St Gabriel, Warwick Square

PIMLICO
ST GABRIEL, WARWICK SQUARE

Photo Dickon Love 15th Oct 2011

	A ring of 8 bells
	Tenor: 15-3-10 in F
	Frame: 1855 Charles & George Mears
	Retuning: Never subsequently retuned
	Rung from upstairs ringing room
	Tower Stages: 1. Ground floor 2. Ringing room 3. Intermediate chamber 4. Belfry open to spire
	Access - spiral staircase in west corner (church is not cardinally aligned)
	Grid Ref: TQ291784
	Peals

DETAILS OF THE BELLS

Bell	Weight	Diameter	Note	Cast	Founder
1	5-0-1	29"	F	1855	Charles & George Mears
2	5-1-8	30"	E	1855	Charles & George Mears
3	6-1-17	32"	D	1855	Charles & George Mears
4	6-3-2	34"	C	1855	Charles & George Mears
5	7-2-13	36"	B flat	1855	Charles & George Mears
6	8-3-8	38"	A	1855	Charles & George Mears
7	11-0-17	41˝"	G	1855	Charles & George Mears
8	15-3-10	46˝"	F	1855	Charles & George Mears

The inscriptions are taken from J.R.Jerram's reading in 1902 (where he doesn't give the layout), so these are all subject to verification.

1.	+ GLORY TO THE FATHER HIGH + THIS PEAL OF EIGHT BELLS + THE FIRST IN HONOUR OF S^T GEORGE + C. & G. MEARS, LONDON.

2.	+ TO THE SON'S DREAD MAJESTY + THE SECOND IN HONOUR OF S^T MICHAEL. C. & G. MEARS, LONDON.

3.	+ TO THE SPIRIT, ONE AND THREE + THE THIRD IN HONOUR OF S^T BARNABAS. C. & G. MEARS, LONDON.

4.	+ BLESSING, HONOUR, GLORY BE + THE FOURTH IN HONOUR OF S^T PAUL. C & G. MEARS, LONDON.

5.	+ EVER AS ERE THE WORLD BEGAN + THE FIFTH IN HONOUR OF S^T PETER. C & G. MEARS, LONDON.

6.	+ EVEN NOW WHILE AGES RUN + THE SIXTH IN HONOUR OF ALL SAINTS. C. & G. MEARS, LONDON.

7.	+ EVEN AS SHALL BE EVERMORE + THE SEVENTH IN HONOUR OF THE B. VIRGIN MARY. C. & G. MEARS, LONDON.

8.	+ WHEN THE WORLD OF CHANGE IS OER + THE EIGHTH IN HONOUR OF S^T GABRIEL
	+ WAS PRESENTED TO THIS CHURCH IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 1855 + BEING THE SECOND YEAR OF THE FIRST INCUMBENT, BRYAN BELCHER. C. & G. MEARS, LONDON.

EARLIER BELL

Bell	Weight	Cast	Founder	Fate
Single bell	6-0-9	1853	Charles & George Mears	Traded in 1855

HISTORY

1853	A bell was supplied for the new church by Charles and George Mears. The foundry records show that it cost Ł51.1s.6d, that the clapper, stock, wheel, ironwork and brasses came to Ł6.10s and the frame, fixing and hanging cost Ł13.10s.
1854	Church finished.
1855	The new church was equipped with a ring of 8 bells in a new frame by Charles and George Mears. The old bell was bought in part exchange. The fittings of the old bell were reused on one of the new bells.
1888	Church restored at a cost of Ł3,200.
1901	Fittings repaired by Mears & Stainbank.
1967	There was an unadvertised peal attempt (lost after 4,500 changes). The local band continued to ring for a little while after this before ringing then stopped.
1978	Ringing resumed on the first Sunday of each month.
mid-1980s	The bells were left silent.
2002	Some remedial action in the belfry and goodwill in the church allowed the bells to be rung again, and regular ringing continued.

GALLERY

The ring of 8.

The tower is effectively detached.