Stanford on Avon.

A Northamptonshire county border village.

Please note:

Swinford Road, Stanford, can be subject to flooding after periods of very heavy rainfall.
Also, flooding at (Stanford Road) Clay Coton village, may necessitate travel diversions via Elkington.

Service ringing :

1st. Sunday of each month, 9:00 am. to 9:30 am.

Bell ringing practice – Very occasional Tuesday, from May to September, 7.30pm. to 9.00pm.
No toilet facilities.
Stanford on Avon forms part of the Avon Swift Group of Churches.

Leicester Diocesan Guild, Market Harborough District.
Tower Captain for Stanford on Avon :-
Andy & Daphne, Tel. 07778-339863.

Anti-clockwise ring of 5 Bells.

Treble. 1928. Gillett & Johnston. (5-1-22) swing E-W.
2nd. 1928. Gillett & Johnston. (7-0-0) swing E-W.
3rd. 1928. Gillett & Johnston. (7-1-12) swing E-W.
4th. 1640. Hugh II Watts. (9-0-15) swing E-W.
Tenor. 1631. Hugh II Watts. (Wt. 11-3-12) swing N-S.

No clock.

Ground Floor anti-clockwise rope layout plan

…West wall & window of tower…

3rd 2nd

4th Treble

Tenor .

…↓…Unglazed nave screen & door…↓…

Level access from nave

⇐ ⇐ ⇐ south door & porch ⇐ ⇐ ⇐ EXIT

Observations.

Good anti-clockwise rope circle.
No’s. 2 & 3 bell ropes are fairly close set to west wall of the tower.
Good tonal qualities.
New ropes fitted in recent years.
Rope guides.
Floor mats.
Excellent lighting in ringing chamber and Church.
Sally colours – Blue, blue, yellow.
May / June 2017 – Bell installation underwent a maintenance overhaul.

Technical attributes.

Wooden frame.
Metal headstocks.
Conventional stays.
Gudgeon pins running on ball bearings.
Stauffer grease cup lubrication throughout.

Accessibility to Church.

Fairly level gravel path from Kilworth road gate to south porch.

Limited “on-road” car parking (Church-side grass verge, on South Kilworth Road).
Please be aware of entrance drives & pathways leading to houses close to Church.
On Stanford Hall weekend event days, surrounding roads can become congested at times.

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The old “Stanford Hall” or manor house once stood on the Northamptonshire side of the river Avon , opposite & to the south-west of the Church, whilst the new Stanford Hall was built on the Leicestershire side, much further back from the road & river.

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Earlier Bell History, with inscriptions.

Records of 1700 & 1878 show 5 bells, 3 of which, listed below, being replaced in 1928.

The earlier Treble, 1631. Hugh II Watts.
- Sr Thomas Cave This Bell Hee Gave 1631.
2nd. 1624. Hugh II Watts.
- IH’S : Nazarenvs Rex Ivdeorvm Fili Dei Miserere Mei 1624.
- “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews. O Son of God have mercy on me 1624.”
3rd. 1605. Newcombe family.
- Be Yt Knowne To All That Doth Me See That Newcombe Of Leicester Made Mee 1605.

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Inscriptions on No’s. 4 & 5 bells, with translations.

PVLSOR & PVLSO JVBILO ET PLANGO SIC VITA HOMINIS 1640.
- (4. “I am struck and I strike, I rejoice and I mourn, such is the life of man. 1640.”)
- (Interpretation, courtesy of Classics dept. at MCS Oxford.)

CVM SONO CI NON VIS VENIRE NVNQVAM AD PRECES CVPIES IRE 1631.
- (5. “If you be unwilling to come when I call to prayers you’ll not wish to go at all. 1631”)

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Village amenities include :-
Stately home & parkland.

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Web Links.
Dove’s Guide.
British History Online.

RFP-v27