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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The famous leaning tower was not damaged i=
n the war=20
apart from some scorching of the stonework on the east face. The rema=
inder=20
of the church was gutted and the nave arcades and chancel arch subsequently=
=20
demolished. The outer walls have been restored, window tracery=20
consolidated and the tower and surviving west porch kept in repait by Engli=
sh=20
Heritage in whom it is now Vested.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The tower is not open to the public. =
The=20
ground floor is quite lofty and has a stone vaulted ceiling with central=20
circular bell hole.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The first floor is the former ringing cham=
ber,=20
which was always a bare and bleak apartment, ringing on Temple bells being =
a=20
fairly limited occurrence. The St Thomas ringers who were the nearest=
used=20
to form the basis of the band. We hung some old ropes up th=
rough=20
the eight rope holes with their salleys at ringing height, and were able to=
see=20
for ourselves the effect reported by senior Bristol ringers that it w=
as=20
the ropes which appeared to be leaning. There is also a Taylor Ellaco=
mbe=20
chiming manual installed in 1935.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The second and very lofty floor contains o=
nly the=20
rope chutes. Both this and the first floor have their windows=20
substantially blocked and small ones inserted to admit light.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The third floor is the bell chamber. =
It=20
contains the massive cast iron A-sided frame of 1887, by John Taylor &=
=20
Co. It stands on a timber foundation. All the bell fittings except th=
e=20
Ellacombe Hammers were removed with the bells in the middle of 1941, but th=
e=20
fittings were not re-used. All were of 1887 - wooden stocks, with bal=
l=20
bearings and EC hammers of 1935. There is also a small wooden frame f=
or=20
the Sanctus bell which is now back in the new church of Holy Cross, In=
ns=20
Court, along with Temple Church font.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The tower roof is scary - there is no para=
pet and=20
on the west side, overhanging 5' 4" - there is a particularly dramatic=20
effect. The spiral stair goes all the way up</FONT> <FONT face=
=3DArial=20
size=3D2>and it is quite a mountaineering exercise, as the lean of the towe=
r=20
exacerbates the effort required to reach the top. Probably if it were=
not=20
for the lean, the tower would have pinnacles and be not unlike St Stephen's=
in=20
profile. St Thomas Church tower although much refaced and restored is=
a=20
variation on the lowest three stages of the Temple Church tower - and it=20
too leans visibly, but only a fraction compared with its neighbour; th=
e=20
disposition of the internal floors is quite different.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>DLC</FONT> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE=20
style=3D"BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0p=
x; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV=20
style=3D"BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>Fro=
m:</B>=20
<A href=3D"mailto:bells@r..."=20
title=3Dbells@r...>David Bagley</A> </DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A=20
href=3D"mailto:bellhistorians@yahoogroups.com"=20
title=3Dbellhistorians@yahoogroups.com>bellhistorians@yahoogroups.com</A>=
</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Saturday, April 05, 2003 3:0=
3=20
PM</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [Bell Historians] Temple =
Church,=20
Bristol</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV><TT><BR>Does anybody have any details on the Temple Church=
,=20
Bristol?<BR><BR>I know the bells are now at the Cathedral, but I would li=
ke to=20
know a bit<BR>more about what's left.<BR><BR>David=20
Bagley.<BR><BR><BR></TT><BR><BR><TT>This=20
message was sent to you via the Bell Historians' Mailing List. To unsubsc=
ribe=20
from the list send an email to <A=20
href=3D"mailto:bellhistorians-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com">bellhistorians=
-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com</A><BR><BR></TT><BR><BR><TT>Your=20
use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the <A=20
href=3D"http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/">Yahoo! Terms of Service</A>.</=
TT>=20
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