Ringer Ollie

03/06/2024

The Bells of Costessey, Norfolk.

The historic ring of five bells hung in St Edmund's Church in Costessey were saved from unringability in 2019, when they were rehung and restored by John Taylor & Co of Loughborough. The crown staples were removed, and the frame and installation being restored and conserved, before all being rehung with nee wheels and canon retaining headstocks in their original frame, which had been adapted to take the new ball bearings.

Four of the bells were cast by John II Brand in 1656/7, with the 3rd being the oldest having been cast in c1525 by John Aleyn, it being the first of only 6 bells he ever cast, all of which hang in Norfolk.

The ringing room doubles up as a vestry and the 3rd rope falls almost on top of the desk, so sideways ringing is a must. They are a lovely peal of five and well worth a visit if you are nearby.

The historic ring of five bells hung in St Edmund's Church in Costessey were saved from unringability in 2019, when they were rehung and restored by John Tay...

02/06/2024

The Bells of Alburgh, Norfolk.

The ring of eight bells at All Saints church in Alburgh have quite a bit of history to them. It was here that a number of early peals on eight were rung, the earliest recorded being on Monday 23rd October 1749, when a peal of 5040 Plain Bob Major was rung in 2 hours and 56 minutes. Some longer lengths followed:
6880 Oxford Treble Bob Major on Sunday 28th October 1827 in 3h 47m.
8448 Oxford Treble Bob Major on Wednesday 31st December 1851 in 5h 3m.
6016 Oxford Treble Bob Major on Saturday 13th December 1884 in 3h 15.
On Thursday 25th May 2023, a peal of London Surprise Major was rung on the bells. This was the first peal in the method on the bells since their casting and hanging.

The front 2 bells were cast by Richard Phelps in 1737, the 3rd, 4th and 5th were cast 7 years earlier by the same founder. The 6th was cast in c1480 by John Baly, this being his earliest bell and one of only 3 bells he cast. The 7th being the youngest bell, cast on 1766 by Lester & Pack (a predecessor of Whitechapel), with the tenor being the oldest, cast in c1450 by Richard I Brasyer.
The bells were rehung in 1908 by Alfred Bowell of Ipswich, at which time they were hung in a new Cast iron and steel frame. They were later rehung in 1996 by A E W Baines, a local bell hanger, who rehung the peal on ball-bearings.
The bells are hung at the top of the tower, which as a result means there is significant movement, making the bells drop unexpectedly. A firmer pull overcomes this, and the bells are very enjoyable to ring. There is a little odd-struckness around the circle, but it isn't too bad. The tenor weighs 9-3-12cwt and is tuned to 'G'.

All comments on my handling will be deleted. An explanation can be found on my community tab from a few months ago.

The ring of eight bells at All Saints church in Alburgh have quite a bit of history to them. It was here that a number of early peals on eight were rung, the...

01/05/2024

The Bells of Upper Sheringham, Norfolk.

The ring of six bells at All Saints' Church in Upper Sheringham were cast in 1841 by Thomas II Mears. They hung derelict in the tower for over 60 years until a major restoration was undertaken in 2020 by Nicholson Engineering Ltd which saw the bells rehung in a new steel frame lower in the tower, replacing the former c1499 Oak frame. The bells' canons were removed, they were turned as well as being retuned at the same time. A new ringing gallery was installed and the ringing room furnished. A new local band has been trained and under the watchful eye of Sue and Guy Morton, they have built a hub of local ringing, and the new band ring the bells on Tuesday for practice and for the Sunday services. The villagers are very proud of their ring of bells, which are possibly one of the finest 6's in Norfolk.

The Tuesday practice is a must for anyone visiting and in the area. A welcoming and friendly local ban cater for all ringing abilities from Rounds and Call Changes to Surprise Minor.

6 bells, 6-0-1cwt in Bb.

The ring of six bells at All Saints' Church in Upper Sheringham were cast in 1841 by Thomas II Mears. They hung derelict in the tower for over 60 years until...

30/04/2024

The Single Bell of Oxnead, Norfolk.

