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<DIV>In a message dated 14/02/2007 04:54:50 GMT Standard Time,
richard.offen@aBZY53qKlTVvb_vBNoZJoqVBtuhBr2pjB1xXwu2Ks2KN6AxsmqcRQBalswLGNM99YydHFkK3u2ZCZjE081SNSz-RZryQ.yahoo.invalid writes:</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"><FONT
style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Georgia color=#000000
size=2>Interesting, isn't it that a comparison is often made between the
<BR>careful conservation of an historical organ and a ring of bells. The
<BR>big difference is that, quite often, once carefully cleaned and
<BR>conserved, the action of an historic organ can be light, responsive and
<BR>a pleasure to play ...not sure that the same could ever be said of a
<BR>ring of bells hung on eighteenth century
fittings!<BR><BR>Richar<BR></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>Agreed!</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Speaking as a contractor who declined to quote for anything except the
modern fittings route! I am told that several other contractors also
declined to quote.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV>When I was consulted by the architect, I asked - Do the parish know what
they are getting out of a "conservation" scheme? If they are looking for a
ring of bells on which they can train and maintain a local band, then perhaps
they will run into problems. If they are looking for a ring of bells which can
be rung by experienced ringers only, on what could well be a limited
basis - well perhaps they will be OK.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Looking after several local rings hung on late 19th/ early 20th C fittings,
I know how much extra care and maintenance an old style ring need. I
lost count of the number of times the tenor clapper fell out of our old
tenor at Chilcompton - inc twice in one week!</DIV></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The whole scheme at Charlton Adam has been handled by a firm of
conservation architects, who want to keep as much as possible (as is their way).
Sadly none of these are ringers, and refuse to be advised by ringers. I was told
that the proposal was to keep as much of the original installation as possible,
including the timber headstocks, wheels, plain bearings etc.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Charlton Adam bells could easily be rehung with modern fittings, within the
CCC code of practice, for much less money than they want for the "conservation"
restoration. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Sorry - this makes me sound very anti-conservation which is far from the
truth, but I am also a realist. I agree that the bellframe at Charlton Adam
is worth preserving, and I am sure that the scheme to strengthen it (devised by
Adrian Dempster) will work well. As with all projects, whoever the contractor,
I <U>always</U> want to see a good job done. I hate seeing money being
wasted, which is what if feel will happen in this case.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Nuff said.......</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Matthew</DIV>
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