Oxford City Branch

Shotteswell, St Laurence (6) 9cwt GF
Lunch at the Plough in Warmington
Radway, St Peter (5) 5cwt GF

Bob Benstead, Anthony Hughes, Judith Kirby, Donna Murphy, Christian Burrell, Roy Jones, Jan Lawrie, Graham Nichols, Hugh Deam, Susan King, Bernard Masterman, Stephen Nichols.

Shotteswell First noted as Soteswell in 1140 the village derives its name from a stretch of the stream here thought to once belong to a man called Scot. The church is situated on the slopes of a steep hill with a plethora of entrances to the churchyard, and surrounded by many stone-built cottages, although parking is some considerable distance from the church. The bells are rung from the ground floor and were augmented to a six in 1995 and require tidy handling at backstroke to get the striking right. The Plough, Warmington A thoroughly cosy and atmospheric pub serving nourishing meals ideal to revivify the most exhausted of ringers. Radway The village is generally thought to take its name from the reddish soil prevalent of the area, with “weia” referring to the road between the village and Little Kineton known locally as the Red Lane. During Saxon times Radway belonged to the Church of Coventry, and then later came under the influence of the Cistercian monks of Stoneleigh. The parish church was rebuilt on its present site and consecrated in 1866 using much of the original material. The bells were re-hung in 1949 and are rung from the ground floor.

Hugh Deam, Hal Drysdale, Roy Jones, Judith Kirby, Ryan Noble, Heather Dobson, Ann Gyngell, Susan King, Bernard Masterman, Charles Smith.

Picture from the ODG Central Bucks Branch website

Hillesden All Saints

The hamlet of Ilesdone was in the possession of Notley Abbey from 1164 up until late C15th, when dissention over the somewhat dilapidated state of the church led to the land being sold to Hugh de Bolebec, and the rebuilding of the church in 1493. The original Hillesden House served as a fortified outpost for Royalist forces during the Civil War, with the second besiegement by Parliamentary troops being led by Col. Oliver Cromwell. The north door of the majestic Grade I Listed church here still bears the scars of musket holes from that time. The famed architect Sir George Gilbert Scott was born in nearby Gawcott and was responsible for much of the restoration work on Hillesden church, which is often described as “the cathedral in the fields”, located as it is adjacent to a deer park. The bells are now rung from a gallery and are conducive to minor method ringing, although the 2 and tenor are both being apt to drop if handling slackens.

Easton Maudit, St Peter & St Paul (5) 14-1-10 in F
Grendon, St Mary (6) 14-0-10 in F#
Bozeat, St Mary (6) 16-2-6 in E

Christian Burrell, Hugh Deam, Andy Dunn, Simon Edwards, Roy Jones, Maarit Kivilo.

Easton Maudit The village gained its manorial affix from the Maudit family, here since the Norman Conquest. The graceful C15th spire is one of the great landmarks of the Nene Valley, particularly when floodlit, having been repaired in 1990. Hatchments and bannerols of the last of the Yelverton family, the Earls of Sussex, are to be seen in the north aisle.

Easton Maudit

The noted antiquarian Thomas Percy served as rector here in late C18th, and in a front pew of the nave there is a plaque recording visits by members of the exclusive Garrick Club of which he was a member. Part of the churchyard is now a dedicated conservation area, rich in grassland species. Of the five bells, three of the four C17th bells were cast by Hodson, with the other being medieval, recast in 1892. Rung from the ground floor, the bells require extreme diligence in handling. Grendon Taking its name from "green hill", the majority of land in this area is owned by three major landowners: the Queen, Trinity College Cambridge and the Marquess of Northampton. The name of the pub, The Half Moon, is thought to refer to drunken revellers (moonrakers) in centuries past who attempted to fish the reflection of the moon out of the brook that runs through the centre of the village. The house and grounds of the manor house here, Grendon Hall, were used by the SOE to house and train Free French Forces during the Second World War.

Bozeat St Mary

Only traces remain of the original Norman church, the advowson of which was granted to King’s Hall, Cambridge by Edward III in 1342, later transferring to Trinity College. The original wooden framed clock of 1690 is still to be seen inside the church, which boasts an expansive nave. The bells are a fluent six that are now rung from a gallery. Bozeat A Roman settlement of some importance is known to have existed here following excavations in 1964 revealed a circular building from the 2nd century that was 48ft in diameter. As a result of this a further excavation was carried out and this revealed many fragments of C1st to C3rd habitation. The handsome parish church constructed of grey stone is flanked by delightful cottages in a classic middle England scenario. The historic tower, dating back to Norman times, is capped by a broach spire, although it was partially rebuilt in late C19th, along with the main body of the church. The bells were augmented to a six in relatively recent times and are sublime in their fluidity and emanation of sound.

