During the summer of 1947 I cycled from Leicester to Fenstanton Cambs and there in a second hand shop , amongst various junk I noticed a copy of North’s “Church Bells of Leicestershire” published in 1876. “How much?”, I asked. “Oh give me a shilling” was the reply. A rare book and well worth the “bob” I paid. I recall I was 15 years old and had been ringing for a year. Under the entry for Church Langton I became fascinated by the story of Reverend W. Hanbury and “his gigantic scheme for the Foundations at Church Langton”. What on earth was this scheme? Well here are a few words concerning some of his efforts, the word “gigantic” being truly appropriate.

Reverend William Hanbury was Rector of Church Langton from 1750 to 1777. He was a keen horticulturalist and established tree and shrub plantations at nearby Gumley and Tur Langton. He intended to use the income from this enterprise to fund a Charitable Foundation which originally specified church improvements, for example, a two manual organ “as good and large as the room will admit of” and “three new bells to be added to the five to make a peal of eight” These relatively modest proposals quickly morphed, via successive deeds into a colossal project, including when income from the plantations reached £10,000, a cathedral complex, square with each side some 600 feet long and three towers “the tallest shall not be less than an hundred yards high and to contain at least twelve bells”. Successive deeds included a library, a picture gallery, a printing office, a hospital, a school, music, botany, poetry all described with estimated costs.

As an extra fund raiser Rev. Hanbury proposed to stage productions of “Te Diem” and “The Messiah” in St Peters Church with top class performers directed by Dr Hayes, Professor of Music at Oxford University. There was enormous opposition to this including some from his 24 trustees who “got cold feet” about the financial outlay and whether this would render them liable for incurred losses. What about fodder for horses and where would patrons “park” their carriages and landaus? ( Reverend Hanbury tells us some 200 or so visited Church Langton on the day of the Messiah, some coming out the 10 miles or so from Leicester). What about accommodation for the huge numbers expected to descend on Church Langton? Reverend Hanbury overcame all opposition, despite his project causing local inflation (he tells us “prices of fowls, butter etc tripled”). With his gardeners dolled up as flunkies (white breeches, stockings and blue garters) and forming a guard of honour at the church door the Te Diem and Messiah went ahead, the latter on September 27^th, 1759, being the first time The Messiah was performed in a church. After the performance the patron gentry repaired to “a booth” where they enjoyed “a cold collation” including ham pies “more than a yard in diameter” washed down, I imagine with many “bumpers”. Festivities continued until evening when most departed homewards, excepting the hard core who moved to the rectory conservatory for a ball where he tells us “Sir Francis Skipworth entertained us with “The Cushion Dance”. Just what this was, readers, I will leave to your wildest imaginations. Meanwhile “the common people” were allowed into the booth “where they drank wine and punch in plenty” I imagine they certainly did though after all of this Rev. Hanbury just about broke even. Many of his 2000 tickets at 5 shillings each were unsold, his trustees failing to sell many of the 80 which each had been allocated. His efforts seem to have been opposed from all quarters, in particular two ladies, Mrs Byrd and Mrs Pickering, widowed sisters and “ladies of the manor” who schemed to get rid of the organ and take down the three additional bells. Against all of this Rev. Hanbury prevailed and the bells and organ remained intact. His sustained persistence and tenacity reminds me of a film I saw years ago in Kuwait, “The Man of La Mancha” and its theme music from which I quote two verses;

This is my quest
To follow that star
No matter how hopeless
No matter how far

And I know I’ll only be true
To this glorious quest
That my heart will be peaceful and calm
When I laid to my rest

Reverend Hanbury followed his quest despite all but was unfortunately laid to his rest in 1777 at the age of 52 years and with his passing the fire went out of the Foundations. He made an enormous effort and although the Plantations were a success I doubt the income ever reached £10,000. I’m told he paced the planned walls of his Cathedral Complex, placing stones at each corner. I like to imagine them still there today somewhere in the fields of Church Langton, reminders of what was to be, but never was, “The Impossible Dream”

Addendum; His three new bells, he tells us, were added as proof he was not pocketing the proceeds. Cast by Joseph Eayre they remain today as do the earlier five bells, a ring of eight with a tenor of 17 cwts. His two manual organ survived until 1936 when it was rebuilt. I understand the Charity still operates under a different name, though not on the scale envisaged by Reverend Hanbury.

John Bennett

Ed’s note: A brief recap of the story of Church Langton’s bells is also mentioned in Chris Pickford’s talk on Early Ringing In Leicestershire which can be found on the Guild webpage under Monday Talks, or here at YouTube: https://youtu.be/chymSfRUWzw . Skip to 27 minutes for the Church Langton section, though it is well worth watching the whole video.

Church Langton is also one of the videos to feature in the Bells of Leicestershire Playlist (see below).