There is something nostalgic, comforting, uplifting and magical about bells. At St Andrew's our skilled bell ringers can ring a 5 or 8 and they do so before Sunday morning worship and for special occasions. Our bells sound out across the town, calling people to worship, marking weddings and celebrating important occasions in the life of the town. They were rung when the victorious England Rugby World Cup squad visited the town to receive the Freedom of the Borough in 2004.The bell ringers are always happy to welcome people who want to learn this ancient art. There are regular practice sessions on a Monday evening and the Tower Captain Christine Homer and Vice Captain John Goddard would welcome enquiries. Contact us for more information on 01788 536566 or e-mail our Parish OfficeThe West Tower The older set of five bells are hung in the West Tower (see right) which dates from about 1350. These bells, tuned in the key of A, were cast in 1711 by Joseph Smith of Edgbaston. They are hung in a frame which dates from about 1620. In 1929 they were rehung by John Taylor and Co. of Loughborough.The North East TowerThe North East Tower was built in 1895 as the final stage of the rebuilding of the church by William Butterfield. It contains 8 bells tuned in the key of D and cast by Mears and Stainbank of the Whitechapel Foundry. In 1955 they were lowered by 17 feet as there was movement in the tower, and in 1992 they were rehung to make ringing easier.
Quick Glance Monday evening (via zoom once a month):Community Singers Practice6.30-7.30pmWednesday evening:Young Choristers 5-6pmThursday evening:Parish Choir Practice7.15-8.30pmSomething for Everyone!St Andrew's invests in Anglican Choral music in recognition of how fundamental to our experience of worship it is. There are opportunities for those who are accomplished choral singers, those who just love to sing and those who wish to learn. St Andrew's Church ChoirA friendly and welcoming group of enthusiastic singers. Members need a secure level of singing skill and commitment to rehearsing weekly on Thursday evenings and singing on Sundays. A wonderful opportunity to enjoy singing a wide range of beautiful sacred choral music at a high level.To find out more about the choir, including the repertoire performed, please click here.The Director of Music, Dr Richard Dunster-Sigtermans, is always pleased to help with any musical enquiries and can be contacted on: directorofmusic@rugbychurch.org.uk Click here to see the music list for this monthClick here for previous music listsSt Andrew's Singers (Community Choir)Fun singing (secular and sacred) for everyone. Run by Angela. Click on this link for more info: St Andrew's SingersSinging for JuniorsWednesday evenings with Rachel Cliffe, email youngchoristers@rugbychurch.co.uk Young Choristers 5-6pm (to train to be a chorister in the robed choir)
Geoffrey Studdert Kennedy came to Rugby as a curate in 1908 and quickly became well known here, particularly for preaching around town in the open air. Described as a humble man who never bore a grudge, he struggled with asthma and wrote poetry. He had a burning passion for social justice and clearly believed he was called to minister primarily to people outside the church rather than to those already within it. He became nationally well known as a result of his ministry as a Chaplain in the First World War, when the soldiers called him Woodbine Willie. This was because he carried packets of Woodbine cigarettes with him wherever he went, giving them away to soldiers in the trenches. Geoffrey served in the Somme offensive and was awarded the Military Cross after running into no-mans-land to help the wounded during an attack on the German front-line. He was known as a man with a voice like a foghorn. When he preached at Church Parade every eye was on him and his sermons were the chief topic of conversation during the ensuing week. “He handed out compassion, friendship, jollity and cigarettes in equal measure”. Geoffrey was well known for giving away everything he possessed to those in need. He was also well known for swearing throughout his sermons, presumably something he didn’t do in St. Andrew’s! During the war he wrote a letter home saying (presumably in case he was killed) that his son should be brought up knowing “that being a gentleman means using your life to serve and help your fellow men as much as ever you can, and that it is dishonourable to desire only to make money and be comfortable”. Geoffrey founded the Industrial Christian Fellowship -'Faith on Monday Mornings' which seeks to help Christians in their daily work lives. Find out more here.
