Fw: Layston

[David Cawley]

I realise that apart from the word "derelict" I said nothing about the state the bells are in.

Ringing fittings were all present, headstocks very badly infested with worm, 2nd headstock split. Stays, sliders etc very wormy. Wheels probably early 19thC, beginning to come apart. Strap gudgeons, stock hoops, very worn drive-in type bearings. Clappers probably as old as the bells. The five probably had a fair bit of ringing back in the 18th / 19th centuries. Two hammers remain of a 19th century chiming apparatus. No ropes anywhere. They were a ground floor ring.

Frame ancient. Bells hung in order 5, 1, 4, 3 swinging north/south and the 2nd at right angles at the south end. An anti-clockwise rope circle, ropes actually in approximately correct order. Three types of truss. The east side of the 3rd (now treble) pit and the south side of the pit which held the lost second are Pickford type 5C sides, but with jack-braces; the inner sides of these two pits are Pickford type 6H, again jack braced to the corner posts. Tenor pit both sides and pit between former treble and 4th (now 2nd) Pickford type 5R. There were 4 bells in 1552 and the older components of the frame are probably of c1500. I reckon that the frame was rebuilt and a 5th pit added when the bells were augmented to 5 in 1633 - the two lost bells were also by James Butler. Wedged to walls on all four sides. The outer side of the tenor pit is in a really bad way and has been stiffened by nailing boards horizontally across its members for the whole length of the pit. There are a lot of beams beneath, many of them propped up by posts, but the joints at the base of the frame are badly decayed. So is the bell chamber floor.

Hope this is of interest.

DLC

   
----- Original Message ----- 
From: David Cawley 
To: bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com 
Sent: Tuesday, June 05, 2007 7:18 PM
Subject: Re: [Bell Historians] Confidentiality



See my posting of 13.38 to-day

DLC

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: davidhird_uk 
  To: bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Tuesday, June 05, 2007 5:29 PM
  Subject: Re: [Bell Historians] Confidentiality


  --- In bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com, "Bickerton, Roderic K \(SELEX\) 
  \(UK\)" <roderic.bickerton at ...> wrote:
  >
  > 
  > The way these things are done is puzzling. An example is Layston 
  Herts. where all is not finalised, yet Rumble and Edwards, estate 
  agents of St Albans have the church on there books. 2 of the 3 bells 
  in this tower are of historic importance.
  > (I still need to do more on this.)

  I had a look at this church a while ago. A completely derelict 
  building all fenced off. Did you ever manage to get in to have a look 
  at what state the bells are in? I think David kelly was also trying to 
  gain access.

  David




            
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