charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=3DContent-Type content=3D"text/html; charset=3Diso-8859-1"=
>
<META content=3D"MSHTML 6.00.2800.1479" name=3DGENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Further to Alan's email, here is some furt=
her=20
information.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Baldersby church is an estate church, and =
was built=20
to the designs of William Butterfield in 1856-8. It has a south porch tower=
=20
which is effectively free-standing, being butted up against the south passa=
ge=20
aisle. Inside, the church it high and dark, which much use of structural=20
polychromy.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The tower is quite small in plan, probably=
about=20
twelve feet square. It is quite tall, however, and has a high spire which c=
an be=20
seen for miles around. Some cracking is visible in the walls from both insi=
de=20
and out, and the keystone over the main south dooway has dropped several=20
inches.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The ground floor of the tower has a vaulte=
d=20
ceiling: brick webs and stone ribs. There is no bell-hole, so the bells mus=
t=20
have gone in through the large louvres. A spiral staircase leads to the rin=
ging=20
chamber, an elegant room with a stone floor and a large window looking to t=
he=20
west. Eight ropes hang in a circle (a remarkably good circle considering th=
e=20
three-level frame), put there fairly recently to recreate the original feel=
of=20
the chamber. The tenor box also remains, and the functioning Ellacombe is p=
layed=20
from here. The eight clappers are mounted on the wall. Three of these (1, 6=
and=20
7) are the originals of 1857, the others are replacements of the 1870s or 8=
0s,=20
of which more later. There is also a small bellwheel mounted on the wall, g=
iven=20
recently by David Town. A solitary handbell hangs on a hook by the=20
window.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The spiral staircase goes on up further, i=
nto the=20
former intermediate chamber. The ropes are tied off just above the ceiling,=
but=20
the rope chutes and drawing pulleys remain in place. The chamber is lighted=
by=20
two small windows in the south face, and through an open trapdoor in the ce=
iling=20
the treble and its electromagnetic clapper can be seen. A modern timber=20
staircase leads to the next floor, where the treble hangs between two=20
substantial timber beams. It retains its ringing fittings, although the whe=
el is=20
partly broken. The bell has cable-patterned radial canons, and original fit=
tings=20
including hoop gudgeons.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>A ladder leads up to the next tier of bell=
s, in=20
high-sided cast iron frames. They are the back three, and all appear to hav=
e=20
been cast without canons. They too have their original fittings.</FONT></DI=
V>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Another ladder leads to the top tier. This=
is a=20
lowside frame, and contains mixture of composite oak heads and cast iron br=
aces,=20
and framesides which are solely of cast iron. It contains bells 2-5, and cl=
early=20
these were rehung in the 1870s or 80s by Taylor's. Their canons have been=20
removed, and they had new fittings including plate gudgeons. The clappers w=
ere=20
also replaced, as was that of the tenor (see earlier note). Gouging in the =
wall=20
shows that there has been some reorganisation fo the frame, but exactly wha=
t=20
happened is not clear. There is a deep cut-out which looks like it is for a=
bell=20
to swing just above the level of the top tier, and away from any of the bel=
ls.=20
It is not high enough for another bell to have hung above those in the top =
tier.=20
All eight bells retain parts of the wheels, with that to the 7th being the =
most=20
complete.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Unfortunately, there was a power cut so th=
e=20
electric hammers couldn't be used, but we did chime the bells on the Ellaco=
mbe.=20
The tenor is a very impressive sounding bell but, as I had been told before=
,=20
they are not all good - the 5th and 7th are not particularly good sounding=
=20
bells, but the others all are and the effect of them chimed in rounds is qu=
ite=20
fine.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Despite being unringable, these bells are =
well=20
looked after. We were shown them by the chap who looks after them, and he i=
s=20
clearly aware of their significance and obviously looks after them well - t=
he=20
tower is clean and all metalwork recently painted.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>More research is definitely needed to esta=
blish=20
exactly what changes have been made to the installation since originally=20
installed. The story is not simple, of that I am sure.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>David</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>