Bubwith, All Saints

Bubwith Tower, Image Copyright Alan Askew

Bubwith, All Saints

5 bells, Tenor 7-3-26 in A.

Church History
The very early history of All Saints is unclear there being no entry in the Domesday book, but there are records of William de Winchester as a canon of York and Rector of Bubwith between 1138 and 1143. The present church dates to 13th and 15th centuries. The tower of the church was built by Nicholas Bubwith, one of Bubwith's famous sons, who became Lord Privy Seal (1405-6), then successively Bishop of London (1406), Bishop of Salisbury (June 1407), Lord High Treasurer (1407-1408), and Bishop of Baths and Wells (Oct 1407 - until his death in 1424).

The clock was made by G.J.F. Newey of York, and installed in 1910.

There are records of 3 bells until late 19th century, one of those bells surviving as the current No. 4. It was cast by Pack and Chapman in 1779. The other Pack and Chapman bells were recast by Mears and Stainbank of London in 1909. From that point the bells were a minor key of B until augmentation by the addition of a fifth bell in 1994. That bell was cast in 1962 and was hung in S George’s Church, Swallowbeck, Lincoln prior to hanging in All Saints Bubwith.

The bells: Treble: Pack and Chapman 1779, Recast AD 1909 by Mears and Stainbank, London.
Bell Original Current Diameter in inches Weight Note
Treble Pack and Chapman, 1779 Mears and Stainbank, 1909 27.5 4-3-6 E
2 Mears and Stainbank, 1909 28.5 4-1-11 D
3 Pack and Chapman, 1779 Mears and Stainbank, 1909 30.5 5-1-11 C#
4 Pack and Chapman, 1779 As per original 34 7-2-7 B
Tenor John Taylor, Loughborough, 1962 Moved to All Saints Bubwith in 1994 35.25 7-3-26 A

The ringers: Mr Chris Brown was well known in bellringing circles and maintained the bells and clock for many years. He passed away in recent times.
Currently the bells are not rung for service but there is interest in teaching a new band.

References:
1: www.bubwith.net, accessed 31st October 2018. The website includes an image of the clock and also of the tenor bell.
2: Dawson, George; 2009: The Church Bells of Yorkshire, East Riding.
3 Askew, Alan; October 2018.

Click here to download the above text.