BELFRY STEWARDSHIP COMMITTEE

A year of much restoration and repair work around the Guild, but of relatively low formal activity by the Committee.

Tower inspections were limited to visits and reports on the bells at King’s Somborne as part of the BRF grant-making process, and to a request for advice on the condition of the installation at St Nicholas’, Wickham for an Architect’s survey. At the year-end further requests were received to provide information to the BRF Trustees on a small number of recently proposed restoration schemes. These will be progressed early in the New Year.

The Committee did not meet formally during 2001, but members assisted in a number of locations. Graham Wright was particularly heavily involved in the rehanging at King’s Somborne, providing extensive labour support to Matthew Higby’s team. Hugh Routh was asked to undertake the inspection at Wickham, since as Portsmouth DAC bells advisor he was able to deal with both Guild and DAC aspects at one time. He has also acted on a number of other occasions in this role, providing advice to parishes. Phil Watts organised and fitted a new rope set at Crawley, completing tower work previously undertaken by the BSC in 2000, and he also fitted good second hand ropes to the three bells at St Swithun’s, Martyr Worthy, to ensure these bells can continue to be swing chimed.

Phil also ran a “Principles of Belfry Maintenance” course in support of the Guild Education Committee during September in the Stockbridge area. The accumulated value of these courses is beginning to pay dividends, with a strong sense that bell installations across the Guild are generally being maintained to a higher standard, with remedial action aided by professional input, being sought promptly to ensure bells remain in a ringable condition - and with local ringers feeling sufficiently confident to progress work without recourse to the BSC. The significant number of schemes completed, or planned during 2001/02 are a clear illustration of this.

As reported at the Guild AGM in July, the main task during the year has been documentary in nature. The BSC convenor received a request from Mr George Dawson (Central Council of Church Bell Ringers, Towers and Belfries Committee, and also of the Council for the Care of Churches Bells Sub-committee) to assist in updating the lists of bells in the Dioceses of Winchester and Portsmouth to be scheduled by the CCC for preservation on the grounds of their antiquity, uniqueness or other heritage interest. Also, for the first time historic bell-frames are to be listed. This work involves many hours of painstaking research into records of bells, their locations, founders, heritage etc. and the compilation of detailed lists for consideration and review. At the year-end, the draft submissions for Bells and for Frames in the Diocese of Winchester had been forwarded. It is hoped that those for Portsmouth Diocese can be completed shortly into 2002.

Winchester Diocesan progress in considering the Guild’s submissions on clarifying the permitted scope of works to bells under the De Minimis provisions of Faculty jurisdiction have been slow, but it is understood that the Guild can now expect a formal response in the summer of 2002. This is of importance to all Tower and Steeple Keepers in ensuring that their routine maintenance of the bells in their charge does not fall foul of these legal requirements and regulations.

As always my thanks is due to my fellow Committee members for their efforts during the year.

Phil Watts