Shedfield, St John the Baptist (8) 12cwt
Wickham, St Nicholas (6) 8cwt
Purbrook, St John the Baptist (6) 5cwt
Lunch at The Vine, Hambledon
Hambledon, Sts Peter & Paul (6) 10cwt
Swanmore, St Barnabas (6) 6cwt

Janice Beale, Jane Burgess, Heather Dobson, Susan King, Serge Zvegintzov, Jonathan Beale, Ron Burgess, Hal Drysdale, Judith Kirby, Paul Bayes, Carole Beckley, Christian Burrell, Ann Gyngell, Peter Lloyd, Bob Benstead, Hugh Deam, Roy Jones, Donna Murphy.

Shedfield

Shedfield The name of the village is an Old English description for open land where planks are split thin to be used for constructing foot-bridges and there are several freshwater springs in the area. The primary employment for many centuries was agriculture and horticulture, with numerous orchards. Brick-making later found a foothold here as well. The elegant parish church dates to 1875 – 80 by Colson & Son having been constructed to replace a building of early that century, although the original humble buttressed tower still stands at the rear of the churchyard. The bells are a lovely free-flowing eight.

Wickham St Nicholas

Wickham The settlement developed around a ford across the River Meon, with a Roman military post here resulting in the construction of a bridge to facilitate the road between Noviomagus Regnorum (Chichester) and Venta Belgarum (Winchester). The name of the village derives from its association with a Vicus (a Romano-British settlement), with evidence having been found of early industry here in the form of pottery kilns. In the wake of the Norman Conquest, the Manor of Wicheham was handed to Hugo de Port as part of the Titchfield Hundred, with the church being built around 1126 and run by the Canons of Titchfield. The village’s most famed resident was William of Wykeham, who served as Bishop of Winchester, Chancellor of England, and founded Winchester College and New College, Oxford. The fine sounding bells are rung from a ringing chamber that is built around the organ.

Purbrook St John

Purbrook The first printed documentation of a settlement here was as Pukebrok in 1248, eerily deriving from the Old English description for a brook haunted by a goblin. The village is situated on high ground and is now effectively a northern suburb of Portsmouth with the busy A3 running through its centre having been designed as one of six forts created in the 1850s to protest the rear of the town from possible invasion by French forces. A cannon is still in place alongside the road pointing out towards the sea. The tower of St. John the Baptist has a design more noted of Sussex churches with the bells being extremely easy to get the best from. The Vine, Hambledon. A charming country pub with a strong cricketing ambience throughout and serving exceptionally well presented meals that were equally well received by all.

Hambledon

Hambledon The village takes its name from the description for an irregularly shaped hill, being first noted as Hamelandunae. The area is notable for its Bronze Age barrows, with remains from the Iron Age and the Roman villa of 100 AD having been unearthed. The village was granted a royal charter by King Edgar in 956, with the area belonging to Winchester during these Saxon times. Hambledon is generally regarded as being the birthplace of cricket. The original church was considered a textbook example of medieval architecture, but was severely damaged by a fire in 1794, with the tower having to be totally rebuilt. The bells are a sturdy six that are ideal for ringing minor methods.

Swanmore

Swanmore The village is situated on the edge of what was once extensive heath-land known as Waltham Chase before drastic enclosure during C19th. Taking its name from a pool frequented by swans, the settlement was first documented in 1205. The neo-Norman church dates to 1846, with a wide nave and apsidal chancel, and an unusually situated north tower of flint and stone added in 1876/7 topped by a shingled spire. The bells are a splendid six ideal for fluent ringing across all levels.

Northmoor St Denys

Northmoor Documented solely as More (a marsh) in 1059, the village is located near to the ferry at Bablockhythe. Despite being somewhat off the beaten track as far as the main roads are concerned, there are a series of footpaths crossing the meadows here, that make Northmoor popular with walkers. The impressive interior of the cruciform church, virtually unaltered from their conception, includes a C15th tower constructed within the C14th nave rather similar to the example at Woodeaton. The bells are rung from a gallery that affords a splendid view along the length of the nave and are a fine set well worth paying a visit to ring.

