Devizes Branch - Trowbridge, St James
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From the pamphlet by Brian Coward; The Twelve Bells of St James', Trowbridge.
The tower of St James' and the 160 foot spire above it was modelled on Salisbury Cathedral but, unlike the Cathedral, it holds a ring of twelve bells plus a small Sanctus bell for chiming. You may ask - how can so small a tower hold twelve bells? The answer is - with a squeeze. The bells are housed in a metal frame on two levels beneath the clock behind the louvred windows.
St James' has not always had twelve bells. In Terumber's deed dated 1483 four bells were mentioned and the inventory of Church Goods under Edward VI (1537-1553) records five bells and a Sanctus. By 1800 there was a heavy ring of six bells, which in that year was recast into a lighter ring of eight by the famous Wiltshire bell founder, James Wells of Aldbourne.
The bells were rung from the ground floor until 1847 when the present ringing chamber was provided above the fan vaulted ceiling.
In 1870 the tenor (heaviest) bell was recast by William Blews and Sons of Birmingham and again in 1912 together with the treble (lightest) and second bells by Llewellin and James of Bristol, and all all eight bells hung in a new metal frame at a cost of £360. Two bells were added in 1923, as War Memorials, making a ring of ten.
Today's fine ring of twelve bells was recast from the ring of ten, plus two new bells, by the John Taylor Bell Foundry of Loughborough in 1934.
Soon after the appeal was launched Mr T C Usher of Ushers Brewery offered, at his own expense, to install an electric clock if the cost of £1100 was raised. This was quickly achieved by a remarkable fundraising effort by the people of Trowbridge, who became Friends of the Bells, in a campaign generously reported by the Wiltshire Times. The clock is still marking the hours and quarters today by a chime specially composed by Sir Walter Alcock, organist at Salisbury Cathedral.
St James' peal of bells, the only twelve in Wiltshire, are a pleasure to ring and provide an opportunity to offer a service to the Church and Community by ringing for services and special occasions.
Bell ringing can also become an enjoyable and stimulating hobby. It involves people of all ages and from all walks of life. It brings an open invitation to any church tower to join in the local ringing when on holiday, or a source of friends when moving house or job, or when working or studying away from home.
| Practice night: | Wed. 19:30 |
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| Sunday ringing: | 09:45. Evenings by arrangement. |
| Peals: | Felstead Peal Records |
| Access: | Upstairs. Entrance outside the church. |
| Grid ref. | ST856580 |
| OS map | 173 |
| Dove | Dove tower page |
| Links: | St James' Bellringers |
| Contact: | Email contact |
| Founder | Weight | Note | Year cast | Inscription | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4-1-22 (498lbs) | A | 1934 | GLORY BE TO GOD ON HIGH THE SALVATION ARMY BELL | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | 4-2-0 (504lbs) | G | 1934 | THE ST. STEPHEN'S BELL Chief Donors : FRED AND CLARE MARSLAND | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | 4-3-17 (549lbs) | F# | 1934 | THE THOMAS HERBERT CLARK BELL On opposite side :- LEST WE FORGET HAROLD BUTCHER (a Parish Church Ringer Killed in the Great War), P.A. NASH M.A., R.D. (Rector), W.H. STANLEY, F.W. SAXTY (Churchwardens), S.J. HECTOR (Ringing Master), C.M. LANSDOWN, F.H. WHITE, F.P. GARLICK, H. LEDBURY, J.A. COOPER (Committee Easter 1923) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | 5-0-11 (571lbs) | E | 1934 | IN GRATITUDE, 1914 - 1918 LUCY MACKAY On opposite side :- CAST 1923 RECAST 1934 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | 5-2-25 (641lbs) | D | 1934 | JAS. WELLS Fecit 1800 S. WATTON and R. CASWELL (Churchwardens) THE JAMES WAREHAM BELL RECAST 1934 by the TROWBRIDGE CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY On opposite side :- RECAST 1912 P.A. NASH (Rector) F. HOBSON, H. MUNDAY (Churchwardens) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | 6-2-1 (729lbs) | C# | 1934 | JAS. WELLS Fecit 1800 S. WATTON and R. CASWELL (Churchwardens) THE SAMUEL SALTER BELL RECAST 1934 On opposite side :- RECAST 1912 P.A. NASH Rector P. HOBSON H. MUNDAY (Churchwardens) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | 7-0-26 (810lbs) | B | 1934 | JAMES WELLS Fecit 1800 SL WATTON, RD CASWELL (Churchwardens) THE HADEN BELL RECAST 1934 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | 8-1-7 (931lbs) | A | 1934 | JAMES WELLS Fecit 1800 SL WATTON, RD CASWELL (Churchwardens) THE STANCOMBE BELL RECAST 1934 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | 10-0-17 (1,137lbs) | G | 1934 | JAMES WELLS, Aldbourne, Wilts, Fecit 1800 SAML WATTON and RICHD CASWELL (Churchwardens) THE JOHN and EDITH KEMP BELL RECAST 1934 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 | 12-2-18 (1,418lbs) | F# | 1934 | JAMES WELLS, Aldbourne, Wilts, Fecit 1800 SAMUEL WATTON and RICHARD CASWELL (Churchwardens) THE JOHN BLAKE HERITAGE BELL RECAST 1934 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11 | 17-2-6 (1,966lbs) | E | 1934 | RECAST IN 1934 In Memory of GEORGE PERKINS STANCOMB Churchwarden 1854-1858 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | 24-2-18 (2,762lbs) | D | 1934 | JAMES WELLS, Aldbourne, Wilts, Fecit 1800 "May all I summon to the grave The blessing of a well spent life receive." THE THOMAS CHARLES USHER BELL RECAST 1934 RECAST 1870 and 1912 On opposite side :- THE PEAL OF TEN BELLS WAS RECAST AND TWO BELLS ADDED IN THE YEAR 1934 Rector: Rev. S.J. NISBET WALLACE Churchwardens M.F.V. CLARK J.P., S.L. HARDING Committee:
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Tower information last updated on 11th November 2009.