A Ringers Guide to Towers in Herefordshire

Compiled by David P. Bagley. Thanks to Chris Pickford for much of the more up to date information.

Disclaimer : Most of the comments in this list are based on my own (personal) impressions of the towers on the day when I visited them. No responsiblilty is taken for the validity of the data, but I do my best to keep it as accurate as possible. If you have any suggestions and/or changes, please E-mail me on (Please note that this email address has been protected to avoid abuse by spammers. You will need a JavaScript-enabled browser.)

This list is intended as a companion to the visiting ringer, as well as the local ringer. Landranger maps (137,138,148,149,150,161,162) are useful, as is a torch for visiting when it is dark. For details of the tower contacts, refer to the Guild report, or contact the Guild Secretary, or the Branch Secretaries.

Another useful publication is "The Old Parish Churches of Herefordshire" by Mike Salter, ISBN 1 871731 06 2. It is available in many bookshops in the area. This contains plans, photographs, and much more information about the older and more interesting churches in the county.

Three 3-bell towers (Leysters, Middleton on the Hill and Vowchurch) have been included only because they are ringable. The other three bell towers in the county are to be considered as unringable, and not worthy of mention here. Of the 4 bell towers that exist, only Bacton and Monkland are now ringable. The other four bell towers are also mentioned, but only as a matter of casual interest to the ringer.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

 

Abbey Dore, Holy Trinity, 6 bells, tenor 9.25cwt, Grid Ref: SO387303, RINGING RESTRICTED

This fascinating church is all that remains of a Cistercian monastery, founded in 1147. The original building was about 75m long, but has been shortened and modified many times over the years. In 1633, John, Lord Scudamore had a new west wall built to close off the decayed eastern parts for parochial use, and he built the tower above the south chancel aisle. The tower entrance is in the south east corner of the south transept, and the ringing chamber unusually has a stone floor. The rope circle is anti-clockwise, and the sally of the second gets stuck in the rope guide, making it very tricky. The bells sound reasonably well in tune, and quite mellow, but they do not go well. The tower is not at all clean, and is used by many rare bats for hibernation. Please note that it is illegal to disturb a sleeping bat. Parking is in the road outside the church.

  1. Thomas Rudhall, Gloucester, 1770, 4.5 cwt
  2. Llewellins & James, Bristol, 1892, 4.75 cwt
  3. Abraham Rudhall I, Gloucester, 1710, 5.25 cwt
  4. John Rudhall, Gloucester, 1810, 6 cwt
  5. Abraham Rudhall I, Gloucester, 1710, 7 cwt (cracked around crown)
  6. Charles & John Rudhall, Gloucester, 1782, 9.25 cwt in A flat

(Data:Sharpe 1964)

 

Allensmore, S Andrew, 6 bells, tenor 10-3-18, Grid Ref: SO466358

The west tower was added to the church in the 15th C. Some of the building is Norman, but the nave and chancel are from c1280-1300. The ringing chamber is at ground floor level, and the entrance is through the south porch of the church. Parking is in the lane outside the church. The cracked Barwell tenor of 1890 was recast in 2003 and the bells rehung in 2004 by Taylors.

  1. Abraham Rudhall II, Gloucester, 1722, 4-3-11 (pre tuning weight = 4-3-21)
  2. Abraham Rudhall II, Gloucester, 1722, 5-0-14 (pre tuning weight = 5-0-16)
  3. Abraham Rudhall II, Gloucester, 1722, 5-2-3 (pre tuning weight = 5-2-4)
  4. Abraham Rudhall II, Gloucester, 1722, 6-0-16 (pre tuning weight = 6-0-26)
  5. Abraham Rudhall II, Gloucester, 1722, 7-1-22 (pre tuning weight = 7-1-18)
  6. John Taylor, Loughborough, 2003, 10-3-18 (pre tuning weight = 11-0-14 ?)

(Data:Sharpe 1964, Andrew Bull 27/1/2004)

 

Almeley, S Mary, 6 bells, tenor 11-0-27, Grid Ref: SO333515

The short west tower was started in c1200, and the chancel dates from the end of the 13th C. Next to the church is the remains of a motte and bailey castle. The bells go quite well, and sound good, and are rung from the ground floor. The frame is supported on four huge oak posts which reach right down to the ground, one in each corner of the tower. Access to the ringing room is through the church, and parking is best in the road along the north side of the building. The fittings of the treble are those supplied by Mears and date from 1930, but the rest of the bells have Taylor fittings from 1960. The Cracked 4th by Thomas Rudhall in 1773 (6-1-25) was recast in 2003, the previous inscription being copied onto the new bell.

