Surveys revealed that apart from strengthening the old wooden frame (listed so could not be replaced), most of the metal fittings on the bells were corroded, the elm headstocks were cracked and worm holed, and odd bits of metal had been used to pack out some of the fittings. The wheels, which were second hand at the millennium restoration were not the right sizes for the bells they were fitted to
But most importantly, all the bells were ‘odd struck’ meaning that the clapper hit the bell early when the bell swung one way and late when it swung the other way. The structural survey also revealed that the whole frame was moving about as the bells were rung, and thus needed to be securely fixed to the walls of the tower with a rigid structure – steel. were still being rung almost every week.
- The condition of the bells at the end of 2021
- Removal of the bells
- Casting a new sixth bell
- Restoring the bells to the tower
- All with thanks to generous supporters
Below are some pictures of what the bells and their fittings looked like at the end of 2021.
