Benson

Benson Church Clock


	St. Helen Benson Practice: Wednesday 7.30 - 9.00pm Sunday ringing: 9.20 - 9.55am Toilets in church E-Mail: 45 St. Helens Avenue. Benson, Wallingford. Oxon OX10 6RU Tel: 01491 838777

		Click photo to enlarge


	Benson church clock has two elevens as the nine was painted upside down in error and appears as XI. During the second world war Lord Haw Haw, the traitorous broadcaster from Nazi Germany, promised to bomb an airfield near the village where the church has two XIs on the clock face.



	The inscriptions on the bells


	The present tower was completed in 1781 and in the same year eight bells were cast by Thomas Janaway of Chelsea and hung anti-clockwise in an oak frame. The 2nd and 3rd were subsequently recast in 1852 and 1922 respectively. In 2009 the bells were rehung clockwise in a cast iron frame by Whites of Appleton. The Re-dedication of the bells by the Bishop of Dorchester on 22nd November 2009.

Tenor The Rev^d William Judgson A.M: Vicar The Rev^d John Lewis A.M: Curate Tho^s Coles: Church Warden Henry Newbery Unto the living I do call And to the grave I summons all Thomas Janaway made us all 1781

7^th Tho^s Janaway of Chelsea fecit 1781 John Grantham Gen^t

6^th Tho^s Janaway of Chelsea fecit 1781 The Ringers Art our gratefull notes prolong Apollo listens and approves the song On the headstock: This bell was rehung in 2009 sponsored by The Bensington Society

5^th Thomas Janaway of Chelsea fecit 1781 On the headstock: This bell was rehung in 2009 sponsored by John Aldridge and family who have resided in Benson since 1861

4^th Thomas Janaway of Chelsea fecit 1781 When from the earth our notes rebound The hills and valleys echo round On the headstock: This bell was rehung in 2009 sponsored by Benson Parish Council on behalf of the people of Benson

3^rd Mears & Stainbank London Cast 1781 Recast 1922 J.E Field: Vicar

2^nd C & G Mears Founders London 1852

Treble Musica est Mentis Medicina Thomas Janaway fecit 1781 On the headstock: This bell was rehung in 2009 in memory of Margaret Ann Keable

Bell	Date	Founder	Note	Weight
Tenor	1781	Thomas Janaway	F#	14-1-22
7th	1781	Thomas Janaway	G#	10-0-16
6th	1781	Thomas Janaway	A#	8-1-12
5th	1781	Thomas Janaway	B	7-2-02
4th	1781	Thomas Janaway	C#	6-2-12
3rd	1922	Mears & Stainbank	D#	5-2-23
2nd	1852	C & G Mears	E#	5-0-07
Treble	1781	Thomas Janaway	F#	5-1-02