An order has been placed for work to be undertaken on the two bells in the Abbey’s Bell Tower. The smaller of the two, the “monastery bell”, is to have its electromagnetic hammer replaced, together with a new programmable controller unit and its surrounding supporting steelwork will be restored. Great Bede, the abbey’s 5 ton bourdon bell, will be rehung in the tower on a massive new cast iron headstock designed for slow swing chiming. Its other fittings will modified as necessary to fit the new headstock, and it will also have its side tolling hammer overhauled and its electrical controls upgraded. A new programmable unit will be supplied and fitted.

Update

• Our engineers have completed the first phase of the restoration work involving the supporting steelwork. The casting of the headstock and couterbalanced clapper has been outsourced to a specialist cast iron founder and casting is underway.