[Bell Historians] Bell frame for sale (of no practical use)

[Richard Offen]

Similarly, in 1985, after a long battle over its future and with
considerable extra effort (a chainsaw is much easier!), we carefully marked
and dismantled the rotting frame at Godmersham, Kent, with a view to it
being put on display somewhere.   

 

The frame had reached the stage where is was on the verge of being incapable
of carrying the dead load of the ring it contained, let alone a swinging one
(one foundation beam had rotted through completely and was being propped up
with an Acroprop on to a floor of dubious strength below), but the Kent
Archaeology Society and one or two local antiquarians fought a hard battle
to keep it in situ up the tower.    

 

Thankfully as Diocesan Advisor, the Diocesan Advisory Committee back my
assertion that if it was left in situ the frame would cause serious damage
to the bells (a 1687 ring of 5, by Christopher Hodson) and the fabric of the
tower.   A compromise was reached whereby the KCACR 'Heavy Squad' would
carefully take the frame apart and it would be put on display at some
suitable venue by the Canterbury Archaeological Trust.   

 

To the best of my knowledge, I believe the frame is still quietly rotting
away in the corner of the Trust's store in Canterbury, no suitable home ever
having been found for it.   Some of the timbers were in such an advanced
stage of decay 20 years ago that the structure probably more resembles a
pile ground ginger now than a bell frame .that's if it hasn't already been
used for firewood - which was all that it was fit for!

 

Richard

 

  _____  

From: bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com [mailto:bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com]
On Behalf Of Alan Buswell
Sent: Tuesday, 18 March 2008 11:29 PM
To: bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Bell Historians] Bell frame for sale (of no practical use)

 

Even giving bell frames to museums does not always work. In the spring of
1981 a 4-bell frame possibly mid 15th century, was given to the Weald
Downland Open Air Museum in West Sussex. I gather it is still in store with
no plans for it's display.

 

AAJB

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From: Bickerton, Roderic (SELEX GALILEO, UK)
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To: bellhistorians@ <mailto:bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com> yahoogroups.com 

Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2008 1:34 PM

Subject: RE: [Bell Historians] Bell frame for sale (of no practical use)

 


Good point, and a place to put some of the old and useless bells
cluttering up towers.

Besides which, as magnificent as the joinery is in some frames, the
structure totally loses context when bereft of its bells.

Richard
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