It has been a long time since I have recorded and posted a single bell video, so I hope you find this of interest!
The single bell at St Michael & All Angels Church at Oxnead was cast in 1602 by William Brend, a Norwich bell founder who cast many bells in this area between 1582 and 1634. It has a diameter of 35.00''. The tower is very small, and the bell is swung chimed via a lever. The church is used regularly by the nearby Oxnead Hall, and hosts many weddings per hear. In this video, the bell is chimed as the new couple leave the church after their wedding, during Summer 2023.

It has been a long time since I have recorded and posted a single bell video, so I hope you find this of interest!The single bell at St Michael & All Angels ...

22/04/2024

The Bells of Bristol (St Mary the Virgin, Redcliffe), City of Bristol.

Wishing you all a very Happy Easter!
I've been sitting on this video for quite a while now, and have been waiting for a special occasion to put it live. Easter Sunday, I feel, fits that criteria!
The ring of twelve bells at St Mary the Virgin in Redcliffe (City of Bristol) are regarded as one of the finest peals of twelve bells in the country. The ring has been primarily cast by John Taylor & Co in 1903, with the exceptions being the tenth by Thomas I Bilbie in 1763 and the eleventh in 1622 by Roger I Purdue. The sixth flat was cast in 1951 and the extra treble was cast in 1969, both also by John Taylor & Co. Personally, I think having the tenth and eleventh cast by Bilbie and Purdue help the glorious tenor stick out a little more. The tenor, which weighs 50-2-21cwt is incredibly heavy for the weight of the ring, being double the weight of the eleventh.

The bells have had a very complex and interesting history, which I hope I don't miss many things out!
In 1903 the 1-7, 9 and 12 were recast. The canons were removed from 8, 10, 11, and were retuned. They were then rehung in a new cast iron frame for 12 bells, with all new fittings.
In 1933, all the bells were rehung on ball bearings.
In 1941, all the bells and their fittings were dismantled and removed from the tower, and stored in the church to prevent damage during the Blitz.
In 1944, the bells were rehung back in the tower on their existing fittings.
In 2009, the 9th was rehung with a new, larger wheel, to slow its swing and better fit the wheel sizes of the other bells. The frame for the extra treble was moved further back towards the 2nd. The extra treble was rehung on a new wheel and backed out on its headstock.
In 2012, the 8th bell was retired from full circle use, and rehung dead on steel girders above the ringing peal. A replacement 8th was cast to replace it by John Taylor & Co. The wheels for the middle bells were rejigged, with the 6th receiving the former 7th wheel, the 7th receiving the former 8th wheel, and the 8th receiving the former 9th wheel.
In 2017, the frame and fittings were repainted. The 7th and tenor bearings checked, adjusted and tightened. Some clappers, crown staples, Hastings stay mechanisms and rope roller boxes were restored. A new, larger wheel for the 8th, was fitted.

Recorded on Saturday 23rd April 2022, St George's Day.
12 bells, 50-2-21cwt in B.

© Ringer Ollie 2021
(Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988)

Wishing you all a very Happy Easter!I've been sitting on this video for quite a while now, and have been waiting for a special occasion to put it live. Easte...

21/04/2024

The Bells of Euston, Suffolk.

The ring of six bells at St Genevieve's church in Euston, Suffolk, are formed of four 1701 Henry Pleasant bells, a 1730 Thomas Gardiner bell for the fifth, and a 1983 treble cast by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry, at the time of the rehanging and their augmentation to six, during which time they were hung in a two tier frame, with the 3rd and 5th on the top. The last work to be undertaken prior to this was in 1909 by George Day & Sons. The tenor weighs 8-1-21cwt and is tuned to 'Ab'.

The parish church in Euston Park is dedicated to Saint Genevieve. The foundation stone was laid by the Duchess of Grafton in 1676; it is the only church in Suffolk to have been built in the 17th century, and is on the site of an earlier medieval building. It has a four-stage tower and round headed windows in a style called "Venetian tracery". The interior is noted for the original wooden box pews, screen and pulpit. Some medieval brasses survive, as well as fine monuments to the Dukes of Grafton buried in the church and the adjacent churchyard. The church is a Grade I Listed building. It is open to the public in the summer months, but regular traditional Sunday services are held throughout the year. The Parish of Euston is part of the Blackbourne Team Ministry.

