[Bell Historians] St. Mary's Denbigh

[Bickerton, Roderic (SELEX GALILEO, UK)]

Why do they sound so good?
I thought I knew exactly what to expect from a 3/4 Tn 1873 Whitechapel 8.
Wrong, they are very good.
 
Is anything known, were they some sort of experiment, tuned by someone different, cast by someone else under contract or what? 
 
 
NBR 
 " Denbigh, Clwyd
S Mary
Bell Weight Nominal Note Diameter Cast Founder Canons
1 4-2-10  F 27.00 " 1873 Mears & Stainbank Y
2 4-2-26  E 27.56 " 1873 Mears & Stainbank Y
3 5-1-23  D 29.75 " 1873 Mears & Stainbank Y
4 6-2-1  C 32.00 " 1873 Mears & Stainbank Y
5 7-1-2  Bb 34.25 " 1873 Mears & Stainbank Y
6 8-2-3  A 36.25 " 1873 Mears & Stainbank Y
7 10-0-11  G 39.50 " 1873 Mears & Stainbank Y
8 14-2-11  F 43.94 " 1873 Mears & Stainbank Y
Source: Chris Pickford (WBF 1873 data); Tim Jackson
 
Contributed by: John Baldwin
Last updated: 13/04/2008  "
 
I have been told that they are on offer for £22,000.
The funds raised after removal costs and making good would be about £5,000. 
That's not even the cost of one new bell. 
The cost of installing a similar new peal of bells would be around £150,000 
 
These bells are of interest being possibly the best toned Victorian ring  of this weight to come out of Whitechapel.
 
The tower and bells were designed and built to complement each other all being designed at the same time.
Tower foundation stone 6 July 1871, bells cast 1873, church consecrated 7 December 1875, although complete December 1874.
 
Bell installations are usually compromised by having to fit bells into an early tower not designed for them.
 
The unity of design so very well exercised has produced to my mind a unique example of Victorian excellence.
 
It is shocking to find that a chiming apparatus was fitted, probably before the 1914/18 war which has prevented these bells from being rung, full circle to produce the sound of ringing, which is  part of the heritage of these lands.
In place the town has had the sound of a crude chiming device, which produces a thin poor tone reminiscent of continental bells.
 
The excellence of the engineering results in the bells still being capable of ringing as intended and capable of being restored to a condition of being regularly rung for fairly modest expense, despite 100 years of neglect.
 
I hope that this asset is not destroyed for such a small financial gain. 
 
I have taken recordings inside and outside and provided they are o/k, can be made available. 
 


SELEX Sensors and Airborne Systems Limited
Registered Office: Sigma House, Christopher Martin Road, Basildon, Essex SS14 3EL
A company registered in England & Wales.  Company no. 02426132
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