  1. Mears and Stainbank, London, 1930, 4-3-4
  2. Thomas Rudhall, Gloucester, 1773, 5-1-6
  3. Mears and Stainbank, London, 1866, 5-3-14
  4. John Taylor, 2003, 7-1-13
  5. Thomas Rudhall, Gloucester, 1773, 7-2-24
  6. John Taylor, Loughborough, 1960, 11-0-27 in G

(Data:Sharpe 1965, Taylor's web site 27/9/2003, Andrew Bull 17/7/2005)

 

Aston Ingham, S John the Baptist, 6 bells, tenor 5-1-17, Grid Ref: SO683235

The tower is 16th C, but most of the church was rebuilt in 1891. Parts of the south porch are from c1200. The bells are very light, and go well, and are rung from the ground floor. They were rehung and augmented by Gillett and Johnson in 1950. The style of the inscriptions on the tenor indicate that it may possibly be by Robert Hendley of Gloucester. The founder of the 4th can only be guessed at, but its shape suggests that it is a 14th century casting. The bells are the lightest ring of bells in the county.

  1. Gillett and Johnson, Croydon, 1950, 1-3-11
  2. Gillett and Johnson, Croydon, 1950, 2-0-20
  3. John Rudhall, Gloucester, 1828, 2-2-9
  4. Unknown, no inscription, 14th C, 3-0-21
  5. Abel Rudhall, Gloucester, 1740, 3-1-24
  6. Gloucester Foundry, c1450-1500, 5-1-17 in B

(Data:Sharpe 1964)

 

Aymestrey, S John the Baptist, 6 bells, 9.5cwt, Grid Ref: SO422656

The chancel is Norman, as are the arcade piers. The west tower is late 16th C, and there is a fine rood screen dating from c1530-40. The Rudhall catalogue held in the Bodlean library in Oxford indicates that the weight of the tenor is 10cwt. They are rung from upstairs, and the stairway is in the north east corner of the tower, opening out into the church, not the base of the tower. The rope circle is anti-clockwise. There is a small and well hidden car park to the north of the church with access down a short lane.

  1. Abraham Rudhall II, Gloucester, 1732, 4.5cwt
  2. Abraham Rudhall II, Gloucester, 1732, 4.75 cwt
  3. Abraham Rudhall II, Gloucester, 1732, 5.5 cwt
  4. Abraham Rudhall II, Gloucester, 1732, 6 cwt
  5. Abraham Rudhall II, Gloucester, 1732, 7.5 cwt
  6. Abraham Rudhall II, Gloucester, 1732, 9.5 cwt in A flat

(Data:Sharpe 1964)

 

Bacton, S Faith, 4 bells, tenor 7 cwt, Grid Ref: SO371323

The west tower was rebuilt in c1575, and contains a six bell frame. Only pits 1-4 are occupied, the bells being tuned as the front four of a six. There is a small car park by the church, and the ground floor ringing chamber is accessed through the back of church. The condition of the ropes is doubtful.

  1. John Warner, London, 1907, 4.25 cwt
  2. John Warner, London, 1907, 4.5 cwt
  3. Abraham Rudhall I, Gloucester, 1710, 5.5 cwt
  4. John Warner, London, 1907, 7.5 cwt in B flat

(Data:Sharpe 1964)

 

Bishop's Frome, S Mary the Virgin, 6 bells, tenor 11-3-15, Grid Ref: SO663483

The west tower is 14th C, and the tower entrance is slightly hidden outside on the north side of the tower. The bells were transferred from the closed church at Burwarton, Shropshire replacing a derelict Rudhall ring. They go well and sound clear. Parking is in the road, and there are two excellent pubs in the vicinity, especially "The Green Dragon".

  1. John Taylor, Loughborough, 1875, 5-2-27
  2. John Taylor, Loughborough, 1875, 6-0-22
  3. John Taylor, Loughborough, 1875, 7-1-10
  4. John Taylor, Loughborough, 1875, 7-2-5
  5. John Taylor, Loughborough, 1875, 9-1-21
  6. John Taylor, Loughborough, 1875, 11-3-15 in G

(Data:Sharpe 1975, A.M.Bull 1993)

 

Bodenham, S Michael & AA., 6 bells, 12-1-20, Grid Ref: SO529509

The west tower was begun in the 13th C, and was finished in the 14th C with a pyramidal roof set over the stump of a recessed spire. The tower access is inside the church in the north west corner of the tower. Where the steps open out into the ringing chamber, there is an awkward wooden stairway down onto the floor, and the door gets in the way. The floor is a little uneven, and the clock pendulum is not enclosed. The bells, however, are superb in both tone and in 'go', and were all recast by Gillett and Johnson in 1951. Parking is available in a car park before you turn up the church lane which is too small for parking.

