History Of The Bells

These bells have always been hung dead for chiming in the church that was built in 1841/2. They replaced a single Mears bell of 1842, 3-0-17. They were installed to mark the Golden Jubilee of the church on 19th August 1892. They were cast without canons and are sounded by means of tolling hammers attached to the headstocks.

Details Of The Bells

1   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough   1892   1-2-00
2   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough   1892   2-1-09
3   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough   1892   3-1-10

History Of The Bells

Hung in seventeenth century oak frame. Rehung "dead" for chiming by Mears & Stainbank in 1938 and chimed from a manual. The bells retain their canons. The church is geographically in Warwickshire, but is in fact in the Birmingham Diocese

Details Of The Bells

1   William Hasylwood, Reading,   c.1500   3½cwt
2   Henry Bagley,                   1678   4cwt
3   Thomas Newcombe,              c.1580   5cwt   30.00"

History Of The Bells

These bells are hung dead as a chime. They retain their canons and hang in a massive seventeenth century four bell frame. There are bearing indents in the vacant pit, suggesting that there may once have been a ring of four in this tower. The tower has a pronounced lean to the north and west. The bells were hung dead as a chime by Mears and Stainbank in July 1929 at a cost of ?51. They are sounded by means of ropes attached to the old ringing clappers and chime from a manual at the base of the tower.

Details Of The Bells

1   Matthew Bagley, Chacombe        1775   6¾cwt
2   Richard Sanders, Bromsgrove     1720   7½cwt
3   Bartholomew Atton, Buckingham   1596   10cwt   38.375"

History Of The Bells

1, 3 amp; 5 of a 5. Tenor certainly hung for ringing and the H frames for a ring of 3 are place and the grillage for the missing second and fourth is there. The treble has an unusual stock - without stay socket or wheel fixture. The others are normal ringing stocks with iron levers fixed to the stay sockets. They ought to be able to be converted to full circle ringing - and Chris Pickford's sketch plan of the frame suggests that there's probably room for them to swing full circle. Double Ellacombe hammers on all the bells, installed in 1907, could be in the way of doing so at present.

Details Of The Bells

1   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough   1899   2-2-22
2   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough   1899   4-2-03
3   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough   1899   7-1-22   33.625"

History Of The Bells

This church was built in 1863/4, as a daughter church in the parish of Handsworth, with a south-west tower topped by a spire. It became a parish in its own right in 1865. Presumably a bell was installed at the building of the church, but no details of one are known. The tower now contains a set of eight tubular bells in the key of C natural put up in June 1897 for the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria, as recorded on a plaque in the base of the tower. The bells hang in two rows of four in a wooden framework, with the even-numbered bells in one row and the odd-numbered ones in the other. They are chimes from a plucking manual on the first floor of the tower. There is nothing to confirm this in the tower, but the chime is almost certainly from Harrington, Latham and Co, Coventry.

(Most of the above information is quoted directly (with permission) from the research notes of Chris Pickford)

Details Of The Bells

Bell    Length    Diameter		
1       58¾"      3¼"		
2       60¾"      3¼"
3       64½"      3¼"
4       67¾"      3¼"
5       73⅛"      3¼"
6       75⅛"      3¼"
7       79½"      3¼"
8       89⅛"      3⅝"

History Of The Bells

The Bournville Carillon is located in the Junior Schools in Linden Road. The schools were built in 1904-6 and the massive entrance was decided to be a suitable place for a carillon by George Cadbury late in the building process. The open cupola containing the bells was rebuilt in 1934 to replace a smaller structure.

The history of the bells is somewhat convoluted. In short it is:-

1906 - 22 bells supplied by Taylors, two octaves in F#, but not fully chromatic at the bass end, bass bell 17-2-17 in F
1923 - 15 more bells added by Taylors, adding the three missing lower semitones and extending the carillon to three octaves.
1925 - Taylors added three more bells at the treble end and two at the bass end of the carillon. Bass bell now 40-3-17 in C
1934 - Three more bells added to the treble end and two more to the bass end of the carillon by Gillett and Johnson and all but, four of the Taylor bells, one from 1906 and three from 1935, were recast to give the configuration we have today. Only the lowest semitone is missing.
1951 - The two largest bells were moved higher in the frame by Gillett and Johnson
1988 - A major restoration of the Carillon by Taylors.

