The west tower of St.Laurence's Church was built in the C13th and is of 3 stages with a battlemented parapet, it has three-light cusped perpendicular openings to the bell-chamber, and on the west side a moulded, decorated doorway and a two-light window above it, both much restored. The ringing chamber is at the second stage and reached by a spiral staircase.
There have been bells in the tower since the C13th when it was built 'to house the bells which the parishioners believed would ward off evil spirits and the devil'. A Sanctus Bell was later given, cast in Buckingham in 1611, and other bells have subsequently been given, broken up and recast. The later history of these bells is best seen in two memorial inscriptions, the oldest one in the ringing chamber, and the newer one at the base of the tower by the door to the spiral staicase up to the ringing chamber.
The oldest description shows that:
The ring of six bells was augmented to eight to complete
the octave by the addition of two new trebles cast by
John Taylor and Co., of Loughborough
on 1st Decenber 1955 and dedicated by the
LORD BISHOP OF OXFORD
on Saturday the seventh of April 1956.
The original six bells were also rehung on new bearings by
John Taylor and Company in March 1956.
In 1929 the treble now the third was recast by
Gillett and Johnson, Bellfounders and Clockmakers Croydon
and the bells rehung with certain new fittings.
The description goes on to give details of the bells; the note, size, inscription and weight (in long hudredweights, quarters and pounds) but most of this information is now out-of-date and the updated data is given on the new description board placed here after the restoration project of 2008.
It states that:
The ring of bells was restored
by Whites of Appleton - November 2007 - May 2008
The bells were blessed by
The Right Reverend Alan Wilson, Bishop of Buckingham
during the Patronal Service on Sunday 12th October 2008.
It also gives the revised weights, notes and casting data:
1 4-2-9 E 27.5" 1955 John Taylor & Co. Loughborough 1955
In memory of Dorothy Lambton 1955.
2 5-1-6 D 29.25" 1955 John Taylor & Co. Loughborough 1955
The people of Winslow gave me 1955.
3 5-3-19 C 31.00" 1730 Edward Hall made me 1730( original bell) (note 1)
1929 Gillett & Johnston (recast bell)
4 6-0-24 B 34.00" 1846 C & G Mears (note 2)
Rev.W.W.McCreight, Vicar 1846
5 8-1-3 A 36.25" 1670 Richard Keene (note 3)
6 10-1-23 G 39.00" 1668 Richard Keene
7 12-2-17 F 42.00" 1668 Richard Keene
8 17-1-9 E 48.00" 1777 Pack & Chapman of London Fecit 1777 (note 4)
Further details given are the names of the rector and church wardens and of the restoration project:
The Revernd Belinda Searle-Barnes, Rector
Mrs Rosemary Hall and Mr Brian Spatcher, Church Wardens
The Restoration Project, which also included work on the
historic clock, was initiated and driven by the bell ringers.
It was supported by major donors including
the English Lottery Heritage Fund, WREN and by
the St.Laurence Church Community and people of Winslow.
For WREN see:
WREN
The Santus Bell, 21.25" diameter and cast by Robert Atton in 1611, would normally have been placed in a small turret or bell cote positioned above the chancel arch on the roof so that it could be sounded by the priest or his assistant when the host was raised during the consecration prayer at eucharist services. The old description panel states:
The Sanctus, the oldest bell in the tower was cast in
Buckingham in 1611. It underwent repairs and was rehung on
the north wall of the tower in March 1956.
When the Vicar and church wardens were:
The Rev.Canon St.J.H.Beamish, M.A., R.D., and Dr.P.F.Rudd and Mr.George Ingram.
note 1: Edward Hall was a very minor bellfounder from Drayton Parslow. Unfortunately for him there also lived in the area the Chandlers, one of the great bellfounding families, so there wasn't much call for his bells. He cast approximately one bell per year and after his death the trade succummed to competition from London, but the family continued as good blacksmiths. (from the Buckinghamshire Victoria County History)
note 2: C & G Mears. Charles & George Mears, the masters of the (now) Whitechapel Bell Foundry from 1844 to 1861 when it became George Mears and Co. then Mears and Stainbank in 1865. (from Wikipedia)
note 3: Richard Keene succeeded his father James Keene, who had set up a bell-foundry in Bedford and had started one in Woodstock. James died in 1654 and Richard closed the Woodstock foundry in the 1680s but continued casting bells at Royston, Hertfordshire until 1703. (from Wikipedia)
note 4: Thomas Pack & William Chapman were the masters of the (now) Whitechapel Bell Foundry from 1776, on the death of Thomas Lester, a previous co-master, until 1781, when George Mears joined Chapman on the death of Pack. (from nottshistory.org.uk and Wikipedia)
Thanks to the local web site for extra information.