Recorded during our summer tour of Norfolk & Suffolk in 2023.

31/03/2024

The Bells of Gimingham, Norfolk.

Gimingham Parish Church is called All Saints. The church has been part of the Trunch group of parishes since 1965 and is in the service of a team of clergy of these parishes. There was an earlier church on the site of the present one. Signs of early Anglo-Saxon quoins can be seen in the east wall of the chancel. The chancel dates from the early 14th century. The church is almost entirely built from un-knapped flint although there are some squared flints in the entrance porch. Some buttresses and arches are of brick construction. The porch has two storeys and was incorporated into a much older original porch. The room on the first floor is known as a parvise. This room was used in the past by priests who had travelled some distance to get to the church. It also may have been used in the past as part of the wedding service, with guests waiting there while the groom and bride exchanged their vows in the porch. The nave dates from the 15th century and was re-roofed around 1950. The battlemented tower is also 15th century.
The belfry holds a ring of five bells. The original three bells were rehung and retuned in 1990. In 1992 the three bells were augmented to five by the addition of two lighter bells, cast in 1889 by Mears & Stainbank, which were relocated from Gosport. The tenor weighs 8cwt 1qtr 25lbs and is tuned to 'Ab'. The work was undertaken by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry Ltd. The bells are rung regularly by visiting ringers. Set ringing dates include; Advent, Easter, Epiphany, All Saints' Day (November 1st) and The King's Birthday (14th November).

Gimingham Parish Church is called All Saints. The church has been part of the Trunch group of parishes since 1965 and is in the service of a team of clergy o...

26/03/2024

The Bells of Crick, Northamptonshire.

The eight bells of St Margaret's church in Crick, Northamptonshire have had a rather potted history in the last few decades. The original ring of five were augmented to six in 1996 by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry. Later that year, the original five bells were rehung in a new frame with new fittings and the second bell was replaced, with the new frame being extended to allow for 8 bells. One year later, in 1997, the Whitechapel Bell Foundry augmented the ring to the eight bells they have today.
The two trebles were cast in 1997 by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry, bells 3 and 4 were cast on year earlier by the same founder, along with the 6th. The 5th and tenor were cast in 1616 and 1614 respectively by Hugh II Watts and the 7th (which is the oldest bell) was cast in 1601 by Edward Newcombe. The tenor weighs 11-0-19cwt and is tuned to F #.

They are a very easy peal to ring and strike and the videos included in this clip were filmed during our tour to Northamptonshire.

The eight bells of St Margaret's church in Crick, Northamptonshire have had a rather potted history in the last few decades. The original ring of five were a...

23/03/2024

''My thoughts and very best wishes are with Catherine, the Princess of Wales and her family following today's saddening news regarding her health. Wishing her a swift and successful recovery and all best for her treatment. Her decision to make the news public now has been perfectly timed, with first and foremost the care and protection for her children, which has not been helped by the appalling media scrutiny of her over the last few weeks. Her continued dedication to her family, and her role as a mother is by far the greatest job anyone can have.'' - Ringer Ollie, 22nd March 2024.

17/03/2024

The Bells of South Lopham, Norfolk.

The heavy ring of six at St Andrew's Church in South Lopham, are primarily an 'old' ring of bells, crowned by a very nice 1965 John Taylor & Co tenor, weighing 20-2-1cwt and tuned to E. The treble was cast by Thomas Gardiner in 1733, the 2nd and 3rd in c1499† by the Bury St Edmunds foundry, the 4th in 1725 by Thomas Gardiner with the 5th and oldest bell being cast in c1380† by a London foundry.

The bells were augmented to six in 1956, with the addition of a new tenor bell and were rehung in a new cast iron frame. The work being undertaken by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry. As it noted from F Nolan Golden's peal records, citing a peal rung on Saturday 16th October 1965 in 2h 57m. 5040 Minor (7m) being extents of Double Oxford, Oxford Bob, Double Court, Court Bob, St Clement's, Double Bob and Plain Bob. 1, Alfred W Foreman. 2, David Cubitt. 3, Martin Cubitt. 4, George Sayer. 5, H William Barrett. 6, F Nolan Golden (C). ''The first peal on the bells. There were five bells here in 1553, of 4, 8,, 12, 16 and 20 cwt.''