(Most of the above information is quoted directly (with permission) from the research notes of Chris Pickford)

Details Of The Bells

1   Gillett & Johnston, Croydon,    1934     0-0-10.75     6.69"    7350.0Hz	
2   Gillett & Johnston, Croydon,    1934     0-0-11        6.75"    6950.0Hz
3   Gillett & Johnston, Croydon,    1934     0-0-11.5      7.06"    6550.0Hz
4   Gillett & Johnston, Croydon,    1934     0-0-11.5      7.31"    6184.0Hz
5   Gillett & Johnston, Croydon,    1934     0-0-11.5      7.375"   5846.0Hz
6   Gillett & Johnston, Croydon,    1934     0-0-11.75     7.44"    5508.0Hz
7   Gillett & Johnston, Croydon,    1934     0-0-13        7.75"    5202.0Hz
8   Gillett & Johnston, Croydon,    1934     0-0-13.75     8.06"    4900.0Hz
9   Gillett & Johnston, Croydon,    1934     0-0-17        8.56"    4626.0Hz
10  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon,    1934     0-0-20.25     9.25"    4369.0Hz
11  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon,    1934     0-0-22.5      9.50"    4121.0Hz
12  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon,    1934     0-0-26       10.06"    3888.0Hz
13  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon,    1934     0-1-04.25    10.56"    3668.0Hz
14  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon,    1934     0-1-06.75    11.00"    3467.0Hz
15  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon,    1934     0-1-11.75    11.875"   3266.0Hz
16  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon,    1934     0-1-14.75    11.94"    3085.0Hz
17  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon,    1934     0-1-19.5     12.56"    2916.0Hz
18  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon,    1934     0-2-01       13.19     2748.0Hz
19  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon,    1934     0-2-04.5     13.56"    2595.0Hz
20  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon,    1934     0-2-14.5     14.375"   2443.0Hz
21  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon,    1934     0-2-25.5     15.125"   2310.0Hz
22  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon,    1934     0-3-11       16.00"    2180.0Hz
23  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon,    1934     1-0-08.5     16.875"   2056.0Hz
24  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon,    1934     1-0-26       18.125"   1940.0Hz
25  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon,    1934     1-1-19       19.00"    1830.0Hz
26  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon,    1934     1-2-20       20.00"    1730.0Hz
27  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon,    1934     1-3-24       21.00"    1630.0Hz
28  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon,    1934     2-1-17       22.25"    1540.0Hz
29  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon,    1934     2-2-10       23.375"   1456.0Hz
30  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon,    1934     3-0-10       24.75"    1372.0Hz
31  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon,    1934     3-2-00       26.00"    1296.0Hz
32  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon,    1934     4-0-14       27.50"    1222.0Hz
33  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon,    1934     4-2-02       28.50"    1154.0Hz
34  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon,    1934     5-0-27       30.00"    1090.0Hz
35  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon,    1934     5-3-22       31.50"    1028.0Hz
36  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon,    1934     6-2-15       33.00"     970.0Hz
37  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon,    1934     7-1-19       34.50"     915.0Hz
38  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon,    1934     9-0-10       36.625"    865.0Hz
39  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon,    1934    10-1-09       38.375"    815.0Hz
40  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon,    1934    12-1-09       41.00"     770.0Hz
41  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon,    1934    15-1-02       43.50"     728.0Hz
42  John Taylor & Co, Loughborough  1906    17-2-10       46.00"     686.0Hz
43  John Taylor & Co, Loughborough  1925    22-1-02       48.625"    648.0Hz
44  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon,    1934    27-0-05       52.19"     611.0Hz
45  John Taylor & Co, Loughborough  1925    30-3-02       54.19"     577.0Hz
46  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon,    1934    36-2-21       58.00"     545.0Hz
47  John Taylor & Co, Loughborough  1925    40-3-14       60.375"    514.0Hz
48  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon,    1934    64-0-18       70.00"     457.5Hz

History Of The Bells

These bells are hung for swing chiming. The C17th frame has four pits. The bells sound 1, 2 and 4 of 4. They were formerly hung for ringing.

