Mr. Towle's suggestion that one of the new bells should be called the "Ringers' Bell." His comment was that it is no good putting bells into a tower unless there is someone to ring them. He has done his part, now we must see to it that the bells are rung!
So, in May 1972, the bells and frame were removed from the tower by the ringers and taken to the Loughborough foundry. The old tenor was recast into three trebles (the inscription band being retained), the other bells being tuned. All are to be rehung on new fittings in a cast-iron low-side frame and it is hoped that the dedication service will be early in November.
We have always been delighted to welcome visitors to Barrow and hope that many more will call to see us and try out the new octave.
DETAILS OF THE BELLS
Treble.—3 cwt. (24"). * JOHN TAYLOR & CO. * FOUNDERS * LOUGHBOROUGH * 1972 On waist: GLORY BE TO THE FATHER AND TO THE SON AND TO THE HOLY SPIRIT
Opposite side: THE TRINITY BELL 2,—3J cwt. (25"). JOHN TAYLOR, etc,, as treble.
On waist: WILLIAM HENRY TOWLE AND HIS SISTER AMY ELLEN MOSS NAMED ME THE RINGER'S BELL
Opposite side: 0 COME LET US SING UNTO THE LORD
3. — 3.3/4 cwt. (26.1/2"). JOHN TAYLOR, etc., as on treble.
On waist: TO THE GLORY OF GOD IN MEMORY OF THOMAS PETER TOWLE HOSIERY MANUFACTURER 1876-1989
4.— 5 cwt. (28.1/2"). * JOHN TAYLOR & CO. * FOUNDERS * LOUGHBOROUGH * 1945
On waist: TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN MEMORY OF ELLEN TOWLE AND HER FATHER WILLIAM SUDBURY
5.— 6 cwt. (31.1/2"). 1822
6.— 7 cwt. (33.3/4 cwt.). (Watts' mark) FEDCB (Dacor.) LKIHG (Decor.) WVTSRQ (Decor.) FEDCBA (Decor.) MLKIHG (Decor.) 1642
7.— 9.1/2 cwt. (36.1/2"|. (Watts' mark) FEDCBA (Decor.) MLKIHG (Decor.) XWVTS (Decor.) RQPON (Decor.) WVTSRQ (Decor.) 1642 (Decor.)
Tenor.—11 cwt. (39.1/2").* I sweetly tolinfl men do call to taste on meats that feeds the soole 1620 (Oldfield's mark)
The old tenor was Inscribed thus:
ALL THEM THAT HEARE MY MOVRNFVLL SOWND REPENT BEFORE YOV LIE IN GROVND 1699
HANDBELL PEAL ON MOEL FAMMAU
On, the night of the full moon, August 24, 1972, a band of ringers from the Wirral, Cheshire—two girls and three men—met at the foot of Moel Famrnau (Mother of Mountains, 1,820 feet). Having taken ac-count of the weather forecast and the pre-vailing conditions they decided to make the journey to the top and carry out their plan to attempt a handbell peal during the midnight hours.
At the end of a 40-minute trek up the mountain path they reached the summit to find it bathed in bright moonlight with thin wisps of mist rising from the valleys. Their rendezvous was the stone tower built as a base for the Jubilee Monument to commemorate the 50 years' reign of George III. As we looked down from the walls of the open tower we could see the orange glow and twinkling lights of the surround¬ing towns—Mold, Buckley, Flint and Ruthin —with the glow of Merseyside in the distance.
Chairs were placed on the stone base of the tower, windcheaters buttoned up, hats pulled down over our ears and the con-ductor called "Go" at 11 p.m. A chill wind blew up from the north-west and whistled round the low parapet but the tinkling music of Kent Treble Bob Royal floated out over the mountain side, keeping up a smooth rhythm course by course. After an hour the wind brought up a little mist an-1 cloud, dimming the moonlight for a rime. Artificial lights were available but uncalled for, and the umpires kept their vigil undisturbed in a sheltered corner below the tower. By one o'clock the moon was clear again and the pea! was brought round at 1.40 a.m. after 2 hours and 40 minutes' ringing. Rather damp from the mist and with cold feet and chilled fingers, the band happily made their way back down the mountain again. All was silent except for a few sheep who raised their heads and stared placidly at the intruders and then returned to sleep.
On the downward journey the question of which county we were in was raised and it was decided that we were just inside the Flintshire boundary. The following day, on inquiry at the county office, we were in-formed that the boundary between Den-bighshire and Flintshire runs straight through the centre of the Jubilee Tower. So the ringers of 1-2 and 9-10 were sitting in Flintshire, the ringers of 3-4 and 5-6 were sitting in Denbighshire and the con¬ductor, ringing 7-8, had a foot and a bell in each county. Surely a record!
G. H. R. and N. M .R.
50 YEARS RINGING
Mr. Cecil Ridout, captain of the ringers at St. Hubert's Church, Corfe Mullen, Dor¬set, is this year celebrating his golden jubilee as a bellringer.
Born and brought up in Okeford Fitz-paine, he comes of a family of ringers, his father, five brothers and three cousins hav¬ing all been ringers in the tower of that parish church, where his uncle, the late Mr. Edward Ridout, was formerly captain. It was his uncle who taught him to ring when, at the age of 12, he had to stand on a box to reach the ropes!
Later, Mr. Ridout rang at Woolland. Then, in 1947, he went to Corfe Mullen where he immediately joined the St. Hubert's ringers, becoming captain two years later, a post he has held ever since. A road foreman for Dorset County Council, Mr. Ridout, who lives at Cogdean Elms, is president of Corfe Mullen branch of the Royal British Legion.
From Western Gazette.
