Topic: Notice

Work taking place in Shipton Church

Scaffolding photo of Shipton Church

At the moment there is uncertainty about how long the investigation/work will take following the roof timber that recently came lose inside the church and there is scaffolding in the church.

Alternative venues for all future services and events will be in place if necessary. Please keep checking the website or facebook page for up to date information or ring the office or vicarage.

In the meantime here are a few images taken by Geoffrey from the scaffolding.

 

Shipton church

 

 

Shipton church

 

 

 

 

Shipton Choir Sing at Exeter Cathedral 23 & 24 February 2019

Shipton Choir to Exeter Cathedral Feb 2019

Shipton choir sang the weekend’s choral services in Exeter Cathedral, together with the choir of Holy Trinity, Hereford.  They sang Choral Evensong on Saturday 23rd, and the Choral Eucharist and Choral Evensong services on Sunday 24th.  They had a very warm welcome there, particularly from Canon Mike Williams, who was vicar in the Benefice until 2002, and is now Canon Treasurer at the cathedral, and from the Dean, who hosted a drinks reception for the choirs on the Saturday evening.

         

 

 

 

 

VISIT TO LOUGHBOROUGH BELL FOUNDRY

Visit to Bell Foundry     

 

                            

On Wednesday 9th January, as part of the contract to re-furbish Shipton Bells, a party of 13 people, consisting of 9 from Milton/Shipton and 4 from Charlbury, 5 of whom were bell ringers, visited the Bell Foundry and Works of  John Taylor & Co in Loughborough.

After taking lunch in hostelries local to the foundry we all met up in the Bell foundry Museum where after being greeted by the museum staff we were shown a video of the bell casting process, as no bells were being cast on the day of our visit. This was followed by a talk on the history of the Taylor family and their involvement in the casting of bells. Interestingly Taylor’s first works was set up in Oxford in 1821 before moving to Loughborough in 1838. The present purpose built works and foundry date from 1859 and is the only dedicated bell foundry left in the UK.

Taylors supply bells worldwide and we were shown bells awaiting dispatch to USA and one bell for Sri Lanka to be installed in a temple.

There were several sets of bells in the works both new and older bells in various stages of restoration, including Shipton bells which we saw being worked on in the tuning shop using machinery which dated back to the beginning of the 20th century.

We were also shown the carpentry shop which makes all the wooden parts of bell installations including the wheels and pulley blocks. On rare occasions complete wooden bell frames are manufactured though most bell frames are of either steel as in the case of Shipton of cast iron, the castings for which are also produced at the foundry.

Our tour concluded on the viewing gallery of the actual foundry were, preparations were under way for casting some bells on the following day.

A welcome cup of tea with biscuits awaited us in the museum were we were able to view the various exhibits relating to bells, there casting, ringing and history.

Everybody on the tour, both bell ringers and non ringers, found it most interesting and enjoyable.

 

Mike Brooks 16/01/2019.

Concert in Milton Church: Surrey Fringe and Eight in a Bar Fri 8 March

Live Music in Milton Church

Two fabulous choirs in one concert. An evening of uplifting and entertaining music, featuring varied songs from Gabriel Fauré to Elton John.

7:30pm on Friday 8th March featuring Surrey Fringe, a barbershop group from Guildford, and Eight in a Bar, a small choir from the Chipping Norton area.  Tickets are £8 (£3 for 18s and under), available from Bernard West (01993 831242 or [email protected]) or on the door, in aid of the John Radcliffe Hospital Neurosciences Ward and the Wychwood Benefice.  Please come, and do spread the word!