Details Of The Bells

1   Hugh Watts, Leicester                         1637    3cwt
2   Joseph Smith, Edgbaston                       1724    4cwt
3   Edward Newcombe & Hugh Watts, Leicester       c1600   5½cwt  31.875"

History Of The Bells

These are a chime hung in a gable end turret. Access is extremely difficult. The middle bell is/was on the floor of the church. They are hung for swing chiming in a three tier wood frame placed diagonally within the turret.

Details Of The Bells

1   Naylor Vickers, Sheffield   1858   17.00"
2   Naylor Vickers, Sheffield   1858   18.50"
3   Naylor Vickers, Sheffield   1858   21.00"

History Of The Bells

In 1879 a dual purpose church and day school was opened. Over the centre of the building is a timber framed turret containing three bells that are hung dead, with the tenor on top of the other two. The bells, which have canons, are sounded via ropes that are connected to the clappers.

Details Of The Bells

1   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough   1878   0-3-08   17.00"
2   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough   1878   1-2-17   18.50"
3   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough   1878   2-2-06   21.00"

History Of The Bells

This is a clock chime in the Elizabethan Gatehouse at Charlecote Park. These bells and the 8 day clock were supplied by Mears to the clockmaker Tupman of Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London in 1824 at a cost of £385 2s 7d. They sound the notes D, A, D, E F# from the tenor to treble. The clock is just visible in the photograph on the right hand turret.

Details Of The Bells

1   Thomas Mears, London   1824         14.00"
2   Thomas Mears, London   1824         16.00"
3   Thomas Mears, London   1824         17.75"
4   Thomas Mears, London   1824         22.25"
5   Thomas Mears, London   1824   4¾cwt 28.00"

History Of The Bells

These bells are now hung dead as a chime. They hang in an enclosed turret with a spirelet over the west end of the nave. The bells cost £49 2s 8d, plus £19 for hanging them. They have lever clappers, the largest bell hanging above the other two.

Details Of The Bells

1   Mears and Stainbank, London   1867   1-1-5
2   Mears and Stainbank, London   1867   1-3-8
3   Mears and Stainbank, London   1867   2-1-16

History Of The Bells

This is a prominent red sandstone church with a central tower on Corporation Street, near to the mediaeval Spon Street. This fine cruciform church was originally built as a chapel for one of the City Guilds on land given by Queen Isabella in 1344. It was consecrated in 1350 but the original building was substantially enlarged and rebuilt in the C15th and early C16th. After Bablake College was dissolved in 1548 the building became the property of the City. It did not become a parish church until 1734.

It is the origin of the phrase "Being sent to Coventry" as is was used as a prison for Scottish Royalists in the Civil War. The prisoners were allow to wander inside the city walls, but the locals refused to speak to them, hence the phrase.

The bells were hung for ringing until the latter part of the 19th century. The chime contains one of the former ring of 8 from St Michael's, now the Cathedral, as St John's tenor bell was cracked and it was swapped for one going from St Michael's to Lester and Pack for recasting into 10 in 1774. The weight given is as supplied to St Michael in 1675. The bells were rehung in 1774 and 1825, and there is a short contemporary report of the ringing which took place when the bells were reopened on 4 January 1826. They were probably never rung after the lantern tower was opened up during the 1858 restoration. The clock was installed in 1889 and in the same year an iron ringing gallery was erected in the open stage of the lantern tower. This is when the bells were rearranged (still with their old ringing headstocks and in part of the old frame) as a chime. The ringing gallery - where the chiming manual was positioned - was designed by Mr. Webster of Coventry and made at the Eagle Iron Works, and dedicated in June 1889. Chimed by John Greenhough in the middle of June 2001, he suggesting that they form 2-6 of an 8.