The heavy ring of six at St Andrew's Church in South Lopham, are primarily an 'old' ring of bells, crowned by a very nice 1965 John Taylor & Co tenor, weighi...

25/02/2024

The Bells of North Lopham, Norfolk.

St Nicholas' Church in the village of North Lopham houses a ring of eight bells. Five of the bells, the treble, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 6th were cast in 1926 by Mears & Stainbank, the 5th in 1733 by Thomas Newman, the 7th in 1811 by William Dobson and the tenor in 1799 by Thomas Osborn.
The bells are every easy to ring, despite the ringing room being on the ground floor and there being a a very long (guided) draft. The tenor weighs 10-2-0cwt and is tuned to F #. Some of the ropes are very long, and some are very springy, but some good ringing was scored during our visit including Grandsire Triples, Spliced Plain and Little Bob Major, Stedman Triples and half course of Yorkshire Surprise Major and Cambridge Surprise Major.

8 bells, 10-2-0cwt in F #.

St Nicholas' Church in the village of North Lopham houses a ring of eight bells. Five of the bells, the treble, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 6th were cast in 1926 by Me...

18/02/2024

The Bells of Carleton Rode, Norfolk.

We continue our 'virtual' (for you) tour of Norfolk, this week visiting the ring of six at All Saints', Carleton Rode. The original three bells were cast by (in order); John II Brend in 1636, William Brend in 1590 and Edward Tooke in 1675. These were rehung and augmented to six in 1998 by John Taylor Bellfounders Ltd, by the addition of three new trebles. All six were hung on new fittings in a new frame, made by A E W Baines - the only frame made by him. The bells are a delight to ring and strike, made all the more better by a near-perfect catch at the end of the lower. Also seen is a flash-back to our catch in ''Weasels'' on the ring of five at Tasburgh - which I believe is the best catch in weasels I've heard.

Recorded during our tour to Norfolk in Summer 2023.

We continue our 'virtual' (for you) tour of Norfolk, this week visiting the ring of six at All Saints', Carleton Rode. The original three bells were cast by ...

15/02/2024

The Bells of Crimplesham, Norfolk.

The five bells of St Mary, Crimplesham are the world's most pealed ring of 5. All the bells were cast in 1798 by William Dobson. They were last rehung in 1938 by John Taylor & Co of 'Loogabarooga' and as a result are very easy to ring and strike. The bells have had a total of 115 peals rung on them, the first being in 1938 and the most recent being in 2022. Regular peal ringing at the tower ceased in 2010. At the height of their ''peal popularity'', there was a peal every 4 weeks, which is quite good going for a ring of 5 in Norfolk! The church is located in the county of Norfolk, but the bells are under the Ely DA, Wisbech District.

Recorded during our summer tour of Norfolk in 2023.

The five bells of St Mary, Crimplesham are the world's most pealed ring of 5. All the bells were cast in 1798 by William Dobson. They were last rehung in 193...

12/02/2024

The Bells of Pulham St Mary, Norfolk.

St Mary the Virgin's Church in Pulham St Mary holds a ring of eight bells. The ringing room is accessed by the infamous wooden steps up the wall of the nave, and certainly is not a tower to visit if you aren't a fan of heights! The bells are not rung regularly, and are particularly hard to ring and strike well, with a certain amount of oddstruckness throughout the peal.
The ring of six bells were cast by six different founders. The treble by John Thornton in 1717, the second by William Brend in 1611, the third recast by John Taylor & Co in 1963, the fourth by John Magges c1470, the fifth by John Goldsmith in 1708 and the tenor by Thomas Newman in 1739. This ring of six were then augmented in 1895 by John Warner & Sons, to form the ring of eight present today.
The tenor weighs 14cwt and is tuned to F. Recorded during our summer tour of Norfolk in 2023.