St Andrew’s Church has stood at the heart of Rugby since the 14th century. All that now remains of the earlier church is the West Tower. In 1879, the newly rebuilt church was dedicated by the Bishop of Worcester. Click here to read about past Rectors of Rugby. The present church was completed in 1899 with the addition of the North East Tower. The church was extensively re-built and expanded in the 19th century, designed by William Butterfield. The expanded church included a new east tower, which has a spire 182 feet (55 m) high. However some parts of the older medieval church were retained, most notably the 22 metre high west tower which bears strong resemblance to a castle turret. The west tower was probably built during the reign of Henry III (1216–1272) to serve a defensive as well as religious role, and is Rugby's oldest building. The church has other artefacts of medieval Rugby including the 13th-century parish chest, and a medieval font.St. Andrew's is the original parish church of Rugby. Whilst few of the architectural features assist in dating, it is believed the church is of the 14th Century. The only remnant of the medieval church is the 22m tall West Tower, built in the 14th Century by Henry de Rokeby the second. The tower probably had a defensive as well as a religious role and is Rugby's oldest building. The medieval font worn and badly damaged along with a 13th Century parish chest with scrolled ironwork also survive.Although there was a small nearby Roman settlement at Tripontium, Rugby itself emerged as an Anglo-Saxon village, called Rocheberie and is mentioned in the (Domesday Book) In 1086 there was no mention of a priest at Rugby. The first mention of a parish church, was in 1140 named St. Andrew 'Castle', but believed to have been built near Regent Place by Sir Henry de Rokeby. However, in 1157 this castle was demolished upon the order of Henry II. 1221 was the first record of a priest, Simon the Deacon, and in 1298 the church was re-dedicated to Pope Nicholas IV, possibly when the town became an independent parish. By 1652, St. Andrew's had become badly neglected and so following complaints about its dangerous condition it was renovated and enlarged. However, following the rapid growth of Rugby's population during the 19th Century, it again became necessary to enlarge and improve the church and so the decision was made to entirely rebuild it. In 1877 Dr. Temple, Bishop of Exeter and a former headmaster of Rugby School laid the foundation stone for the new building. Over the next three years the architect William Butterfield and builders Parnell & Son were commissioned to complete the work costing over £20,000. The only part of the medieval church left was the West Tower. In 1894 the 55 metres (182 feet) tall East Tower and the spire were also added, making St. Andrew's a very unique Church due to its double towers, and much sought after by campanologists. In 1743 the medieval font (in which Lawrence Sheriff, founder of Rugby School was baptised) was replaced and moved to the courtyard of the Eagle Hotel, where it served as a trough for the pump until being rescued by the Rugby historian Matthew Bloxam. It was taken to the Percival Guildhouse garden until the 1950's when it was finally restored to St. Andrew's. Geoffrey Studdert Kennedy, the curate of St. Andrew's from 1908-1912 came back to Rugby to preach at his old church on 30th May 1926. He became a national hero during the First World War when he served as an army chaplain, earning himself the nickname Woodbine Willie for his habit of distributing cigarettes to soldiers. So many people came to listen that many were unable to get in.On 19th October 1932 Rugby was declared a Borough and as the charter arrived and was presented, St Andrew's bells were rung.Notable Rectors- read more abour John Moultrie here:http://spenserians.cath.vt.edu/AuthorRecord.php?recordid=33486 John Moultrie's son Gerard Moultrie (who was born in the Rugby Rectory) wrote the magnificent hymn 'Let all mortal flesh keep silence'. https://hymnary.org/text/let_all_mortal_flesh_keep_silence William Butterfield was born in London in 1814. His parents were strict non-conformists who ran a chemist's shop in the Strand. He was one of nine children and was educated at a local school. At the age of 16, he was apprenticed to Thomas Arber, a builder in Pimlico, who later became bankrupt. He studied architecture under E. L. Blackburne (1833–1836). From 1838 to 1839, he was an assistant to Harvey Eginton, an architect in Worcester, where he became articled. He established his own architectural practice at Lincoln's Inn Fields in 1840. Despite his religious background, Butterfield was connected with the High Church movement called Tractarianism and his architectural style was Gothic Revival.
