Blockley, Gloucestershire
S.S. Peter & Paul
This 16 cwt ring of eight, together with its bell frame and fittings will be removed from the tower for a major restoration project. A new ten bell “lowside” cast iron and galvanised steel bell frame will be manufactured. Two new treble bells will be cast, and the tenor bell recast, the other bells being tuned. New fittings will be manufactured for all the bells, and the augmented ring will then be rehung in the tower.
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Neil starts fitting the canon retaining headstocks to the bells.
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Mick works on the new set of ten bell wheels - made from furniture grade seasoned hardwood they'll certainly last more than a century.
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Ross fits sliders and stays in Blockley's new cast iron and steel bell frame as it nears completion.
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Colin's been building bell frames at Taylors for 44 years now - a master crafsman.
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Works Director Paul Mason unloads one of the cleaned bells.
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Blockley bells ready for dispatch.
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Ready to ring (Photo: Chris Povey.)
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Safely installed and ready for the try out (Photos: Neil Thomas.)
Update
All bells cast and tuned. New headstocks have been manufactured and gudgeons fitted. All ten bell wheels have now been manufactured. The building of the new bell frame has been completed - it is now being galvanised.
This 16 cwt eight, its bell frame and all fittings was removed from the tower for a major restoration project. The tenor bell was recast, and now weighs 17cwts 0 qrs 6 lbs, the other bells tuned, and two new trebles were cast to augment the ring to ten. A new cast iron and galvanised steel bell frame of "lowside" design was manufactured, and all new fittings were made before the bells were rehung in the tower.