St Mary the Virgin's Church in Pulham St Mary holds a ring of eight bells. The ringing room is accessed by the infamous wooden steps up the wall of the nave,...

04/02/2024

The Bells of Denver, Norfolk.

The lovely little church of St Mart in Denver holds a ring of six bells, with a tenor of 7-2-3cwt and tuned to Ab. The original four bells (the back four) were cast by William Dobson (1825), John Stephens (1721) and Christopher Graye (1680). These were augmented to six by the addition of two new trebles in 1902 by John Taylor & Co, at which time all six were rehung. In 2016 the bells were rehung by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry and they form a very enjoyable and easy going six, with ropes that hang in an arc rather than a complete circle. Perhaps paving the way for a future augmentation, which may be difficult considering the gap is between ropes 3 and 4, and not 1 and 6!
Denver is one of a few towers that is located in the County of Norfolk, but affiliated to the Ely Diocesan Association.

Recorded during our tour of Norfolk in Summer 2023. You may also hear a four-legged visitor in the background too. I had come out of hospital the night (well... morning) before, and had no strength at all so bare with my slightly questionable handling.

The lovely little church of St Mart in Denver holds a ring of six bells, with a tenor of 7-2-3cwt and tuned to Ab. The original four bells (the back four) we...

21/01/2024

The Bells of Hethersett, Norfolk.

The beautiful Taylor 8 at Hethersett are certainly a contender for Norfolk's best ring of bells. The tower is the leading peal tower for F Nolan Golden, including peals on both the old ring of eight and the new eight.
Nolan was regarded as one of ''the greats of the excersise'' by The Ringing World and was well known for his prolific peal ringing and composing, especially in such methods as Double Norwich and Superlative. Nolan lived in Northrepps and led the project to rehang and augment the bells to eight, before moving to Aylsham and becoming a stalwart member of the local band until his death in the 1990's.

The current ring of bells were cast in 1938 by John Taylor & Co and after some work on the rope circle and internal acoustics, the bells are a delight to ring and have much improved sound in the ringing room.

I had the pleasure of ringing a peal on these bells in 2023, and the general consensus of the band afterwards was that the bells were a delight, but the 7 and 8 are very difficult to strike when dodging together!

The beautiful Taylor 8 at Hethersett are certainly a contender for Norfolk's best ring of bells. The tower is the leading peal tower for F Nolan Golden, incl...

21/01/2024

The Bells of King's Lynn (Minster Church of St Margaret), Norfolk.

These impressive deep toned bells ring out across the ancient town and port from the North West Tower. The twin towers are unusually very different from each other in style and dimensions, the South West tower of Norman origin being the older of the two. The church, founded more than 800 years ago by the first Bishop of Norwich, was once much larger and attached to a priory.

The present bells are based on a ring of eight cast at Whitechapel in 1766. The treble and second were added in 1887, presented by the Mayor and his wife on the occasion of Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee. The bells were re-dedicated on Sunday 20th November 2005 having been re-tuned and re-hung in a new frame by Taylor’s of Loughborough. The ninth has been re-cast. The ringing room was also reordered at this time. (Roger Peckham)

These impressive deep toned bells ring out across the ancient town and port from the North West Tower. The twin towers are unusually very different from each...

12/01/2024

The Bells of Ingham, Suffolk.

St Bartholomew's Church sits beside the A134 in the busy little village of Ingham, just north of Busy St Edmunds. The tower holds a ring of five bells, all cast in 1860 by George Mears, with a tenor weighing 12-0-27cwt and tuned to F #. The bells are rung from the upstairs ringing chamber, which is accessed by a very narrow and steep spiral staircase. The bells are very loud in the ringing room, but are not that hard to ring and strike, despite being noted as in poor going order.

Recorded during a tour of Norfolk & Suffolk during the summer of 2023.

St Bartholomew's Church sits beside the A134 in the busy little village of Ingham, just north of Busy St Edmunds. The tower holds a ring of five bells, all c...

31/12/2023

https://www.youtube.com/live/R1c6kf7chWc?si=wlgLruTtxhaijZcz

Join me live art 12@00pm GMT on 31st December 2023, for the annual 'Ringer Ollie's New Years Eve Live show'. A relaxed day of chatting about bells, building ...

