Church

The following is an extract of page 5 of Ian Durham's historical account of the church published on this site
(page down for details of the bells)

The tower, one of the Winford group of Somerset towers but less ornate than most, is about one hundred feet tall and was probably built about 1440. A will of 1541 containing a bequest for the tower may refer to an extension. There has been a clock on the tower since the early 1700s and in 1754 we find the vestry paying 26 shillings and fourpence for repairs. The present clock, installed in 1903, plays a verse of a hymn every four hours, at 8 am, noon, 4 and 8 p.m, with a different hymn tune for every day of the week.

There is a peal of eight bells in the tower. Tenor 27cwt 1qr 15lbs in C. The original five bells were re-cast by the celebrated Thomas Bilbie of Chew Stoke in 1735 to make a peal of six. In 1898 four of these were re-cast and two were repaired by Messrs. Mears and Stainbank of London to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria. Two additional bells, the gift of Brigadier Ommanney, were added in 1928 to complete the octave, which does still contain two of the Bilbie bells. These, in addition to the names of vicar and churchwardens, carry the messages "T Bilbie cast wee 1735" and "My treble voice makes hearts rejoice" Thos and James Bilbie fecit. This latter bell was cast in 1811 and seems to be the newest of the surviving bells by the Bilbies. It probably is the last one cast by them.

On two occasions, after the recasting in 1898 and after the addition of the bells in 1928, problems have arisen with the structure of the tower. The ringing of the bells caused serious cracks to open up and the bell frame had to be taken out to be altered so that the bells were made to swing in a different direction.