The bells are now hung for chiming in the remains of a C17th bellframe, part of which was removed to accommodate the clock in 1889. The treble occupies a pit on the south side of the tower, bells 2 and 3 are on the west side and bells 4 and 5 are on the east. The trusses consist of sills, braces, curved jack-braces and long heads. Along the sill on the north side there is a carved inscription (partially concealed) which appears to read & amp;FE BOW ? RICHARD BAR ? [OVGHTON]& amp;. The part in square brackets was noted by William Saunders in 1891 but it is no longer visible.

The bells are chimed by Ellacombe hammers from a chiming manual on the ringing gallery. They are still hung from their old ringing headstocks, but without wheels, stays or sliders. They have wooden stocks with strap gudgeons and stock hoops. The tenor is secured by bolts through the crown, the fourth has U-bolts through the canons, and the others have traditional ironwork. They still retain their clappers. There is evidence of the former bearings in the frame-heads. These fittings are of late C18th or early C19th date, and may have been supplied by Robert Turner or William Worton in 1774 and 1825 respectively. There is a three-train flatbed clock movement by Joyce of Whitchurch, 1889, with double three-legged gravity escapement. It strikes the hours and ding-dong quarters, and shows the time on three dials 7¾ ft. in diameter

This is a fascinating belfry, although it is a pity that the bells have become so badly corroded (especially the mediaeval ones) and unfortunate that the present arrangement makes examination of the bells and frame an awkward and difficult task. The frame deserves closer study, and it would be interesting to work out how the bells were arranged before they were rehung in their present positions in 1889. Full examination is not possible at present owing to the position of the clock case. Although once hung for ringing, the bells have only been chimed since 1889. The cast iron ringing gallery ? although unusual and interesting (especially for its local manufacture) ? is impractical for modern use.

(With thanks to CJP for much of this detail)

Details Of The Bells

1   Henry Bagley I, Chacombe     1676   4cwt
2   Pack & Chapman, London       1778   4¾cwt 
3   John Hose, Leicester         c1350  5¼cwt
4   John of Stafford, Leicester  c1360  8cwt
5   Henry Bagley I, Chacombe     1675   9-3-21

History Of The Bells

Displacing a mission church of 1885, a permanent church was built in red brick and terracotta in the Decorated style in 1897-8, the architect being J.A. Chatwin of Birmingham. Lord Calthorpe gave the site and the cost of building the church was chiefly met by the Misses Stokes of the Hawthorns, Edgbaston, who contributed £6000 for the purpose. The parish, carved out of Edgbaston, was assigned in 1903.

The tower contains a set of 8 tubular bells in C natural, almost certainly by Harrington, Latham and Co. of Coventry, from 1899.

(Most of the above information is quoted directly (with permission) from the research notes of Chris Pickford)

Details Of The Bells

Bell  Length   Diameter
1     63.00"   3.75"		
2     65.00"   3.75"		
3     69.25"   3.75"		
4     73.50"   3.75"		
5     78.50"   3.75"
6     81.00"   3.75"
7     86.50"   3.75"
8     94.00"   4.00"

History Of The Bells

This clock tower stands 100m (327ft) tall and is said to be the tallest clock tower in the world. It was built as the result of a large donation and is of red brick. It is based on the Mangia Towerin Siena, Italy. The tower was built in 1907-9 by Waring White of London. Thomas Rowbotham, the main builder of the campus made the very generous gift of some £2000 for the clock and bells for the new tower. The original electric lift, installed by Otis, still remains in use. The tower was built from the inside, without the use of scaffolding and as a result needed pointing by 1914, The clock is by J B Joyce of Whitchurch, the dials being 17 feet 6 inches in diameter.

The bells, forming 1, 2, 3, 6 & 10 of a "ring" of 10, were cast by Taylors and rehung by the same firm in 1981 due to problems with the grillage.

(Most of the above information is quoted directly (with permission) from the research notes of Chris Pickford)

Details Of The Bells

1   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough    1908    9-1-04    34.19"   1008.0Hz
2   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough    1908   10-3-26    37.50"    898.0Hz
3   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough    1908   15-2-00    42.19"    800.0Hz
4   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough    1908   35-1-20    55.875"   600.0Hz
5   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough    1908  121-2-11    83.50"    401.0Hz

History Of The Bells

This is a lost clock chime. The orphanage was founded in 1862 by Josiah Mason (b.1795-b.1881), the Birmingham pen manufacturer a nd philanthropist, offering a refuge for poor children of the district. When completed the orphanage was a large three-storey building in red brick with two towers, one in the middle of the entrance front and one on the west side. On his death in 1881 Mason, who was knighted in 1872 for his charitable work, was buried in the chapel.

