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Stonesfield
St James the Great, Stonesfield
photo (c) Lorna Smale 2009
by the church
access
outside entrance (just beyond the front porch) up steps and a spiral staircase to the small ringing chamber
toilet facilities
none
wednesday practice 1930 | 2100
We practice every Wednesday, accept in August, when we take a break and concentrate on ringing Quarter Peals instead! If you are a visitor please check with the Tower Captain to make sure there will be a practice. All welcome - practices are flexible to fit the needs of whoever visits - so a practice evening might include: rounds and call-changes, Plain Hunt, Bob Doubles, Reverse Canterbury, St Simons, Grandsire, Stedman, and of course the method of the month! And if we're lucky we ring something involving all six, e.g. Bob Minor, Little Bob, St Clements.
Sunday ringing 1015 | 1100
Visitors very welcome.
contact details
tower captain Lindsey Thornton
lindsey
25
btinternetcom01993 891059
link to the church website
St James the Great church website >>
link to the Stonesfield website
Stonsefield website >>
branch practice at Stonesfield
wednesday 22 July 2009
Stonesfield tower entrance ... welcoming light
watercolour by Rachael Sherlaw-Johnson
first appeared on the cover of Odd Bob, November 2006
Thriller - if you go out ringing after midnight at a full moon!
watercolour by Rachael Sherlaw-Johnson
first appeared on the cover of Odd Bob, May 2006
In memory of Rev'd F E Robinson
Stonesfield Bell Ringers were part of a week of special ringing (13-21 February 2010) dedicated to the
memory of the Rev'd Francis Edward Robinson.
Stonesfield Bell Ringers were part of a week of special ringing (13-21 February 2010) dedicated to the
memory of the Rev'd Francis Edward Robinson.
Rev'd F E Robinson
Robinson was born at Begbroke in 1833, where his father, also Francis, was rector. The following year the family moved to Stonesfield, where his father was rector for nearly fifty years, until 1882, and lies buried in the churchyard. After visiting Appleton in 1859 (where the famous 'Whites of Appleton bell-hangers' are still present) young Robinson discovered the joys of change ringing. Alfred White and his sons taught him change ringing so well that he rang his first Peal that year.
The following year he rang a Peal on Stonesfield bells, again with the White family,
and there is a Peal board hung in Stonesfield ringing chamber to commemorate this
achievement (see below).
Peal board
Peal board text
The same year, at the age of only 27, he donated the treble bell, which carries the
inscription 'The gift of F.E. Robinson Esq A.D. 1860. F. Robinson M.A. Rector'.
It was another eight years before he was ordained, in 1868.
He was one of the founder members of the Oxford Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers in 1881 and became its First Master, a post he held until his death in 1910.
Rev'd F E Robinson document download >>
He was one of the founder members of the Oxford Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers in 1881 and became its First Master, a post he held until his death in 1910.
Rev'd F E Robinson document download >>