If you are looking for old records then please note that our old registers have been deposited in:The Berkshire Records Office9 Coley AvenueReadingBerksRG1 6AFTelephone: 0118 937 5132Please contact them for further information.
A long-cherished ambition to restore the three ancient bells of St Michael and All Angels is now being realised. It is nearly 100 years since their last full overhaul and the Tenor bell in particular has become difficult to ring. However, until recently, restoration and fund-raising efforts have necessarily given priority to repairs to the church building itself. In June 2016 Whites of Appleton (https://www.whitesbellhangers.co.uk/) carried out a detailed inspection of the bells and made recommendations for work needed. The estimated costs would be in the region of £15,000. The work can now take place thanks to a very generous gift from the family of the late Mrs Anne Shone, and grants from: the National Churches Trust; the Oxford Diocesan Bell Fund; the Church Buildings Council; and the Sharpe Trust. Extensive repairs, maintenance, and updating will be carried out on the mountings and fittings. The major work on the bells themselves involves removing the cast-in staples and replacing them with new fittings to attach each bell to its frame. The cast-in staple is a piece of wrought iron shaped like three sides of a square and cast into the crown of the bell when it was made. However, in time, an iron staple can rust, expand, and crack the bell. The bells may not be tuned because of their historical importance. The restoration work, which will take about four months, involves removing the bells from the tower, transporting them to Whites' workshop and subsequently rehanging them. On Thursday, 5th September, the restoration commenced with the bells and fittings being taken down from the tower. Here is a short video. More photos of the bells and removal can be found in our photo gallery
The church has a ring of three bells which are all of historical importance. The Treble and Second bells were both cast by William Knight II at Reading in 1576, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. They reputedly weigh about 150 kg and 200 kg respectively, and bear the following inscriptions: HAL MARI FUL OF GRAS WK 1576 GLORI BE TO GOD ON HI IN EARTH PCS WK 1576The designs of the crosses identify the Reading Foundry. These inscriptions are the only examples with such lettering to have dates, and have enabled bells elsewhere that were cast at the Reading Foundry to be dated. The Tenor bell, which reputedly weighs about 250 kg, was cast by Oliver Corr of Aldbourne in 1726. It has an inscription with a symbol identifying the foundry and the lettering "COR J726". According to the Church Buildings Council, it is a rare example of a bell cast by Oliver Corr himself.As described here the bells and their fittings are currently undergoing restoration by Whites of Appleton (https://www.whitesbellhangers.co.uk/). In 1926 Richard White of Appleton rehung the bells in an oak frame with new fittings, including clappers and traditional type wheels. The former 16th century half-wheels are preserved in the tower. In 1990 Whites of Appleton carried out work on the bells, which included strengthening the wrought iron clappers, tightening the bell frame, and fitting new bell ropes. A brass plaque in the tower records that Mr George Jackson (of Downs House) kindly paid for the repairs.Details of the bells and their history are given by Frederick Sharpe in his book 'The Church Bells of Berkshire' (1971) and in a series of articles in the Berkshire Archaeological Journal available at: https://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archives/view/berks_bas_2007/index.cfm Most of the information relating to Letcombe Bassett is in 'The Church Bells of Berkshire Part VIII' Volume 47 (1943), but some illustrations are in other articles.More photos of the bells can be found in our Gallery