The first set of clock and bells was not satisfactory and a new, heavier set was cast and a large clock provided. They struck the "Westminster or "Cambridge" chimes and are the equivalent 1, 2, 3, 6 & 10 of a ring of 10 The orphanage was closed in 1963 and demolished the following year. The weights below are those provided by Taylors who scrapped them.

(Most of the above information is quoted directly (with permission) from the research notes of Chris Pickford)

Details Of The Bells

1   William Blews & Sons, Birmingham    1871     3-3-12     26.50"    1348Hz
2   William Blews & Sons, Birmingham    1871     4-0-18     27.625"   1188Hz
3   William Blews & Sons, Birmingham    1871     4-2-04     29.375"   1070Hz
4   William Blews & Sons, Birmingham    1871     9-3-16     38.25"     802Hz
5   William Blews & Sons, Birmingham    1871    14-2-03     43.125"    701Hz

History Of The Bells

This church is in St.Michael’s Road, off Soho Hill. The church was built, originally as a chapel of ease to Handsworth Parish Church in 1855. There is a tower, added in 1866, and spire at the south-west corner and a turret between the south aisle and the chancel that once held a small bell

In 1888 a set of eight tubular bells was placed in the tower, installed by Harrington, Latham & Co of Coventry, these bells cost £100. They were in the key of A flat, the biggest bell being 7ft.5in feet long and 3¼” in diameter. The tubular bells were rehung and repaired in 1946 by William Potts & Sons of Leeds, clockmakers, in memory of three parishioners who lost their lives in World War II. Seven of them were sold to a scrap metal merchant in about 1965, and the remaining one was subsequently stolen.

(Most of the above information is quoted directly (with permission) from the research notes of Chris Pickford)

History Of The Bells

This parish was carved out of Harborne and Quinton in 1933. Originally this area was in Staffordshire, but was absorbed into Birmingham and therefore Warwickshire in 1891. This church was built in 1936/7, to replace a mission room of 1906, and extended in 1960. Originally there was one small; bell, by Mears and Stainbank, cast in 1937. In 1975 a chime of eight bells (rescued from the redundant church of All Saints, Hockley, on the eve of its demolition) was installed. The previous bell remains, but is not in use.

(Most of the above information is quoted directly (with permission) from the research notes of Chris Pickford)

Details Of The Bells

1   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough     1929    0-3-27   16.00"    2068.0Hz
2   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough     1929    1-0-15   16.875"   1958.0Hz
3   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough     1929    1-2-10   19.00"    1743.0Hz
4   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough     1929    2-0-08   21.00"    1552.0Hz
5   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough     1929    2-2-21   23.00"    1383.0Hz
6   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough     1929    3-0-10   24.375"   1306.0Hz
7   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough     1929    4-3-03   27.625"   1164.0Hz
8   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough     1929    6-1-21   30.625"   1037.0Hz

History Of The Bells

Formerly a ring of 3, rehung by Barwell of Birmingham in a composite frame in the early 1900s, these bells were rehung for swing chiming in the early 1990s.

Details Of The Bells

1   No inscription "An old bell"        2cwt   20.25"
2   Thomas Newcombe, Leicester   c1565  3cwt   24.25"
3   Matthew Bagley, Chacombe     1778   4cwt   27.25"

History Of The Bells

A nice church with a spire just off the A46. The tower looks like it should have bells. Unfortunately for us ringers it does, but only a chime. Originally there was a single bell hung for ringing by C. & G. Mears, 1852 (4-1-6). Taylors rehung it on ball bearings in 1931. After the War, the old bell was scrapped and replaced by a chime of ten cast by Taylors in 1949-50 - given in memory of Thomas Ball. The additional semitones were added to the original order, hence their later casting date. The bells are an octave with two semitones (flat 2nd and flat 4th). The bells are hung dead in a two tier steel framework, 4-8 below the rest, and sounded from a clavier in a room lower in the tower.