Swanage, St Mary the Virgin (8) 22cwt
Worth Matravers, St Nicholas of Myra (6) 6cwt
Corfe Castle, St Edward the Martyr (6) 11cwt

Janice Beale, Christian Burrell, Roy Jones, Donna Murphy, Jonathan Beale, Hugh Deam, Susan King, June Steele, Carole Beckley, Heather Dobson, Judith Kirby, Richard Bennett, Jane Burgess, Hal Drysdale, Peter Lloyd, Ron Burgess, Sally Harrison, Bernard Masterman

Swanage

SWANAGE First documented as Swanawic in late C9 the town takes its name from a farm where swans are reared. For several centuries it was merely a hamlet for fishermen and served as a Chapel of Ease for Worth Matravers until gaining its own Rector in 1497. Swanage is now a bustling seaside resort which boasts a European Blue Flag beach. The Jurassic Coast of soft shoreline sediments here has in recent years been designated as a World Heritage Site and bottle-nosed dolphins and puffins can occasionally be seen from Durlston Head. A popular steam railway, the Wessex Belle, runs on a reconstructed track between the town and Corfe. The church is constructed of Purbeck marble, with only the tower remaining from an original place of worship which has been rebuilt four times, and is adjacent to a large millpond. The coast here was first invaded on a regular basis by the Danes and later by marauding pirates, thus the tower originally had no fixed entry from the ground floor and has slit windows to best repel invaders. The top storey was added in 1620 with the oldest bell of this excellent eight dating to 1594; the ringing chamber being reached by four sets of stairs that circle the tower.

Worth Travers

WORTH MATRAVERS This coastal village set on high ground overlooking the Jurassic Coast is comprised of many limestone cottages set around a charming central pond that is replete with a variety of fish and is regularly visited by a small clutch of ducks who rarely go hungry given the popularity of this spot with ramblers. The rocky beaches of Winspit and Seacombe are within relatively easy walking distance of Worth Matravers. The local economy has traditionally been based on farming, fishing and quarrying, but the village is now a popular tourist destination. The interior of the church contains an impressive Norman chancel arch that can be best appreciated from the gallery adjacent to the organ and ringing chamber. The fluent bells here are an augmented three that sound much lighter than might be expected from the weight of the tenor. The Worth Tearoom is but a short step from the church and made for a universally popular lunchtime destination with classic meals and ambience noted Dorset.

Corfe Castle

CORFE CASTLE The village takes its name from the Old English description for a gap amidst Nine Barrows Down on the isle of Purbeck peninsula., and is most known by its ruined castle that has experienced over 1000 years of sometimes turbulent history being situated in such a commanding position on one of the hills overlooking Corfe. Although it survived a protracted siege by Parliamentary forces throughout a large part of the English Civil War it was eventually destroyed by gunpowder in 1646. There are numerous gift shops, inns, and tea-rooms packed into a relatively small area making Corfe busier and more congested than most villages of similar size. The 1/20th scale model village directly across the road from the church also has a splendid tearoom in the courtyard fronting it. The church overlooks the south side of the central square, with the large west tower offering plenty of room in the ringing chamber; the six bells here being sublime to ring.

St Lawrence

First documented as Wicumun, the village was once in the possession of Bisham Abbey, and contained a crucifix that pilgrims would often kneel to kiss on their way to Saint Frideswide’s shrine in Oxford. The main street in West Wycombe consists of flint or brick Georgian buildings interspersed with C16th timber framed houses due to the proliferation of traffic between Oxford and London during the coaching era that led to prosperity in this area. The Dashwood family acquired the estate in 1698, and it was Sir Francis Dashwood who founded the notorious Society of Dilettanti, also known as the Hellfire Club after the caves here. He also commissioned the construction of the Palladian mansion as well as the landscaping of the park by Humphrey Repton. The church is situated at the top of the hill and owes its Italianate appearance to Sir Francis who had the golden ball placed atop the C14th tower after being inspired by a visit to Venice. The bells are a reassuring eight that are ideal for putting visiting ringers at their ease.

Great Gaddesden St John
Click to enlarge

Great Gaddesden (6) St John the Baptist 10cwt (Herts)
Little Gaddesden (6) SS Peter & Paul 6cwt GF (Herts)
Studham (6) St Mary the Virgin 10cwt (Beds)
Whipsnade (6) St Mary Magdalene 3cwt GF (Beds)
Aldbury (6) St John the Baptist 6cwt GF (Herts)

Janice Beale, Christian Burrell, Malcolm Fairburn, Bernard Masterman, Jonathan Beale, Ian Davey-Wilson, Adrian Gray, Donna Murphy, Carole Beckley, Hugh Deam, David Ingrouille, Ryan Noble, Bob Benstead, Heather Dobson, Roy Jones, Susie Pavelin, Jane Burgess, Hal Drysdale, Susan King, Ailsa Reid, Ron Burgess, Clare Fairburn, Judith Kirby, June Steele, Serge Zvegintzov.

Great Gaddesden

Great Gaddesden The twin Gaddesden villages derive their name from the River Gade here, which in turn took its name from the description for a valley belonging to Gaete. The Halsey family have been the Patrons of the living here since 1544, and a legacy in memory of Dorothy Abdy is given annually to eight widows in the form of tea and sugar. The middle four bells date back to 1662, tenor (1723) and treble added in 1928. Little Gaddesden The village is set on a high spur of the Chilterns (646ft) and is bordered on three sides by Buckinghamshire, with the agricultural land of the Gade Valley to the east.

