Grandsire Triples at Bray, Berkshire

An excerpt of a quarter peal of Grandsire Triples rung at Bray on Saturday, 1st June 2024 for the Holyport Village Fair.
St Michael's Church in Bray has a grand peal of eight bells tuned to the key of D Major. They boom and growl when they ring and produce a fine sound! They are cast by a mixed range of founders with the common ones being Gilett and Johnston. The tenor, cast in 1656 by Ellis II & Henry III Knight, produces a fine Major third sound almost identical to the Gilett Major third sound. Overall, an easy-going peal of eight! The six largest bells were cast at various times between 1612 and 1914, with the treble and second in 1948.
In the early 1900s, the bells had been installed in a strangely designed steel frame, which was never entirely satisfactory for the ringers due to frame movement that made the bells difficult to ring. Structural engineers consulted in the early 1980s also believed that the stonework was being damaged. In 1985, the bells were rehung in a new frame by the Whitechapel bellfoundry, who also retuned the bells and supplied many new fittings.
The present parish church at Bray was built to replace a previous Saxon building around 1294. Legend has it that the old church, located some distance outside the main village at Water Oakley, was torn down either due to villagers' reluctance to pay for its upkeep or a more romantic tale of demons destroying it at night!
Today, only a few odd carvings from the old building remain: A mysterious dog (or horse?) is built into the outer wall of the Chantry Chapel of Our Lady in the churchyard, while an unusual 'Sheela-Na-Gig' sits high up between the church's rafters. This latter is a pre-Christian fertility symbol, often found in Ireland, symbolizing female empowerment and reminding the faithful of pagan rites from which they had escaped.
The church, originally constructed in the Early English style, underwent significant additions and alterations in the early 14th century, including the impressive tower. Despite being located in a small village, it is surprisingly large, reflecting the extensive parish covering many manors and hamlets scattered throughout Windsor Forest. The church bears numerous monuments and memorial chapels, including the Foxley Chapel of All Saints and the Norreys Chapel of St. Nicholas, showcasing the patronage of local lords over centuries.
Memorials within the church tell stories of local figures such as Sir John Foxley and Sir John Norreys, both influential in their times, with their brasses and monuments adding to the historical richness of St Michael's. Another notable resident of Bray was Simon Alleyn, known as the 'Singing-Vicar,' immortalized in a popular ballad as the steadfast 'Vicar of Bray.' His tenure from 1523 to 1565 spanned turbulent periods of religious change, making him a figure of local legend.
Tenor 24-3-27 in D
dove.cccbr.org.uk/tower/11267
bb.ringingworld.co.uk/view.ph...

[@noraedwards3419]

Beautiful bells and a lovely old cemetery.

[@RingerThomas]

Indeed!