[Bell Historians] St John, York

[David Bryant]

doubt if there is one - as I say, it has been redundant since the 1930s.
The legal position with regard to the bells is rather complicated, in
any case. Suffice it to say that we intend to do all we can to ensure
that they remain in situ and continue to be rung.

john ketteringham wrote:
> 
> What does the covenant referring to the bells which the Redundant
> Churches
> Uses Committee would have put into the conditions for transfer say?
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: David Bryant [mailto:djb122 at y...]
> Sent: 29 March 2002 13:16
> To: Bell Historians
> Subject: [Bell Historians] St John, York
> 
> The former church of St John, York (last used as York Arts Centre) has
> been put up for sale. It was almost demolished in the 1930s, but
> reprieved by being given to the Civic Trust, and became the Institute
> of
> Advanced Architectural Studies (part of the University) in the early
> 1950s. In the 1960s it became York Arts Centre, a small theatre which
> degenerated into a run down dive of a nightclub. For the last couple
> of
> years it has been more or less derelict, although we have continued to
> ring the bells (6, tenor 9-0-4 in G#) on a regular basis for the last
> eighteen months or so. The grade II* listed building is is quite a bad
> state (on the E-H buildings at risk register) and needs serious money
> spent on it to rectify structural problems. It became a liability to
> both the Civic Trust, who owned it, and the University (who had a
> 99-year full repairing lease). As a result, ownership has been
> transferred to the University who have put it up for sale. I haven't
> discovered what the asking price is as yet, but I'm working on it!
> 
> We hope that the bells can remain in the building and continue to be
> rung, and the University have promised to point out to any prospective
> purchasers that the bells are there and that we would like to continue
> to be able to ring them. The ring includes a bell of c.1350 (2nd) and
> two beautifully cast bells by John Potter of York (5th and tenor). The
> tenor is dated 1408, and according to the late Fred Sharpe is the
> fifth
> earliest dated bell in the country. They were rehung in 1955 by
> Taylor's
> with all new frame and fittings, so go well although the heavy
> canon-retaining stocks make them rather sluggish.
> 
> Any future developments will be reported on my York website. This is
> not
> the only threatened ring of bells in York - St Laurence is also
> threatened with demolition, and any developments there will also be
> reported on my site.
> 
> David
> 
> (p.s. if anyone want to ring at St John while the bells are still
> available contact me and I'll try to arrange something).
> 
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