[Bell Historians] Diagonal Frames

[Michael A Williams]

On Thu, 2 Oct 2003, john ketteringham wrote:

> I have made a search of Lincolnshire Bells and Bellfounders and have found
> references to diagonally placed bell frames at Benington, Gedney, Hacconby
> and Holbeach.

I can confirm that Hacconby is placed diagonally. John Greenhough and I
had look in 1997, this is what I noted down:

Haconby, Lincolnshire. St Andrew. 4/4/97
The church here is on the edge of the Fens. The west tower
holds a mediaeval ring of four, numbers 1,2,3,5 of a ring of five.
The frame sits diagonally in the tower, which allows the ropes to
fall in a perfect square along the walls at the ground floor. The
frame has badly corroded metal bracing and is rotting (especially
around the bearings). Part of the wheel is missing from the tenor,
and the other wheels are loose and fragile. The treble jams
against the frame when swung. A rope is tied to the second for
chiming. A concrete ring beam is in place in the room below and
there is a very long draught down to the ground below this floor.
There are metal hoop staples in the walls to act as guides. Tenor
7cwt.

-- 
Michael