Wootton see Saturday 17th October 1998 for details of location and tower. Aston Abbotts see Saturday 7th August 2010. Hardwick was noted in the Domesday Survey (1086) as Harduich, describing a farm for livestock, literally a "herd farm". The village is situated just off the A413 about four miles north of Aylesbury and still retains its 17th century Grade II Listed public house The Bell, which in recent years has returned to what is its original name. The church dates primarily to the 14th century, with a large medieval mural on the south wall of the nave dating to 1460-1480, and which was uncovered and restored in 1986 after many years of being hidden. It depicts the 7 Deadly Sins and the 7 corporal works of Mercy. By the late 18th century the church was in a state of some disrepair, with gaps in its roof and stonework, so much so that it was said that sparrows numbered a large congregation of their own inside the building at a Sunday morning service. The funds for a comprehensive restoration were finally in place by 1901, the bulk of which came from Pembroke College, Cambridge. The tenor of 1590 survives from the original set, cast by Robert Newcombe of Leicester. Fourth (1622) and fifth (1625) cast by James Keene, Bedford. Third (1695) by Anthony Chandler of Drayton Parslow. Treble and second (1911) cast by Alfred Bowell, Ipswich. The Tower Captain complimented our band on the quality of the ringing, saying it was a pleasure to watch and listen and that the bells had never sounded better. Wotton Underwood see Saturday 8th March 2008 for details of location and tower. Hugh Deam

Tysoe was noted in the Domesday Book (1086) as Tiheshoche, denoting a hill spur named after a heathen god known as Tiw, from which Tuesday derives its name. The parish encompasses South, Upper and Middle Tysoe, the latter being the largest centre of population and the location of the church. To the south, the village is overlooked by the near 600ft high Windmill Hill where a dodecagon (twelve sided) stone windmill of three storeys stands, on what is believed to be roughly the same site as an original medieval mill. The mill has been non-working and without sails since being hit by lightning in 1915. The Grade 1 Listed parish church is 12th century in its earliest parts within the nave, with rebuilding and additions during the following three centuries, including the tower from C15th. A small scale model of Tysoe Windmill is to be found inside the church, and it is also represented on one of dozens of kneelers, all depicting different aspects of local life and church activity, bellringing being one of them. The churchyard includes a 15th century preaching cross and a vintage walking plough. All six bells in the tower date to the 18th century, treble to three and tenor were cast in 1719 by Richard Sanders, Bromsgrove. Fourth, 1750, Abel Rudhall, Gloucester. Fifth, 1782, Matthew III Bagley, Chacombe. Wroxton see Sunday 29th July 2012 for details of location and tower. Swalcliffe see Sunday 29 June 2014. Hugh Deam

Bletchingdon See Sat 1st June 2013 for details. Nether Winchendon (also known as Lower Winchendon) was documented in 1004 as Wincandone (hill at a bend). The manor house, situated directly across the road from the church, was originally a priory under the auspices of Notley Abbey. Purchased and lavishly remodelled by the Duke of Bedford during the 16th century, it is now open to the public, along with its meticulously tended gardens. Both house and church have featured in several high profile film and television productions in recent years, probably being most widely recognised from Bridget Jones' Diary. The Grade 1 Listed manorial church, initially 13th century but rebuilt the following century, is constructed of limestone rubble with stone dressings. The west tower is 15th century and the bells are rung from the ground floor, which is stone. Three of the bells were cast by Ellis I Knight in Reading (2 & 3, 1640) and tenor, 1651. Treble from 1796, by John Briant of Hertford. The fourth is from 1897, by Henry I Bond at Burford foundry. This was only the eighth quarter peal rung on the bells, our previous quarter here back in 2007 being one of these. Old Marston See Towers for details. Hugh Deam

A report on the day from Ruth Leatherdale, for whom this was her first multi-tower outing with us: This was my first attendance on an "Afternoon Outing" arranged by Hugh. Ringing at three towers, with the welcome support of fellow bellringers, and not forgetting an impeccably behaved Hector (the doggy), made for a complete success on a beautiful May afternoon. The first tower - Little Milton (details), having first ascended the long (for me) ladder, were a lovely set of 6 bells. The second - Great Milton (details), directly next door to Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, a set of 8, had the addition of unwittingly ringing for a wedding taking place in the grounds of the hotel. After a pause in the ringing to allow the ceremony to take place, we continued. Hopefully the bride and groom appreciated our efforts and the unexpected bells at their ceremony. The third - Shabbington (details), a 6 bell anticlockwise ring. Being someone who is now starting to grapple with "inside bells", this tower totally emphasised the need to "know your place", and also to check the towers in Doves Guide beforehand !!! Ruth Leatherdale

Our first outing since 2019 started at a tower which, although only 20 minutes from our branch, we had never visited before. Chearsley is noted in the Domesday Survey (1086) as Cerdeslai (Ceolred's clearing), denoting the Saxon leader in the area, which at the time was mostly forested (Bernwood Forest). Although the village shop closed a decade ago, the famous 16th century thatched pub · The Bell · is still trading in its central location overlooking the village green. We had occasion to visit the pub after the last tower (Chilton) of our evening ringing outing way back in 2001 (see Sat 16th June 2001) and got to see the low-beamed ceilings and inglenook fireplace that are quintessential of a classic English country pub. The pub is also the best marker for spotting the narrow lane that leads eventually to the 13th century church. The interior of the church, with its box pews and its royal coat of arms adorning the gallery, is however predominantly 19th century. The tower is 15th century, with the oldest bell (4) dating to 1509 from the Wokingham foundry. The other bells are all from the Whitechapel foundry, the front three having been added as recently as 2014. These are ideal bells to trip round fluently. Thame see Saturday 21st April 2007 for details of church and bells. Great Haseley takes its name from the Anglo Saxon description for a hazel wood (Haeseleia), the village possesses one of the only two remaining tower mills in Oxfordshire (the other being at Wheatley), and thanks to a trust set up in 2005 it is now back in working order. The C13th parish church stands adjacent to Great Haseley Manor House and near the great tithe barn, thus projecting the classic medieval manorial setting, with the magnificent Decorated Gothic windows unusually surviving intact. The tower housed a ring of four bells as early as 1552. The six bells here now have been recast at various foundries since the 17th century and are superb, both to ring and in their tone. See Sat 27th Nov 2004 for full description. On our arrival we were treated to tea and cake in the church, in what was a pre-arranged fifteen minute break before our scheduled ringing time. Hugh Deam