Little Gaddesden

The Manor of Little Gaddesden was documented in the Domesday Survey as being in the fee of the Count of Mortain. The church has undergone much repair and rebuilding down the centuries and the C15 tower and nave arcades are the oldest original work now remaining. The tenor bell here is one of the oldest surviving full-circle bells, dating to circa 1450. The No. 3 bell dates to 1654, with the other four bells added in 1977. The guiding makes this ground-floor ring a pleasing experience. Studham The village takes its name from the Old English description for a homestead where a herd of horses are kept,

Studham

with the parish straddling two counties, namely the hundred of Dacorum (Herts) and Manshead (Beds), until late C19. Elegantly grouped around crossroads, houses and the Red Lion pub, which provided a splendid lunch for us, overlook a large common and the village war memorial in the form of a clock tower. The church is a mixture of styles from C13 onwards with a fine interior, which includes an earlier Norman font decorated with dragons and surrounded by medieval floor tiles as well as four bay arcades of 1210 – 20. Excellent bells. Whipsnade The first documentation of a settlement here was in 1202 when the farmstead was known as Wibsnede (A detached plot belonging to Wibba).

Whipsnade

Set amidst common-land, the village contains several attractive timber-framed houses and a footpath across the road from the main bulk of housing leads towards the Tree Cathedral where trees were planted as a memorial by Edmund Kell Blyth just after World War I in the configuration of Liverpool Cathedral. In 1931 London Zoo chose Whipsnade as the country home for its animals and this Wildlife Park is now internationally famous with a 160 yard long representation of a white lion carved into the chalky hillside visible from the Chiltern ridges to the west. The church is constructed primarily of brick on the site of an earlier chapel, with an extremely light augmented ring of six. Aldbury This much photographed village is rightly regarded as being amongst the most beautiful in the country,

Aldbury

although the derivation of its name (A disused fort) gives little clue to its beauty. The castle that stood here until C14 served as the home to the sinister Sir Guy de Gravade who took a keen interest in the dark arts and tried to turn base metals into gold. A half-timbered manor house and a large pond are situated at the central crossroads in the village, with stocks and whipping post adjoining the pond serving as a reminder of the governmental responsibilities of the local squire. The parish church has a slender west tower, with the numbers 4 to 6 bells dating successively to 1634/55/83, the front three being added in 1984. Excellent bells.

Launton The Black Bull

10.00am Wotton Underwood (6) All Saints 10cwt GF
11.15am Ludgershall (5) St Mary the Virgin 9cwt
12.30pm Launton (6) Assumption BVM 6cwt

Bob Benstead, Susan King, Ann Mayou, Serge Zvegintzov, Hugh Deam, Judith Kirby, Graham Nicholls, Steve Jeffery, Anthony Hughes, Peter Lloyd, Stephen Nicholls, Roy Jones, Paul Lucas, Susie Pavelin, Paul Kimber, Bernard Masterman, June Steele.

Wotton Underwood

Wotton Underwood Taking its name from the Anglo-Saxon for a farm near a wood, the settlement here at the time of the Domesday Book was noted as Oltone. Probably the grandest feature of this small and remote village is Wotton House which was built between 1704 – 1714 by master mason John Keene on a model that was created by William Winde, and is reputed to be almost identical to Buckingham House – the forerunner to what is now Buckingham Palace. The south pavilion of the house served as the home to famed Shakespearean actor Sir John Gielgud up until his death in the late 1990s. The church, which stands in the grounds of the estate, is almost wholly an incongruous C19 rebuild by G.E. Street, but containing much of interest inside, including a Norman frieze and a carved stone screen added at the behest of the 2nd Duke of Buckingham. The bells are rung from the ground floor and trip round nicely.

Ludgershall SMV

Ludgershall The Domesday Survey notes the settlement here at that time as Lotegarser, meaning a nook with a trapping spear. A myriad of roads meet in the village, which is notable for its hilly open spaces similar to nearby Brill, with a mill mound dating back to medieval times on its northerly edge. The parish church, framed by many mature trees, is situated on the southern edge of Ludgershall, and various extensions down the years are easy to discern, with the best view gained from the south side as the churchyard is vast. The bells are rung from a gallery and are one of the most fluent sets of five around. Launton Originally known as Longtune (a long farmstead) in 1050,

Launton Assumption BVM

the village name of today emerged as Launton rather than the usual modern day name of Langton; the village is also unusual in having two similarly named pubs, The Bull and The Black Bull. The church dates primarily to C12/13, although major alterations were made during the 15th century. The east window is a memorial to Bishop Skinner who retired here during the Civil War when he was ejected from the Bishopric of Oxford, but covertly continued to take services and ordained over 300 clergymen. A further window memorial commemorates a former rector here, Dr. J.C. Blomfield, later Bishop of London, whose son Sir Arthur Blomfield found fame as one of the finest ever church architects. The bells are a pleasant six, although the ringing chamber is one of the smallest in the country for the number of bells.

