This bell survey shows the situation we started with before the restoration, and is kept for historical interest for others contemplating the same path.  All of the points listed in the survey were dealt with in the course of the restoration, so we now have a fully serviceable peal again

The Ringing Fittings

The ringing fittings appear to date from the end of the 19th century and were probably manufactured by George Day & Son, bell hanger, of Eye in Suffolk. Through both age and neglect, all the fittings are now in a poor and decayed condition.
The bells hang from elm headstocks with shield type gudgeons running in plain gunmetal bearings housed in cast iron carriages and set into the top timbers of the bell frame. There is evidence of both decay and denaturing in the headstocks and particularly upon those on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th bells. Additionally, most of the gudgeons are now loose in their headstocks and this was particularly noticeable upon the 4th. All gudgeons on bearings are now well worn.

The bells are secured to their headstocks with conventional forged ironwork which loops around the canons. This is well rusted, but nominally tight and not yet dangerous.
The clappers are of wrought iron, and of poor shape and proportion. They incorporate forked tops which straddle split timber blocks which clamp to the original cast-in clapper staples in the case of the three larger bells and Baldrick tops to the clappers of the three smaller bells. All are now well worn both at their points of swing and impact. The wheels are in a poor and decayed condition and are starting to fall apart.

Conventional stays, sliders, and runner boards are fitted and these are in a serviceable condition. Unusually, the 5th stay is fitted to the wheel end of the headstock. The bellropes are generally in tatty condition and the pulleys over which they pass are very well worn indeed.

The Bell Frame

The bell frame is of oak, and is designed to accommodate the six bells upon one level, all swinging in the east/west direction. The bell frame appears to pre-date the bells and has the appearance of being made in the 16th century to accommodate four bells only. As all the pits are long it has been possible to hang the present 4th and tenor within one pit and the present 3rd and treble within another. In detail, the 2nd bell swings adjacent to the north wall, the 5th swings adjacent to the south wall, and the four other bells swing in pairs near the centre.

The framesides are 6’-6” tall and comprise horizontal top and bottom timbers with diagonal braces between. Additional stiffening is provided by scissor braces which fit inside the main diagonal braces. All five framesides are essentially the same and are supported from large beams on fiat which run along the east and west walls. Spacing is provided from horizontal and diagonal members running north/south along the east and west walls, and further vertical support is provided from posts incorporated at the bell pit corners.

The whole structure has been reasonably well designed and constructed although the brace sections are a little slight given the height of the frame. All timbers are now well weathered and there is much evidence of decay in the base, particularly in the flat beam running along the west wall. Over the years a number of timbers have been spiked onto the original frame sections in order to improve rigidity. There are no tie bolts, angle plates or other metal fastenings.

The belfry floor comprises boards spanning the tower north/south and bearing upon a number of beams arranged in two clusters and spanning the tower east/west. These beams enter the east and west walls immediately beneath the flat beams which carry the base timbers of the bell frame. The floor is in a poor condition and a number of boards are either loose or missing.
During the ringing of the six bells we were able to measure up to 1/8” of horizontal movement between the frame and the tower walls and we would assess the vertical movements to be in the same order of magnitude.

The Tower

The Tower is a tall structure of mainly flint construction standing conventionally at the west end of the Church. Access to the ground floor area is via the east arch from the nave. A spiral staircase in the south-east corner gives access to the first floor ringing chamber which is 8’-0” above the ground, the second floor intermediate chamber which is 24’-2” above the ringing chamber floor and the third floor belfry whicti is 25’-1 1” above the second floor.

The ringing chamber is taller than optimum, and a rope guide, of timber construction, has therefore been installed at a height of approximately 16’-0” to steady the bellropes thus easing handleability. The intermediate chamber is also excessively tall and similarly contains a rope guide at a height of approximately 14’-6” above the floor. It is crudely constructed and moves during ringing.

At second floor level, the tower measures 13’-5” north/south by 13’-6” east/west. At the height of the rope guide, there is an offset on all but the east wall, above which we estimate the tower to measure 15’-0” north/south by 14-3” east/’west.  The bells hang level with large sound openings on all four walls. At this level the tower measures 17-6” north/south by 15’-10” east/west.
Generally, the tower appeared to be in good condition and we could see no signs of distress in the usual areas.

Conclusions

It is now a little over one hundred years since the bells were last rehung and little appears to have been undertaken during the intervening years to keep the frame and fittings in good order. As might be expected, the fittings are now in a poor and neglected state and have reached the ends of their lives. Indeed, the condition of the equipment is such, and the effort required in ringing is so great, that we believe the bells have reached the condition where most bell ringers would consider them as ‘un-ringable’.

The bells are essentially good but not particularly well in tune. The frame is an ancient structure, designed for a larger peal of four bells and now moves excessively during ringing. Additionally, there is much decay in the foundation.  During ringing, the tower as well as the frame moves measurably and this movement, coupled with the poor condition of the ringing fittings and the excessive draft of the bellropes conspire to cause considerable handling difficulties for the bell ringers.    Although the ringing test that we undertook was of short duration, all the ringers present were greatly fatigued by the exercise and perspired excessively.  To listen to the recording believed to have been made at this session, click here.

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Bell Details taken from a 1997 Survey carried out by Whitechapel Bell Foundry Ltd and John Taylor Bellfounders Ltd.