charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META content=3D"text/html; charset=3Diso-8859-1" http-equiv=3DContent-Type=
>
<META content=3D"MSHTML 5.00.2614.3500" name=3DGENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Alan Birney wrote that he wanted advice on=
=20
preservative for timber frames. Assuming the 3-bell frame he intends workin=
g on=20
is in a church under faculty jurisdiction, the best person from whom to see=
k=20
advice is the Diocesan Bells Advisor. Dioceses sometimes have=20
recommendations for paint and preservatives - and their officers can g=
et=20
agitated if something other than the recommended product is used. Be aware,=
too,=20
that bats (if there are any - and there may be in an unrung 3-bell=20
tower)) may not care much for creosote (or suchlike) and might just ke=
el=20
over with the odour. The fines for disturbing bats can be quite severe. Jus=
t=20
another thing to take into account.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Alan is probably aware of the de=20
minimis provisions regarding work in belfries (and for anywhere else i=
n/on=20
church property), but it may be worth a few words for general interest. The=
de=20
minimis provisions only allow a small amount of work to be done without=20
obtaining a faculty; and 'very small' can mean a really minimal amount in s=
ome=20
cases. For instance, in one diocese very local to me, de minimis for=
=20
church bell work amounts to the following: oiling, greasing and replac=
ement=20
of consumables. The de minimis provisions do vary between dioceses, bu=
t=20
even then it does not allow much work. As everybody probably knows, the fac=
ulty=20
process has the force of law: real, proper law. Anybody undertaking work be=
yond=20
the de minimis level without a faculty is breaking the law and may be calle=
d=20
upon to return to original condition at their expense anything that has bee=
n=20
changed. Bellfounders/hangers are particularly keen to see the faculty=20
documentation allowing work to proceed, because they can find themselves li=
able=20
to big fines if they start without that permission. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The really big problem occurs when work wi=
thout=20
faculty permission alters the historic nature of something. This is where=20
English Heritage step in and the heat goes up a few notches. We all recogni=
se=20
the importance of listed bells and that somebody would be jumping up and do=
wn a=20
lot if damage were to occur to one. Bellframes are much the same, and in so=
me=20
cases have their own separate listing, but I think it is fair to say that f=
ar=20
fewer people recognise this. Bellframes are also much more DIY,=20
particularly timber ones, so they are more at risk from inadvertent damage.=
=20
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>In practice, the de minimis limit may be e=
ased a=20
bit, usually by the DAC and its advisors, so it's a good idea to get them=20
involved at the start. They will give advice about EH's possible interest.=
=20
Permission from the Vicar or a member of the PCC to do a bit of work may be=
a=20
possible line of defence if the proverbial hits the propellor, but the=
y=20
will not appreciate being sucked in to any furore - even if they knew (or s=
hould=20
have known, but sometimes ignorance is lamentably real) what the laws of th=
e=20
land were in such cases.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Although ignorance of de minimis is no def=
ence, I=20
think it is fair to say that their existence is not well known and hence a =
lot=20
of work gets done illegally. I think the de minimis provisio=
ns=20
can be their own worst enemy, because they are both restrictive=20
and woolly at the same time. The very great majority of us who work on=
=20
bells would have to confess that we have sinned against de minimis in our t=
ime,=20
either for expediency of out of ignorance; and much the same number would h=
ave=20
to confess to being serial offenders. On the other hand, if everything non-=
de=20
minimis were to be taken to the DAC, their officers would be unable to cope=
with=20
the avalanche of requests. I would like to see some sort of recognition giv=
en to=20
modern (20th century) installations, where consumables are generally design=
ed=20
for intended and relatively easy replacement, unlike older gear. A PCC=
near=20
to me was taken to task in heavy fashion by an Archdeacon only a few years =
ago=20
for sending their 1926 Taylor clappers off for rebushing without Diocesan=20
permission. This would have been understandable if the clappers had been an=
cient=20
baldrick ones; but modern ones...?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>With regard to movement at sill level of f=
rames, my=20
experience is that bellframes actually move less than they seem to. You hav=
e to=20
measure the movement accurately. I remember a rough guide to movement v.=20
ringability being something like: up to 1mm, ringability is excellent; 1-2m=
m,=20
difficulty occasionally becoming apparent; 2-3mm, getting quite difficult; =
above=20
3mm, very difficult.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Hope the above is of use.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Chris Povey</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>