The Royal Oak Blisworth

Rothersthorpse, SS Peter & Paul (5) 11cwt GF
Milton Malsor, Holy Cross (5) 11cwt GF
Blisworth, St John The Baptist (6) GF

Hugh Deam, Roy Jones, Maarit Kivilo, Simon Edwards, Christian Burrell, Andy Dunn.

Rothersthorpe

ROTHERSTHORPE The Domesday Book describes the settlement here at that time as Torp, deriving from Old Scandinavian, with a later elongation (1231) to Retherestorp (outlying farmstead belonging to the advocate). The area is known to have been settled by the Celts during the Bronze Age as the village is on the line of the Jurassic Way, with the Romans later having a significant presence here, the Watling Road (now the A5) passing close by. Evidence of a Roman villa here in the Loundes valley was uncovered and catalogued by the vicar of nearby Gayton (Dr. Butler) in 1840. A major battle is known to have been fought on the outskirts of the village between the forces of Edward the Elder and an army of marauding Danes during the years when the Vikings regularly raided these shores. In later centuries Welsh sheep drovers regularly used the village as a centre from which to barter their sheep, and later still the course of the Grand Union Canal took in the western edge of the village. The C13 church has a west tower with a saddleback (described locally as pack-saddle) roof. The church contains an inscribed propeller blade recovered from a Wellington bomber that crashed in the village in 1944. This was long a four-bell tower until the addition of a fifth bell in 1914.

Milton Malsor

MILTON MALSOR The settlement was first known as Mideltone (a middle farmstead), but in 1781 the name was amended to Milton alias Middleton Malsour from the influential Malesoure family, here from C12. There a two grand houses of note within the village, with Milton Manor House containing a C17 staircase that is comparable to the more famous mansions at Lamport Hall and Castle Ashby. The present church building is 12th century, with a distinctive crocketted spire and a superb Catherine Wheel window distinguishing the north chapel; it is set to celebrate its 850th anniversary in 2010. Although now known as Holy Cross, the church was originally dedicated to St. Helen. To the west of the bell-tower is an oak tree that was planted in 1966, having been grown from an acorn brought from Blenheim Palace.

Blisworth

BLISWORTH The village takes its name from "Blith’s Enclosure", being described in the Domesday Book as Blidesworde. Although very rural in most aspects Blisworth has an industrial history, being on road, water, and rail links from Northampton. There are two Heritage Walks incorporating the village. The Royal Oak Inn stands at the central road junction of Blisworth. The present church is built upon various churches all sited here before the Norman Conquest. The bells were re-hung with a metal frame in 2004, although the original wooden frame remains in its original position directly above the new frame. A peal-board here commemorates the simultaneous peals rung here and at nearby Stoke Bruerne on March 25th 2005 to celebrate the two-hundredth anniversary of the opening of the Blisworth Tunnel on the Grand Union Canal. The newly formed wooden floor covers the three stone steps of the original ringing floor down to the nave.

Tetsworth, St Giles (6) 4cwt
Towersey, St Catherine (4) 7cwt
Emmington, St Nicholas (3) 6cwt GF
Chinnor, St Andrew (6) 10cwt

Paul Bayes, Hugh Deam, Judith Kirby, Bernard Masterman, Robert Bruce, Anthony Hughes, Jan Lawrie, Donna Murphy, Andy Bryant, Roy Jones, Maarit Kivilo, Susie Pavelin, Christian Burrell, Susan King, Peter Lloyd, June Steele.

Tetsworth The village is situated on the fertile plain of the Chiltern escarpment and derives its name from Taetel's enclosure, being documented as Tetleswrthe circa 1150. The main trunk road between Oxford and London long ran through Tetsworth and the broach spire of the church is easily visible from the M40. Although the village no longer has a general store it does specialise in antique shops, and is known to many outsiders for being the venue of a massive weekly Car Boot Sale during the summer months. The parish church was rebuilt in 1855 by J Billing in the Early English style as a replacement for what had once been an elaborate Norman building. The bells are a splendid light six. Towersey At the time of the Domesday Survey the small farmstead here was known merely as Eie (an island), with the manorial affix dating to 1240 and the then ownership by the de Turs family when it was renamed Turrisey.

