<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0cm;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.EmailStyle18
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;}
@page WordSection1
{size:612.0pt 792.0pt;
margin:72.0pt 72.0pt 72.0pt 72.0pt;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-GB link=blue vlink="#954F72" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>The last record of full-circle ringing was at a meeting of the Beds Assn in October 1972. An inspection and some minor maintenance work was carried out by Chris Pickford and others in 1996 and permission given by the church architect and vicar for the bells to be rung for a service to commemorative the 600th anniversary of the tower. However local opposition at the last minute prevented this. Since 1996 a kitchen has been installed on the ground floor of the tower from where the bells were originally rung, and a ringing floor has been created at the level above, although the bells have never been rung from this level.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>In January 2018 at the request of the PCC, Pat Albon and I carried out an inspection and reported on a possible restoration. By then the fittings had deteriorated to such a state that it was only possible to ring the 3<sup>rd</sup> and 5<sup>th</sup>. The modified oak frame was originally designed for a previous much heavier ~19 cwt ring of 5. It dates from 1614 and would probably be serviceable with a suitable support grillage installed. Unfortunately, shortly after our visit the Church was completely stripped of its lead roofing and this rather than the bells has been the Church’s primary funding concern. The Church recently became part of the Elstow benefice and has a very small and mostly elderly congregation, so a restoration is unlikely, at least in the short term. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>(As a youngster I recall going to Houghton Conquest for a Biggleswade District meeting. When we arrived there was no ropes. Roy Ward was found sitting in the tenor pit with all the ropes pulled up to the bell chamber! I believe Stephen Ivin was taught by local ringer Willie Watts. Willie and Steve’s mother, who lived in Houghton Conquest until her early 90s, and are both still fondly remembered in the village)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;color:#767171;mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>Steve Stanford<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><a href="mailto:steve.h.stanford@gmail.com"><span style='color:#0563C1'>steve.h.stanford@gmail.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;color:#7F7F7F;mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>Home/Office Tel: +44 (0) 1234 856778<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;color:#7F7F7F;mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>Mobile Tel: +44 (0) 7742 871724<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0cm 0cm 0cm'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span lang=EN-US>From:</span></b><span lang=EN-US> Bell-historians <bell-historians-bounces@lists.ringingworld.co.uk> <b>On Behalf Of </b>oliver Lee via Bell-historians<br><b>Sent:</b> 18 October 2022 10:51<br><b>To:</b> bell-historians@lists.ringingworld.co.uk<br><b>Cc:</b> oliver Lee <oliverbellringer@outlook.com><br><b>Subject:</b> [Bell Historians] Houghton conquest Bedfordshire,<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Recently I have been re listening to Richard jones’ 2009 interview with Stephen ivin and there is a somewhere brief mention of ringing at Houghton conquest during the post war period, apparently the bells retained their original 1841 mears fittings and apparently the local verger was somewhat reluctant to let people look at them as they would’ve probably been condemned. I was wondering if anyone might know when they where last rung and what their current condition is <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Many thanks <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Oliver lee.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Sent from <a href="https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986">Mail</a> for Windows<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>