[Bell Historians] Re: Time Team: Salisbury cathedral Campanile.

[Anne Willis]

I have a colleague who is writing a book on the Quantocks and he has 
unearthed that among many of the fittings and furniture from London 
churches 'evacuated' during WWII, the bells of St Bartholomew the Great, St 
Bartholomew the Less, and St Andrew Undershaft were stored in the cloisters 
of Cleeve Abbey - for which he has a picture.

he asked if the bells of other churches were similarly evacuated to safe 
havens in the countryside - and I had to express total ignorance! Does 
anybody know more?

RON


I found the article below in ‘The Wiltshire Times, and have often wondered
which Bellfoundry was offering this service.  Both rings in the town
remained in their towers during the war.

Anne

Saturday April 18th 1942
THE BELLS OF BRADFORD
Town to decide on their Safeguarding

Discussion on the immediate safeguarding of the fine peal of bells in the
Parish Church, in view of the possibility of their being damaged by enemy
action, took place at the parochial meeting of Holy Trinity church held on
Friday evening at Church House. M H. G. Baker, captain of the bell ringers,
raised the question, saying that at a meeting of the Fire Committee, the
question of the safety of the bells arose and he was asked to bring it to
the notice of the meeting. Although the church itself was insured, the tower
was not covered in any way - it was a separate part of the church - if there
was any enemy action such as a direct hit on the tower, the bells, which
were also not insured, could not be replaced. They were a good peal of
bells, well known throughout the west of England and Churches in Bristol had
been well-rewarded for taking their bells down. 
	The question of their having to be rung on invasion was brought up
by another member, but it was stated that they were allowed to be taken
down.
	Mr Baker said that they would cost between £2 and £3,000 to replace
and at least two of them dated from 1612 (sic). 
	A letter was then read out by Mr S. A. Gough (peoples’ warden) from
a firm of bell hangers, who had restored the bells in 1924. This firm
recommended that the bells should be dismantled and placed over a wide area,
perhaps in the gardens of parishioners. Only a direct hit would be likely to
cause trouble to a bell. With local labour one of the firm’s men could see
to the dismantling. The total cost would be about £45 -50 and they had done
several jobs on these lines.
	The Vicar (Rev P. M. Barry) who presided at the meeting said that
they had to weigh up the advantage of having bells when peace rung out
against the risk of their bells being hit and probably the cost now would be
£75 - £100. He also suggested the alternative of insuring the bells but a
member remarked that the bells could never be replaced as they were.  
	After more discussion the Vicar suggested that if the was were to
intensify, then they would call a special meeting of the parish to decide
then and there whether they should lower the bells.
	Eventually it was decided that there should be a notice inserted in
the press (further particulars will appear later in our columns) and that
the matter should be referred to the town.