[Bell Historians] Charlton Adam, Somerset
Richard Offen
richard.offen at N_iXvDP35EEH1sxon3kjKG9_cLZkFS1Ef7C8ClV2LQ2XvYt06N2_568iUWWxqHd54i7j8QTabtlXxS5f1IvPiwhm.yahoo.invalid
Thu Feb 15 00:31:51 GMT 2007
> Agreed!
>
> Speaking as a contractor who declined to quote for anything except
the
> modern fittings route! I am told that several other contractors
also declined to
> quote.
>
>
> When I was consulted by the architect, I asked - Do the parish know
what
> they are getting out of a "conservation" scheme? If they are
looking for a ring
> of bells on which they can train and maintain a local band, then
perhaps they
> will run into problems. If they are looking for a ring of bells
which can be
> rung by experienced ringers only, on what could well be a limited
basis -
> well perhaps they will be OK.
>
> Looking after several local rings hung on late 19th/ early 20th C
fittings,
> I know how much extra care and maintenance an old style ring need.
I lost
> count of the number of times the tenor clapper fell out of our old
tenor at
> Chilcompton - inc twice in one week!
>
>
> The whole scheme at Charlton Adam has been handled by a firm of
conservation
> architects, who want to keep as much as possible (as is their
way). Sadly
> none of these are ringers, and refuse to be advised by ringers. I
was told that
> the proposal was to keep as much of the original installation as
possible,
> including the timber headstocks, wheels, plain bearings etc.
>
> Charlton Adam bells could easily be rehung with modern fittings,
within the
> CCC code of practice, for much less money than they want for the
> "conservation" restoration.
>
> Sorry - this makes me sound very anti-conservation which is far
from the
> truth, but I am also a realist. I agree that the bellframe at
Charlton Adam is
> worth preserving, and I am sure that the scheme to strengthen it
(devised by
> Adrian Dempster) will work well. As with all projects, whoever the
contractor,
> I always want to see a good job done. I hate seeing money being
wasted,
> which is what if feel will happen in this case.
>
> Nuff said.......
>
> Matthew
>
Well said Matthew!
Richard
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