[Bell Historians] Taylors 'Grimthorpe' bells

[David Cawley]

CD has backed up what I said about Denison / Beckett / Grimthorpe personal 
involvement and the three cases he cites were exactly that, as of course was 
the previous and present Big Ben. The most extreme example of his work after 
Westminster is "Edmund" (named after him - JT 1888) of St Alban's Abbey. It 
hangs in the E turret of the N transept, is 36" diameter, 11-0-20 in C# !

Far Headingley - where he was either architect and at the builder's side - 
were a true Grimthorpe octave (8, 18-1-19 in G, 1867-76). Denison Taylor 
wrote in 1932 to the Vicar: "My father in casting this peal was not allowed 
a free hand and had to work to the orders he received, viz. that the peal 
was to be cast to the designs of the late Lord Grimthorpe who was such an 
advocate of thick and high pitched bells. The peal does not do justice to my 
father and his work..." The result is given in the inscription on the 
present tenor: THESE EIGHT BELLS / CAST TO THE SPECIFICATION OF / THE FIRST 
LORD GRIMTHORPE / BY JOHN WILLIAM TAYLOR, SENIOR / WERE RECAST IN 1933 / BY 
HIS SON EDMUND DENISON TAYLOR / AT HIS EXPENSE.

So far as Madresfield is concerned, it is curious that a Faculty was granted 
for the destruction of the 4th and tenor; at the same time one was refused 
to ship the derelict carillon machine out to Swan Bells in Perth (after full 
refurbishment) on the grounds that it was part of the heritage of 
Madresfield Church. Presumably the Chancellor was led astray by that much 
misused word "Recast" (indeed, the fine gothic inscriptions on the former 
4th and tenor have been beautifully reproduced on the new treble and 
second).

DLC

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Susan & Christopher Dalton" <dalton.family at ...>
To: <bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Friday, January 06, 2006 7:37 PM
Subject: Re: [Bell Historians] Taylors 'Grimthorpe' bells


> Surely a 'Grimthorpe ring' would be one designed or specified by Lord G. 
> I
> am not aware Coddington or Madresfield were. Personally I feel a little 
> sad
> about what was done at Madresfield: the bells weren't that bad at all and 
> a
> complete period-piece (including the church) has now been messed up with 
> no
> great gain. I haven't been to Coddington since the retuning but those 
> whose
> views I respect say that it has been a great success. So you pays yer 
> money
> and takes yer choice.
>
> The old rings at Worcester cathedral (Taylor) and Doncaster parish church
> (Warner) were Grimthorpe as I understand it, and certainly the great thick
> Warner quarter bells accompanying Big Ben. But I wouldn't call a Taylor
> ring of that period 'Grimthorpe' just because the bells were thick (e.g. 
> Old
> Hill, Bolton All Souls, and indeed the back two bells at Wells cathedral).
>
> C D
>
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