The village retains many elegant half-timbered cottages and is almost certainly best known to outsiders for its Festival, which has been held annually at the end of August for the past 43 years. This is one of the most popular small music festivals in the country, with folk, acoustic and new world music to the fore. The C14th parish church was largely rebuilt by Cranston during the 19th century, with the tower added over the porch 1850-54. The four bells definitely require tight handling, and reward with a good tone outside. Emmington Known as Amintone (Eama’s Farm) in 1086, Emmington is more like a hamlet than a village, reached via a narrow lane, and consisting of a mere handful of cottages,

a church, a large duck-pond, a modern mansion house, and a pub on the main road between Thame and Chinnor. The early C14th church was rebuilt in 1874 by Buckeridge and Pearson to the original plan, and possesses a saddleback roof to its tower. It was declared redundant in 1987, but the tower was strengthened and new fixtures added to allow the bells to be rung again, and they considerably easier to ring than most three bell sets. Access to the church and surrounding land is by prior appointment only. Chinnor See Outing Sat 21st April 2007.

Naseby, All Saints (5) 12cwt GF
Sibbertoft, St Helen (5) 10cwt GF
Cold Ashby, St Denys (6) 7cwt

Roy Jones, Halisi Drysdale, Susie Pavelin, Judith Kirby, Peter Lloyd,
Anthony Hughes, Susan King and Hugh Deam.

Naseby There are two monuments recalling the bloody Civil War battle fought here in 1645, an obelisk of 1823 that was at the time thought to mark the spot of the fighting, and a further monument on the other side of the village that is the work of C.H. Reich and dates to 1936 which marks the area where the Parliamentarian forces massed. The spire of the C13 church is visible from well beyond the boundaries of the village, and the south arcade is considered one of the finest in the county. The bells are rung from the ground floor and emanate a superb tone.

Sibbertoft The unusual name of the village stems from "Sigebeort’s Homestead". Skirting the northern edge of Sibbertoft is a small wooded area that hides the remnants of a motte and bailey known as Castle Yard. The parish church dates to 1862/3, built on the site of the original C13 church. The bells are rung from the ground floor, but are excellently guided making them ideal for more complex methods.

Cold AshbyThe village takes its name from the Old English for an exposed farmstead where ash trees grow, being known as Caldessebi in 1150. The stately parish church stands on high ground, with a Norman inner arch surrounded by a Perpendicular period enlargement. The superb lych-gate is from 1883 by John A. Hanley of Chester. The bells were augmented from a four to a six in 2004.

Shenfield, St Mary the Virgin (6) 9cwt
Basildon, St Martin of Tours (8) 11cwt
Ingrave, St Nicholas (6) 10cwt
Navestock, St Thomas the Apostle (6) 9cwt GF

From Left to Right: Ron Burgess, Paul Bayes, Carl Griffin, Serge Zvegintzov, Bob Benstead, Halisi Drysdale, Ailsa Reid, Judith Kirby, Jane Burgess, Janice Beale, Joan Beale, Donna Murphy, Jonathan Beale, John Beale, Carole Beckley, Christian Burrell, Roy Jones, Adrian Gray, June Steele. Photo by Hugh Deam.

Shenfield – The farmstead here at the time of the Domesday Survey was documented as Scenefelda (beautiful open land) and is now virtually a northern suburb of Brentwood. The parish church is tucked away in a secluded area opposite a small meadow awash with a variety of wild flowers, ornamental fruit trees and log piles that attract songbirds, butterflies and insects. At the centre is a seat in the shape of a butterfly, a maze with beetle banks and an analemmatic sundial. The earliest parts of the church are C13th, with the tower, porch and wooden pillars added around 1500. The interior of the church lit so as to highlight the intricate cross-beamed ceiling. The weather-boarded belfry contains a ringing chamber that is an unforgettable mix of timber beams above and girders across the floor that require some dexterity to move around.

Basildon is one of 8 self-contained “new towns” around London that were established soon after World War II, Harlow being the other Essex example. Several villages were incorporated into a whole that took its name from the largest one, namely Basildon. The town grew rapidly as a result of the Ford tractor plant being sited here. The area around St Martin’s Square in the northern quadrant was the last to be redeveloped, with the focal point being the 95ft high free-standing Campanile by Douglas Galloway that is bordered by the church, shopping centre and theatre. This remarkable steel structure, opened in 1999, is fully glazed and topped by a copper-covered ogee dome. Ingrave At the time of its notation in the Domesday Book the settlement was known as Ingam, taking its name from a local tribe.

