Aston Bellringers

Village Groups

The ringers at Aston on Trent ring the bells for All Saints Church.
Bell ringing is a team and social activity which allows you to meet people throughout the Country.

The group has a good social life with many events during the year. Each Spring there is a get together with other local towers and have a leisurely coach trip for the day, ringing at up to six other churches and finishing with a drink and a meal.

Not all activities relate to ringing. As well as the traditional post practice drink on a Monday night, there are many social evenings culminating in organising the Village Walk - always the day after Boxing Day.

We will be pleased to welcome newcomers who are willing to learn the art of bell ringing. Strength is not a requirement although some element of persistence is! Please come along and try it!

There are three old bells hanging in the tower: one by Henry Oldfield cast in 1590, another by him in 1594 and the other by George Oldfield in 1661. However, there must have been four bells before 1847, because at that time there is an entry in the churchwarden$ accounts on 25 February recording a payment to 'Taylor, Lobro, recasting a bell £1 3. 5s Od' (25). This was the present third bell, which was again recast by Taylors in, 1935. The 1847 bell had the inscription:

JOHN TAYLOR & SONS FOUNDERS LOUGHBOROUGH 1847

On 23rd September 1876 another entry In the churchwardens' accounts shows a payment to "4 ringers £4. 15s. 0d.", which could indicate that there were only four bells at that time. The current second bell is a 1935 recasting of a bell originally cast in 1876, although there is nothing in the accounts about paying for a bell at this time. The augmentation and recasting in 1935 took place after ' the discovery, by Taylors, who were repairing a clock hammer, of death watch beetle in the frame. The new cast iron frame was to be for six bells and the cost of a new bell would be £60 and the PCC agreed unanimously to have one extra bell. On March 6th 1935, it was discovered that the No. 2 bell was "out of tune and consequently required to be recast". There is no mention of why the other bell should also have been recast. The original estimate for the work was £354 12s 6d and the Barron Bell Trust gave £204 12s 6d. towards the work (27). The new treble bell was inscribed to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of King George V. The bells were hung in a low sided frame, with ball bearings and Hastings stays.

The details of the present ring of six are as follows:

1. * JOHN TAYLOR & CO. * FOUNDERS * LOUGHBOROUGH

2.J : TAYLOR & CO FOUNDERS LOUGHBOROUGH 1876

3. JOHN TAYLOR & SON FOUNDERS LOUGHBOROUGH: 1847

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