[Bell Historians] Tower arch rope grooves

[matthewhigby at a...]

In a message dated 31/03/04 09:14:33 GMT Daylight Time, 
david at b... writes:

> >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 above but 
> the ringers had clearly walked out into the nave pulling the ropes with 
> them. WHY??
> 
> Possibly they were just being swing-chimed.

I have likewise noticed grooves in arches. From more of a bell-hanging point 
of view - I assumed they were made when raising and lowering bells - possibly 
using a windlass or similar. We noted some grooves in the tower arch at 
Gussage St Michael, Dorset recently - they proved to be in the right place when we 
had to steer the bells around the font!

Matthew

Matthew Higby & Co Ltd,
Church Bell Engineers.
Jasmine Cottage,
The Street,
Chilcompton,
Bath,
BA3 4HN.


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