During the time when the manor was held by a man named Ralf the village was called Gingeraufe, but later reverted back to something resembling the original name. The manor house of Thorndon Hall dates to 1764 and contains a mausoleum and chantry chapel, as well as retaining gardens first laid out by Lancelot Capability Brown. The parish church was built in 1735 at the behest of Lord Petre of Thorndon Hall and adheres to the classic Hawksmoor style. The tower of this striking red brick church is imposingly broad, with the interior of the church being wonderfully bright and welcoming. Navestock The name derives from an outlying farmstead on the Nazeing promontory, with documentation in 1086 as Nassestoca. A mere few dozen former tied cottages are spread out thinly over a huge area of countryside that has long been farmed. The heavy Essex clay meant that the meadows required intensive work by farm labourers.

Many rows of cottages have subsequently been demolished and the population has actually shrunk in numbers. The 1000 year old church is one of the most handsome in the county, having been sympathetically restored by Chancellor in late C19th, and it was long associated with the Waldegrave family. Some evidence of damage done by a bombing raid during the last war is still visible. The weather-boarded belfry is topped by a shingled splay-foot spire and there has been a peal of bells here for over 600 years.

Hinton Admiral (5) St. Michael & All Angels 9cwt
Brockenhurst (8) St. Nicholas 4cwt GF
The Snake Catcher at Brockenhurst
Lyndhurst (8) St. Michael & All Angels 11cwt
Minstead (5) All Saints 7cwt

Jonathan Beale, Hugh Deam, Roy Jones, Peter Lloyd, Jane Burgess, Adrian Gray, Judith Kirby, Ailsa Reid, Ron Burgess, Sally Harrison, Janice Knowles, Bernard Masterman.

Although the most recently designated National Park (2005), the Forest is every bit as unique as the longer standing Parks, with 200 square miles of emollient scenery and whose dwellers were accorded commoners rights by William the Conqueror. During the 17th century much of the wood needed for the expansion of the Navy came from the Forest, with the plethora of conifers here stemming from the mass felling of broad-leaved trees for the war effort in World War I and the necessity for fast growing replacements. Many of the churches enjoy exquisite backdrops and the sunniest weather for some three months served to enhance the majesty. Hinton Admiral This sporadic village, bisected by the A35, is situated on the south-western fringe of the Forest just a couple of miles to the west of Christchurch. The parish church is set adjacent to the grounds of the C18 mansion house Hinton Park, and its fabric primarily dates from the Victorian rebuild of the original 18th century construction from which only the north wall and small brick tower survives. The bells are a testing five, with the 2 needing particular attention to keep it from dropping. Despite there being less than a dozen dwellings in the village there is a bustling railway station, a petrol station and the popular Cat & Fiddle Pick Your Own Farm. Brockenhurst Centrally located in the Forest, Brockenhurst is directly surrounded by a colourful patchwork of heather, gorse and woodland where hardy New Forest ponies and cattle roam free,

especially around the photogenic Brookley water-splash which is fed by the River Lymington. The primarily Norman parish church, the oldest in the New Forest, is situated south of the village amidst a clearing in woodland. There is a New Zealand war cemetery in the churchyard that acknowledges 100 soldiers; also buried here is snake-catcher Harry Mills. The bells are a very light eight rung from the ground floor. The Snake Catcher pub is situated close to the level crossing in the village of Brockenhurst. It takes its name from Harry “Brusher” Mills, who got his nickname from brushing the local cricket pitch. He gained legendary status from many years of successfully catching snakes and developing an anti-snakebite serum that was used by London Zoo. There was a good choice of meals on offer from sandwiches up to their signature “Snake” dishes. Lyndhurst Noted as Linhest in 1086, the capital of the New Forest derives its name from the

Old English for a wooded hill made up of lime trees. The ancient laws of the Forest are still administered by the verderers from a courthouse here. The parish church stands on high ground at the very heart of Lyndhurst and is a somewhat divergent Victorian brick structure dating to 1860. The Alice Memorial here refers to Alice Hargreaves, who as Alice Liddell had been the inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice stories. Lyndhurst enjoys a multiplicity of tea-rooms, restaurants and emporiums, with the New Forest Visitor Centre also being based here. The bells are a satisfying eight that trip round nicely. Minstead village nestles in the northern heartland of the Forest and possesses an historic pub, The Trusty Servant, as well as a parish church with a rich heritage that stretches back to Norman times.

The C17 three-decker pulpit is made of local oak and one of the Georgian box-pews even has its own fireplace. The ringing room contains two large headstones denoting Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Given his spiritual beliefs, they were not thought suitable to be displayed atop his grave in the shade of an oak tree in the churchyard. Conan Doyle actually died in Sussex where he was buried. He was later reburied here, close to his former home Bignall House. These five bells are extremely mellifluent and are well worth the visit.

Jane Burgess, Malcolm Fairbairn, Judith Kirby, Donna Murphy, Ron Burgess, Anthony Hughes, Katie Lane, Gordon Smith, Hugh Deam, Roy Jones, Peter Lloyd, Clare Fairbairn, Susan King, Bernard Masterman, Andy Bryant, Moira Hollick.

