Oxford Diocesan Guild of Church Bellringers- Aston Clinton

Established January 17 1881

St. Michael & All Angels, Aston Clinton, Bucks
Chiltern branch of the ODG

St. Michael & All Angels, Aston Clinton©Alan Bentley 2003?

Dedication: St. Michael & All Angels, Aston Clinton

Service Ringing: Sun 9.00am 5.15pm

Practice night: Fri 7.45 - 9.30pm - entry via an intercom in North Porch

Availability and Restrictions - This tower is a Ringing Centre - Available for visitors, quarter peals and peals which we try to keep to one attempt a month.

The Bells (10) 11-1-10

Upgraded to 10 bells, dedicated by the Bishop of Buckingham on 30 Nov 2003

Draught: medium
Audibility: 3 - (On a scale of 1 to 5, 1=faint 5=very loud)

Access to ringing chamber: from the internal vestry, 15 steps by flat tread ladder with hand rail.

Ringing Centre:

Aston Clinton is a fully functional Ringing Centre with augmented bells and restored tower.

Geographically we are at the cusp of 2 ODG branches, the West Herts district of the HCA and Bedfordshire; The Aston Clinton Ringing Centre is not tied into any particular association although we anticipate the majority of interest will come from the ODG. We will welcome students from any guild for our own courses as well as via external providers (on the understanding they will be properly managed). We aim to have all our 10 bells on Abel simulator sensors, ownership of a camcorder, a portable OHP and CCTV into the belfry.

Aston Clinton Bells Augmented in 2003

The Bells were augmented to 8 in 1974 and to 10 in 2003; the rededication service took place on 30 November 2003. A DVD/video cassette will be available in 2004 showing the history of this project over the last 12 months. A more complete description of the work during the restoration with photos can be seen here.

An article by John White describing the project was published in 'The Ringing World' No 4855 May 14, 2004 p461-464. The Inscriptions in the table below were copied from that article and from A.H.Cocks .

A ring of 10 bells; tenor 11-1-10 diameter 3' 6³/₈" tuned to F^#

Bell	Weight cwt-qr-lb	Diameter (inches)	Strike note	Date cast	Founder	Foundry location	Inscription
treble	3-2-13	23¼	A^#	2002	Whitechapel foundry	London	O PRAISE THE LORD WITH ME IN LOVING MEMORY OF INNES F WHITE 1938 - 1997 LIFELONG RINGER AND CHORISTER THE GIFT OF HER FAMILY WHITES OF APPLETON CHURCH BELL HANGERS
2	3-2-16	24¼	G^#	2002	Whitechapel foundry	London	AND LET US MAGNIFY HIS NAME TOGETHER THE GIFT OF ALAN, KATHY, IAN & JANE BENTLEY BELL RINGERS IN THIS TOWER WHITES OF APPLETON CHURCH BELL HANGERS
3	3-2-24	25⁵/₈	F^#	1974	Whitechapel foundry	London	I WILL ALWAY GIVE THANKS UNTO THE LORD
4	4-1-01	27	E^#	1974	Whitechapel foundry	London	HIS PRAISE SHALL EVER BE IN MY MOUTH F A WHITE BELL HANGER APPLETON OXON
5	4-3-27	30¹/₈	D^#	1806	Thomas Mears & son	Whitechapel London	as tenor
6	5-2-16	31½	C^#	1806	Thomas Mears & son	Whitechapel London	as tenor
7	6-1-16	33½	B	1806	Thomas Mears & son	Whitechapel London	as tenor
8	7-0-02	35¼	A^#	1806	Thomas Mears & son	Whitechapel London	as tenor
9	9-0-19	38⁵/₈	G^#	1806	Thomas Mears & son	Whitechapel London	as tenor
Tenor	11-1-10	42³/₈	F^#	1806	Thomas Mears & son	Whitechapel London	THE REV^D JOHN GEORGE RECTOR JOHN BASTON RICHARD SLAUGHTER [Border] CHURCH WARDENS THOMAS MEARS & SON FECIT 1806
Sanctus	?	14	?	1778	Pack & Chapman	Whitechapel London	?

Notes:

1. There is a statement in the Ringing World article between the 3rd and 2nd bells which states:
THE ORIGINAL SIX BELLS AUGMENTED
WITH FUNDS RAISED BY
RINGERS AND FRIENDS

It is not clear whether this is inscribed on any of the bells

Map of Aston Clinton village

Editors' Note We are grateful to Alan Bentley © of Aston Clinton for the above information and the map.

Points of interest in church:. Church has an elaborate sedilia. Good hatchments.

Church facilities: Toilet, key available in the church.

Travel Details: OS Grid Ref: SP879119

Public Transport: the nearest train stations are Tring and Aylesbury, both a bus ride from Aston Clinton

Car Parking in Church Lane is possible but please keep free the access to the farm opposite. Parking also possible in Twitchell Lane opposite Church Lane.

Eating Places: The Duck Inn; The Oak; The Rothschild Arms and two Indian Restaurants, all in the village.

Local points of interest for non ringers:

The Grand Union Canal.
The Aston Hill trials at Aston Hill some 1½ miles away gave birth to Aston Martin cars.

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