10/12/2023

Ringer Ollie's Outing to Ipswich 2023.

A special video today, to mark my 20th Birthday on Tuesday. On Saturday 25th November 2023, we visited six towers in and around Ipswich, to complete our Suffolk outings of the year, to mark the centenary of the Suffolk Guild this year. We had the theme this tour, to visit a number of newly rehung bells.

0:21 Ipswich, St Lawrence
6:33 Ipswich, St Margaret
10:53 Ipswich, St Mary-le-Tower
14:11 Barham, St Mary
18:07 Buxhall, St Mary
22:37 Woolpit, Blessed Virgin Mary

Another early start for the first tower of the day. St Lawrence, Ipswich with its magnificent tower. The church has a ring of five bells, that form the oldest ring of five in the world. The bells were cast by three different founders between the years of 1440 and 1490. Richard I Brasyer cast the three tenors in 1449, William Chamberlain cast the second in 1440 and the treble in 1490 by Reginald Church. The bells are now hung lower in the tower, about half-way, having been rehung in 2009 by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry. They are a lovely sounding ring and they 'go' very well. The church is used as a cafe, which somewhat made up for our early start, having been nourished by paninis and sausage rolls! 5 bells, 13-3-13cwt in F #.

Next up was St Margaret, Ipswich. The church, with its breath-taking roof, holds a ring of eight bells. Five of the bells were cast by Miles I Graye with the treble, 2nd and 4th having been replaced by Eijsbouts in 2017 at the time of the rehanging in 2018 undertaken by Nicholson Engineering Ltd. Miles Graye is one of my favourite founders, having been responsible for the casting of some of the finest tenors in the area. Lavenham and Stowmarket to name two. 8 bells, 14-0-11cwt in F.

Our pre lunch venue was St Mary-le-Tower, Ipswich. Suffolk's premier twelve bell tower and they were, for me, the highlight of the day. The bells were cast by Taylor's of Loughborough, with the exception of the 7th having been cast in 1946 by Mears & Stainbank, with various bells being replaced or recast through the years. The four trebles, sixth, eighth and tenor were cast in 1976 by John Taylor & Co, the fifth, ninth, tenth and eleventh in 1999 by John Taylor Bellfounders Ltd and the sharp second in 1980 by John Taylor & Co (Bellfounders) Ltd. The small tower holds the 34 hundredweight ring very well and all of the bells are very easy to ring. The 9th, 10th, 11th and tenor are hung on the top frame and the acoustics do make them a tad harder to place when in changes. For the first time on one of my outings we attempted method ringing on 11 and 12 bells. We did very well considering many of the band do not regularly ring on twelve bells, and none of us are used to ringing together. Certainly the highlight tower of the day. 12 bells, 34-3-6cwt in Db.

Lunch was at The Crown in Claydon. I will forever be proud of my perfect shot from one end of the table to the other, over the heads of 10 people, where I managed to land a Pea bang in the centre of Dylan's Sticky Toffee Pudding.

Our post-lunch tower was St Mary, Barham. The ring of six bells are rung from the porch and are very easy to ring having been rehung by John Taylor & Co in 2020. Time of the rehanging the bells were augmented from four to six with the addition of two new trebles. The fourth and tenor were welded and they were all hung in a new frame. The tenor is a listed bell, having been the final bell cast by Stephen II Tonne & W Land of Bury St Edmunds in 1587. The church is perhaps better known for being the home of a Henry Moore statue of Madonna and the Child, having been moved here from St Peter, Claydon. 6 bells, 11-3-20cwt in Ab.

The penultimate tower was St Mary, Buxhall. The ring of eight bells were rehung and augmented in 2021 by John Taylor & Co, by the addition of two new trebles. They are a very easy going ring of eight, which allowed for some of the best striking of the day and was the location of our ''Method of the Tour'' for 2023, Duffield Major. The bells are cast by a mix of founders, with the oldest being the 4th being cast by John Draper in 1632. The third and tenor were cast in 1952 by Gillett & Johnston and the 5th recast in 1995 by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry. It was here that we had possibly our greatest ringing achievement of the day, a very good lower with a near perfect catch in Tittums on eight, which was a first for all the band. 8 bells, 15-0-7cwt in F #.

