All Saints Longhope


Trinity Festival at All Saints Longhope

The plans for the Trinity Festival weekend included a web site about the exhibitions planned. Buses provided links between the three churches at Longhope, Huntley and Mayhill.

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All Saint's features a Sun Dial high on the porch doorway, and we enter through a floral arch. Time is also a feature of this arrangement, at the chancel and in front of the old Priest's Door.

Enter the church, and be challenged. The photographer's problem is everyone else's delight in the new carving on the font, ringed with flowers. My first view looks towards the entry door, and the second one is the angel's back, chosen because it has a dark background.

The South Chancel features these designs featuring red flowers. The corner setting was the challenge accepted by the Festival organised, Bob Harris.

The weekend is a great credit to the many members who have opened gardens, and exercised their imagination to produce so many ways of showing the wonders of flowers.

Longhope opened their bell-tower, with stair-climbing clallenges supervised by Roger. An extra treat is looking into the roof space above the church.
Down again to the Ringers Chamber. Having seen where the ropes go, we appreciate the old bell clappers on the wall, the records of mighty peals rung, and nod 'wisely' as we inspect the model bell support.

Curiosity led to the Gloucester Records Office in Clarence Row off Alvin Street, where I found the Longhope church records have been deposited.
P 206 CW 3/17 consists of two pages, letters from Mears & Stainbeck, Whitechapel Bell Foundry, 32-34 Whitechapel Rd, London E1 with the second dated 4 March 1952.
They had been asked to look at the Tenor Bell, and then quoted on it's repair. They were also asked about the history of the bells.

The larger four bells were cast in 1700 by Abraham Rudhall of Gloucester, and the Treble was either cast or recast 1829 by John Rudhall.
Bell ringing support replaced 1922 In 1870 we recast the largest but one (present 5th) and in 1922 recast the Third in the Five (now the 4th) and added a smaller bell to make Six, then hung them all with completely new fittings and framework.
When examined in Nov 1951 the Tenor bell was badly cracked in the crown in two places. Recasting is to include reproducing the old inscription 'Tho Stevens Oihn Coleman ChvrchWardens A.R. 1700'. The cost, with local assistance is to be 136 pounds.
The new bell is to agree in tone and tune with the other bells. We are to adapt the headstock, fit a new clapper-staple and weld on a new head to the clapper to suit. Rehoist the bell into position, and hand it over ready for ringing.

Trinity Festival at All Saints Longhope