The Bells


There are ten bells hung for change ringing in the Tower.  Originally there were eight bells, all cast in 1895 by the generosity of Edmund Taylor, whose gift was conditional upon the parishioners paying for a boundary wall around the churchyard. Two trebles were added in 1976. These bells were donated by ringers and friends.  At the same time the original bells were rehung on ball bearings.

Bell & Note Name Weight Founder & year cast
1 G sharp Mary 4-1-16 John Taylor & Co Ltd, 1976
2 F sharp Edmund 4-3-24 John Taylor & Co Ltd, 1976
3 E - 6-0-7 John Taylor & Co Ltd, 1895
4 D sharp - 6-1-18 John Taylor & Co Ltd, 1895
5 C sharp - 7-1-6 John Taylor & Co Ltd, 1895
6 B - 8-1-10 John Taylor & Co Ltd, 1895
7 A - 9-2-17 John Taylor & Co Ltd, 1895
8 G sharp - 11-0-0 John Taylor & Co Ltd, 1895
9 F sharp - 14-1-22 John Taylor & Co Ltd, 1895
10 E - 20-1-16 John Taylor & Co Ltd, 1895

The bell weights are imperial (hundredweight, quarters, pounds). These weights confirmed by Taylors bellfoundry, March 2002. A previous table showed weights for 5th as7-1-16; and 11-3-0 for 8th. The bells are rung in the traditional English way, for change-ringing. Bells have been rung in this way for 400 years, and the popularity for this way of ringing bells has spread across the globe. The two photographs show the bells raised and ready for ringing.

 

Environmental Protection Act 1990

In 1993 peals of Plain Bob Triples and Cambridge Surprise Major led to complaints to the Environmental Protection Officer because of the long duration (allegedly 3.5 hours each!).  A letter of guidance was issued, which was apparently not challenged, where the Officer differentiates between the legitimate activities of the church and the hobby of the campanologists. Full details (in pdf format) can be found by clicking here.  Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to read this file. I find it best to save pdf files then open from Adobe.