  1. Gillett and Johnson, Croydon, 1951, 5-0-1
  2. Gillett and Johnson, Croydon, 1951, 5-1-4
  3. Gillett and Johnson, Croydon, 1951, 6-1-1
  4. Gillett and Johnson, Croydon, 1951, 7-0-13
  5. Gillett and Johnson, Croydon, 1951, 9-2-4
  6. Gillett and Johnson, Croydon, 1951, 12-1-20 in G

(Data:Sharpe 1965, A.M.Bull 1993)

 

Bosbury, Holy Trinity, 6 bells, tenor 15-1-6, Grid Ref: SO694434

The detached tower was built in the 13th C, and is one of seven detached bell towers in the county (not all of these have rings of bells). The bells are quite a mixture of dates and founders, but they blend together very well. They are hung in a large steel frame with modern fittings. An old half-timbered staircase obstructs the view from the second. The ground floor ringing chamber tends to feel very cold, although a large gas heater is used to warm the place up during the colder months. There is some parking on the side of the road past the church, and a good pub over the road. The old 3rd (6-3-15) was by John Martin, 1681, and broke into two pieces in 1976. It had been fitted with a stay which was too strong. The ringer over-pulled, and bumped the stay very hard. This stay turned out to be stronger than the bell. Another bell was broken in this way at Feckenham, Worcestershire.

  1. Barwell, Birmingham, 1903, 6-0-22
  2. John Taylor, Loughborough, 1959, 5-3-26
  3. John Taylor, Loughborough, 1976, 7-1-14
  4. Mears and Stainbank, London, 1937, 8-0-18
  5. John Finch, Hereford, 1640, 11-0-6
  6. John Martin, Worcester, 1660, 15-1-6 in E

(Data:Sharp 1964, Andrew Bull 17/7/2005)

 

Bredenbury, S Andrew, 6 bells, tenor 8-3-3, Grid Ref: SO609564

This church with its low tower was built between 1886-1887, replacing an older church on another site. There is not much room to park on the main road by the church. The ringing chamber is upstairs(!) and the ceiling is very low. The bells go reasonably well, but the ropes for numbers 3 and 4 tend to jump sideways as you try to catch the sally.

  1. John Taylor, Loughborough, 1882, 3-1-4
  2. John Taylor, Loughborough, 1881, 4-0-21
  3. John Taylor, Loughborough, 1881, 4-2-13
  4. John Taylor, Loughborough, 1881, 5-2-0
  5. John Taylor, Loughborough, 1881, 6-2-4
  6. John Taylor, Loughborough, 1881, 8-3-3 in A

(Data:Sharpe 1965)

 

Bredwardine, S Andrew, 6 bells, tenor 9-2-1, Grid Ref: SO334445

The Rev. F. Kilvert, author of the famous diaries, was once the Rector here. The nave is early Norman, and the tower dates from 1790, and probably replaces an earlier one. Parking is at the end of the church drive, and the ringing chamber is on the ground floor. There is an annoying oil burning heater between the treble and tenor ropes which gets in the way when ringing. The bells were rehung in a new frame in 2007 by Hayward Mills Associates, who replaced the tenor (John Rudhall, 1826, 7-2-1). The ringing chamber is being moved upstairs as part of the restoration.

  1. Mears and Stainbank, London, 1928, 3-2-9
  2. Mears and Stainbank, London, 1928, 3-3-21
  3. Abraham Rudhall II, Gloucester, 1729, 4-2-21
  4. John Rudhall, Gloucester, 1810, 5-1-18
  5. Abel Rudhall, Gloucester, 1747, 6-0-2
  6. Hayward Mills Associates, 2007, 9-2-1 in B flat (926Hz)

(Data:Sharpe 1965, A.M.Bull 1993, Andrew Mills 28/5/2007, Dove online 2/6/2007)

 

Bridstow, S Bridget, 8 bells, tenor 8-3-19, Grid Ref: SO584248

The 15th C tower contains the lightest ring of eight bells in the county, and they are rung from the ground floor. The