The final tower of the day was the Blessed Virgin Mary, Woolpit where we provided ringing for the evening service. The ring of six bells were cast by two different founders. The three trebles were cast in 1844 and the tenor was cast in 1855 by Charles & George Mears. The fourth and fifth were cast in 1658 by John Darbie, an Ipswich founder of the time. Turedness was setting in by this point, but some good ringing was achieved nonetheless. The bells are very easy to ring and strike and we ended with a superb lower on six with a catch in 'Kings'. 6 bells, 8cwt in Ab.

Thank you all so much for coming!

A special video today, to mark my 20th Birthday on Tuesday. On Saturday 25th November 2023, we visited six towers in and around Ipswich, to complete our Suff...

22/11/2023

The Bells of Southrepps, Norfolk.

St James' Church in Southrepps stands at the highest point in the village, with its tower visible for miles around. The church is large and aisleless, but it is clear that the church was once much larger as the three great pillars in each wall of the Nave suggest. The church also houses the remains of a Rood Screen. The large tower houses a ring of six bells, which are rung from the spacious and light ringing gallery. The bells were hung as a ring of five, low in the tower at the height of the square windows in 1984 by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry. 3 years later they were augmented to six with the casting of a new treble in 1987. They form a very pleasant ring of six which are well worth a visit if in the area.
Ringing here was filmed during our visit in the summer of Summer 2022.

(6 bells, 12-2-12cwt in F)

St James' Church in Southrepps stands at the highest point in the village, with its tower visible for miles around. The church is large and aisleless, but it...

12/11/2023

The Bells of Pulham Market, Norfolk.

During our summer tour to West Norfolk we visited the two rings of eight at Pulham St Mary and Pulham Market. Of the two, Pulham Market are easier, having been rehung relatively recently. The bells are a mixed bag. The oldest being the 7th having been cast in 1724 by John Stephens. The other bells are a mix of 1928 Mears 7 Stainbank and 1903 John Warner & Sons, with the 5th being 1833 Thomas II Mears.
The bells are easy going and quite easy to strike well, and sound best when pushed along at a good speed. The tenor in particular has a bit of a quirk, with the rope falling at backstroke and sometimes kicking quite violently.

8 bells, 13-1-22cwt in F.

During our summer tour to West Norfolk we visited the two rings of eight at Pulham St Mary and Pulham Market. Of the two, Pulham Market are easier, having be...

30/10/2023

The Bells of Hopton-by-Thetford, Norfolk.

We head south this week, out of Norfolk and into Suffolk to the small village of Hopton. The church of All Saints in Hopton-by-Thetford (commonly called Hopton) holds a ring of eight bells, which are rung from the ground floor. The bells have a tenor of around 9 cwt. Until 2010 the bells were hung in an oak frame dating from the early 19th century, part of which had been replaced in the late 1990s with a cast iron structure where the oak frame had become unsafe. Further deterioration of the remaining oak frame meant that by 2005 the entire structure required replacement. This is when fund raising was started to allow to bells to be rehung in the present steel frame and augment from six bells to eight.

The back five were all cast by John Draper of Thetford around 1630 and we believe that they may form the only complete ring of five that remains by this founder. John Draper was son of Thomas Draper, bell-founder, of Thetford, who flourished 1577 to 1595. Bells cast by John Draper are frequent in West Norfolk and Suffolk. He died 1644, and with his death the Thetford Bell-foundry came to an end. The third was cast in 1807 by William Dobson of Downham Market and the two new trebles were cast in 2010 by John Taylor & Co. of Loughborough.
(Information source from hoptonbells.com)

Recorded during a tour of Norfolk and Suffolk during the Summer of 2023.
8 bells, 9-0-13cwt in F #.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bmb8Q9l1dFw

We head south this week, out of Norfolk and into Suffolk to the small village of Hopton. The church of All Saints in Hopton-by-Thetford (commonly called Hopt...