Tower arch rope grooves

[Karl Grave]

Hi
I was on an outing last Saturday & noticed something I'd never seen before.At two separate churches there were tremendous grooves cut deep into the stone either side of the top of the arch between the tower base and the nave(on the tower side).
They could only have been cut by bell ropes pulled very tight against the stonework, probably over a period of decades. I estimated three separated ropes might have been involved. The ropes obviously fell from the tower abovebut the ringers had clearly walked out into the nave pulling the ropes with them. WHY??

The only theory I could come up with is that by bracing the rope against the stone the bell could have been held over the balance without a stay. Especially if the ropes were then tied to something in the church. It must havecaused endless rope breakages.

Anyone got a better theory?


Karl Grave
Bingley, "The Throstle Nest of England"
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