The pace of bell work within the Guild area has been maintained during the past twelve months, though there was no discernable increase in the number of projects being undertaken specifically due to the Queen’s Golden Jubilee - only one project (Lockerley) appearing to be specifically linked to this milestone.
Projects completed during the year or in hand at the year end were:-
All Saints, Alton (3, 12 cwt) - Replacement of the current ring of three with a new lighter ring of six more in keeping with the dimensions of the tower. (It is understood that Nicholson Engineering Ltd is the preferred contractor).
Status - Ongoing - fundraising not yet complete.
St Mary’s Priory, Carisbrooke (8, 20-1-0 in E) - Augmentation to 10 with two new Whitechapel trebles cast to Gillett and Johnston profiles to match the existing 8, together with new and modified framework, and overhaul of the existing gear including fitting conventional stays, sliders and runner boards to the front six, replacement of a pulley, rebuilding of the wheels and overhaul of the bearings. (Nicholson Engineering Ltd).
Status - Project completed.
All Saints, Catherington (6, 8-2-20 in A) - Repositioning the existing timber six-bell frame within the bell chamber to allow for augmentation from 6 to 8, together with any necessary servicing of the existing bells and gear. (It is understood that Whites of Appleton are the preferred contractor).
Status - Start due 20 January 2003.
St Mary, Crawley (5, 6-3-5 in A) - Removal of third bell by Guild labour, for local transportation to Soundweld, Newmarket for welding a crack in the crown.
Status - Work in hand - rehanging of bell likely February 2003.
St Peter, Froxfield (6, 5-3-24 in B flat) - Local fitting of new pulleys. Plans are now being developed to retune and rehang the ring in a new metal frame with all new gear. (Pulleys supplied by Nicholson Engineering Ltd).
Status - Pulley work believed to be completed - the more major work yet to start.
All Saints, Hursley (10, 14-0-0 in F sharp) - Replacement of lower poorly proportioned and increasingly “flexible” timber six-bell frame of 1880 by Hooper and Stokes. (Preferred contractor not known).
Status - Not yet started.
St Nicholas, Leckford (5, 8-2-4 in A) - Professional maintenance and overhaul of the installation including clearing out the bell chamber, tightening of the bell-frame and bell gear, renovation or replacement of the tenor pulley block, refurbishment of clapper assemblies, and repainting all metalwork. (Nicholson Engineering Ltd).
Status - Completed.
St John the Evangelist, Lockerley (6, 12-3-8 in G) - Village Queen’s Golden Jubilee project: Retuning and rehanging the existing late Victorian Taylor ring of 6 with all new gear in the existing composite two tier frame (with some foundation timbers and wooden cills repaired) and with work to deal with problems of rainwater ingress to the bell chamber. (Hayward Mills Associates).
Status - Work completed and bells rededicated in time for Jubilee week-end.
Mattingley, [Dedication unknown] (2, circa ¾ cwt) - Restoration of these bells to swing chiming. The older bell is dated at circa 1180 making it one of the oldest in Hampshire, while the larger bell is of 15th century date. (Contractor not known).
Status - Not known.
Holy Trinity, Penton Mewsey (2, 1¾ cwt) - Rehanging of these two uninscribed, presumed 14th Century Bells (475 & 500m diameter respectively), following removal of the remains of cast-in crown staples and welding of a crown-crack in one bell. Bells rehung for swing chiming by rope and lever, using existing headstocks with new galvanised gudgeon plates, new gudgeons and bearings, stainless steel brackets and bolts to fix bearings to turret walls; U-bolts and levers grit blasted and galvanised; new spheroidal graphite clappers & stainless crown staples; new stainless steel multi-strand chiming rope outside and flax with sally inside church. (Eayre & Smith Limited).
Note - Hampshire Bells [Colchester, 1920] records these as “modern”!
Status - Project completed.
Prior’s Dean, [Dedication unknown] (2, 7-1-10) - Rehanging of these two bells from the same unknown founder, (31¼ inch diameter, weight 5-1-14, and 34½ inch diameter, weight 7-1-10) and both dated 1704, for stationary chiming with all new fittings including trigger action chiming clappers and a new galvanised steel supporting beam. The cast-in crown staples are being removed, and the massive original bell wheels will be preserved in the bell chamber. (Matthew Higby Church Bell Engineering).
Status - Completed.
Holy Trinity, Privett (8, 12-0-15 in F) - In the care of the Churches Conservation Trust but bells regularly used by the A&P District. Overhaul of gear by a team of ringers led by Roger Barber and Martin Hough, included fitting new plate gudgeons to the existing wooden headstocks, and rehanging the bells on ball bearings. The wheels of the back six were rebuilt (the two treble wheels having been refurbished in the 1980s). The leather baldrick clappers and wrought iron strapwork also overhauled. (New gear supplied by Matthew Higby Church Bell Engineering).
Status - Completed.
St Saviour on the Cliff, Shanklin (8, 18-0-14 in E) - Removal of cast-in crown staples and rehang existing Mears 8 on new headstocks with new clappers and ball bearings, refurbished and rebuilt wheels and significant improvements to the roping. The existing timber frame much strengthened to minimise internal movement and the bells “tucked up” to reduce the dynamic loading on the tower in an endeavour to reduce tower oscillation. (Nicholson Engineering Ltd).
Status - Completed.
St Barnabas, Southampton (6, 2-3-2 in F sharp) - Installation of a completely new light ring of six bells in a new steel-grillage bell frame. The ring includes three second-hand “tenor” bells (two Gillett and Johnston and one Taylor) with three Whitechapel bells cast over the past three years. Rehanging the existing single Taylor service bell to be completed in due course. (Matthew Higby Church Bell Engineering).
Status - Completed. Bells dedicated on 20 October 2002.
St Lawrence, St Lawrence (Isle of Wight) (8, 2-1-19 in G) - Complete rehanging and restoration of this dangerously decayed Gillett and Johnston chime of 8 including the replacement of all framework, hangings and chiming equipment with stainless steel fittings to combat corrosion of the extremely exposed gable-end chime overlooking the English Channel; chiming clavier also re-sited. (Nicholson Engineering Ltd).
Status - Project complete.
St Dominic’s Priory, Sway (1, 0-3-7 in E flat) - Provision of a new (ex-stock) Whitechapel bell dated 2001, complete with fabricated steel bell frame and fittings for swing chiming, for this newly built church. (Matthew Higby Church Bell Engineering).
Status - Completed.
St James, Wield (Upper Wield) (1, circa 5 cwt) - Rehanging this Roger Landon (1448) bell for swing chiming in the existing frame, on a new timber cannon-retaining headstock with new wrought iron strapwork etc. Despite its age, the five principle tones of this bell are reputedly within 5 Hz of “Simpson” tuning. (Whites of Appleton).
Status - Bell to be reinstalled in early February 2003.