St. John Baptist Church, Honiley, was built at the beginning of the 18th Century, and has remained largely untouched since that time. The design of the building is attributed to Sir Christopher Wren. There is an inscription over the West door: Ad gloriam del Johannes Sanders: Arm: Propriis sumptibus hanc ecclesiam ?dificavit anno salutis: MDCCXXIII. This translates as "To the glory of God John Sanders Esq., at his own expense, built this church in the year of salvation 1723". John Sanders lived at Honiley House (which then stood to the immediate North of the church).

It is thought that the church was built by Francis Smith, who came to Warwick to rebuild the town following the great fire of 1694. He was twice to become Mayor of Warwick before his death.

The balcony, in front of the ringing room, used to have a tiered seating arrangement - this was removed in 1987, and the seats were repositioned around the edges of the ringing room. The first floor was levelled and carpetted at this time to give space for extra accommodation or for refreshments following services. In 2003 the seats we put back in, to allow more seating space for the church.

Five of the bells were cast in 1731 by Thomas Eayre of Kettering. They are incribed: Johannes Sanders Arm : Hujus Eccl : Fundat Me Pie Vovit Anno Dom : Qui Obit 1727, and below: Fudit: Eayre Kettering 1731. They are therefore taken to be a bequest.

The original five bells were augmented in 1977 with a new treble, in celebration of the Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. The bell came from St Thomas's, Coventry, and was recast by Taylors of Loughborough.

Getting here

St. John the Baptist, Honiley, near Kenilworth. The church is four miles south-east of the University campus, and west of Kenilworth, off the A4177.

For those who are interested in such things, according to Dove's Guide the bells are 6-2-4 in A.

Honiley is within the area covered by the Coventry Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers.