Westhorpe, Suffolk, St Margaret

The 9 cwt un-ringable five in this church's tower is the work of four different founders and the bells date between circa 1530 & 1808. The bells and their fittings will be removed from the tower and brought to Loughborough for assessment, conservation, cleaning and tuning. A new treble bell will be cast to augment the ring to six, and a new bell frame and all new ringing fittings will be manufactured.

A new bell chamber floor will be constructed below the newly sited bell frame lower in the tower.

The existing treble bell has been confirmed to be cracked and will be recast, and the current third bell is of poor tone - if this cannot be improved it might be replaced by a Keltek bell. The tenor bell is heavily worn and thought to be "soft", with too much tin in the casting mixture. A decision has been made to also recast this bell.

* These bells are being removed from the tower at present.

* The bells are now at the Foundry.

* The installation of the new belfry floor will begin at the end of October.

*The moulds for the new treble and recast second bell are being prepared.

*The three new bells have been cast and fettled.

*The new cast iron headstocks have been cast and gudgeoned.

*The new galvanised steel bell frame is under construction.

*The bell frame has been galvanised and is ready for installation.

*Work in the tower has commenced w/c 18th March.

*The bells have been test rung.