Lost / reduced rings

[oakcroft13]

Have just been checking the lists on the Keltek Trust site, to find 
that Great Bookham is missing from the lists of lost / reduced rings. 
Brief details as follows:

Great Bookham, St Nicolas, Surrey (note missing 'h' from the 
dedication, it's correct).

Current installation is two bells forming the treble and tenor of a 
ring of four. Treble is unmarked, assigned by Elphick to Burford, 
circa 1400. Tenor is Eldridge 1675, weight unknown but nominal 
frequency is 956 Hz, a sharpish B. The middle two bells were sold, I 
believe based on research in the churchwardens accounts, in 1829. 
They were supposed to have been cracked. The 1552 survey reports four 
bells. 

Frame is a four bell frame, suggested by Elphick to be co-eval with 
the tenor. Some timber (including a curved brace) incorporated from 
previous frame. The treble and tenor were rehung on timber stocks by 
WBF in 1958. The previous fittings including all four headstocks, 
remains of wheels, stirrup top clappers etc. are still there in or 
under the frame. The remaining fittings (iron 'pendulum' stays etc.) 
show clearly that they were rung full circle.

The frame is free-standing inside the tower. The bells are about 30 
feet above the ground. All four bells swung the same way, and the 
frame is very heavily cross-braced in this direction
in an attempt to stop it moving. The two remaining bells are today 
swing chimed by a keen band of helpers.

Bill H