Thame A settlement is known to have been here well before the documentation as Tame (the Celtic name for the river) in the Domesday Book. During the 12th century an important Cistercian Abbey was founded here. Thame became a noted market town as far back as the 13th century with the wide main street consisting of a variety of styles from C15 to C17. The famous Thame Show in September is the largest one day agricultural show in the country. The C13 cruciform church was built under the orders of Bishop Grosseteste and the C15 tower was heightened during the course of restoration work late in the 19th century. There are many significant monuments within the church as the carvings were the work of craftsmen belonging to the elite Southwark School of Sculptors. The capacious ringing room gives evidence to the heightening work. The bells can be a little tricky for handling around the front end, but the tenor is ideal for pulling in. Chinnor Originally known as Chenmore (Slope of a man called Ceonna), this large, seemingly sprawling village was actually conceived as a quadrangle layout at a crossing of route-ways on the Chiltern escarpment. During the Civil War,

Chinnor was damaged following a dawn raid by Prince Rupert’s Royalist troops who had resorted to guerrilla tactics after using the nearby woods as a hideout. The damage from this was as nought by comparison with the two devastating fires that later swept through the village, sparing little, not even the church. The reconstructed building is constructed of flint and stands on the foundations of the Norman original. Wall-paintings inside the church are by Sir James Thornbill who painted the inside of the dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral. The bells are a reassuring ring of six, the 4th of which is deep set.

Shere, St James (8) 15cwt
Albury, St Peter & St Paul (6) 16cwt
Dunsfold, St Mary & All Saints (6) 10cwt GF
Alfold, St Nicholas (6) 6cwt GF

Hugh Deam, Peter Lloyd, Susan King, Jane Burgess, Ron Burgess, June Steele, Janice Knowles, Judith Kirby, John Beale, Joan Beale, Roy Jones, Donna Murphy, Paul Lucas, Adrian Gray, Ailsa Reid, William Stungo, Alexia Beale, Julie Beale and Jonathan Beale.

Shere The parish church is Early English from 1190, and reached on foot via a footpath that requires a crossing of a bridge over an idyllic stream and entering the churchyard through a lych-gate designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens in 1902. There is an oak crusader chest here dating to 1200 ordered by Pope Innocent III. The Bray Chancel is named after the Lords of the Manor in Shere. Six of the eight bells were recast in 1712 from the metal of five bells originally cast in the early 16th century. An unusual feature of the ringing room is the clock which counts backwards. Albury The original part Saxon and Norman parish church of the same dedication is situated in Albury Park on the eastern side of the village. During the 19th century there was something of a schism in the church and the owners of the estate ordered a Catholic church built adjacent to the manor house with a new Rector of their choice installed. However the Rector later converted back to a less high-church outlook and subsequently fell out with the owners, thus a third church had to be built as the new housing in the village was re-sited west of the estate.

The Duke and Duchess of Northumberland provided the funds for the construction of the new parish church. The leading figure in church building and restoration at that time was Arthur Blomfield and he was duly commissioned to carry out the work here at the same time as he was working on St Barnabas Church in Oxford. The church was restored in 1993. The bells are arguably the best sounding six in the entire county. The Sun Inn is situated on the wide main road that runs through the village of Dunsfold in the open spaces of the North Downs. All who ate lunch here were more than satisfied and the desserts were equally sublime. It is recommended unanimously. Dunsfold The settlement first documented here in 1259 was known as Duntesfaunde (A small enclosure belonging to someone called Dunt).

The village is the epitome of North Downs rurality. The parish church is Grade 1 listed, having been built around 1270 by royal masons. It was described by the poet and craftsman William Morris as being the most beautiful church in the country. The bell turret dates from the 15th century. The church is approached via an avenue of yew trees, and the entrance to the church is dominated by a huge yew tree thought to be older than the church itself. The aerodrome nearby was constructed during WW2 to serve as a base for the B25 Mitchell Bombers of the Free Dutch Air Forces. Alfold The name of the village derives from the Saxon word Ald (old) and Fold (an enclosure for animals), in this case the Wealdon Forest. During the late 18th century and early 19th century several of the village houses were known to be used for storing kegs of brandy and other contraband.

Perhaps this goes some way to explain the fine set of stocks, with room for two people, just outside the church. They are one of the best preserved examples in the country. The elegant parish church is first officially documented during the reign of Henry III. In 1842 the then Rector, John Sparkes, recovered several original furnishings of the church including the magnificent communion table top made of Sussex marble. The original three bells dating back to the 17th century were only chimed for some ninety years until the culmination of several years fund-raising saw them augmented to a superb ring of six in 2003.