Details Of The Bells

1   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough   1949   1-3-11
2   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough   1949   2-0-14 
2b  John Taylor & Co, Loughborough   1950   2-1-16 
3   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough   1949   2-2-25 
4   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough   1949   3-0-19 
4b  John Taylor & Co, Loughborough   1950   3-3-09 
5   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough   1949   4-2-06 
6   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough   1949   5-0-06 
7   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough   1949   6-3-15 
8   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough   1950   9-2-04  37.00"

History Of The Bells

Unsurprisingly this church is in St Mary Street! The church was built in 1839 and provided with a single bell by Thomas Mears (12-1-23, 41.00") which was hung for ringing. A chime of eight bells was erected as a War Memorial in 1945. They are fixed to two steel beams in two rows of four, and chimed by their clappers from a chiming manual in the ringing room.

Details Of The Bells

1    Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel    1945    2-2-26 
2    Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel    1945    3-0-27 
3    Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel    1945    3-0-25 
4    Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel    1945    3-1-19 
5    Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel    1945    4-0-09 
6    Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel    1945    4-1-10 
7    Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel    1945    5-0-13 
8    Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel    1945    6-3-03   33.00"

History Of The Bells

The church was built between 1873 and 1878, originally having a small bells in a turret on the north-east corner of the north transept. When the tower was completed a clock and bell was installed. This bell was second hand and is an early example of Warner's work after restarting bell founding in 1850. Two Taylor trebles were added in 1899. The tenor bell was originally hung for ringing. The clock strikes on bells 1 & 3 and all can be chimed from an Ellacombe chiming apparatus

Details Of The Bells

1   John Taylor & Co,Loughborough        1899   3-0-14
2   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough       1899   4-1-17
3   John Warner and Sons, London         1851   5cwt   29.25"

History Of The Bells

The clock tower was given to the town in 1925 by the widow of William Davis, J.P. who had thrice been mayor of the town. The chimes fairly quickly fell out of use due to complaints from nearby residents. The clock was overhauled by Smiths of Derby in 1986, at which time the bells were brought back into action but with a night silencing mechanism.

The bells are hung in two tiers, 2, 3 & 4 on top, at the level of the sound openings. The notes, in descending order, are G#, F#, E, B and A

Details Of The Bells

1   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough   1925   1-2-15
2   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough   1925   2-0-14
3   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough   1925   2-2-16
4   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough   1925   5-2-13
5   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough   1925   8-0-27   35.50"

History Of The Bells

This is in the far north of Coventry, close to Junction 3 of the M6. It is a brick built church with a spire on what was until recently the main road into Coventry from the Bedworth area and the motorway.

The bells are hung in an old three bell ringing frame and are chimed from the base of the tower. All are by Taylor 1904, replacing an earlier chime of bells supplied between 1874 and 1892 - all by Barwell. The original bell of 1874 (weight 2-3-7) became the tenor of a ring of three when two bells were added in 1886. In 1892 five more small bells were added to make a chime of eight. Being unsatisfactory, these were replaced by a new set in 1904. There is also a further bell by Taylor, 1902 - identical in size and pitch to the third bell - weighing 1-0-4. It is also hung for chiming.

Details Of The Bells

1   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough    1904  0-3-13
2   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough    1904  0-3-24
3   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough    1904  1-0-4
4   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough    1904  1-2-23
5   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough    1904  1-3-6
6   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough    1904  2-0-23
7   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough    1904  3-0-11
8   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough    1904  4-1-8

History Of The Bells

These are hung for swing chiming in an open-sided octagonal stone bell turret with a spirelet. Due to space restrictions they can only be swing chimed through a low arc.

Details Of The Bells

1   William Blews and Son   1871   1¼cwt
2   William Blews and Son   1871   1¾cwt
3   William Blews and Son   1871   2¼cwt

History Of The Bells

The church was opened for worship in 1888 at which time a set of 8 tubular bells was supplied by Harrington, Latham & Co. The normal Harrington chiming rack has been turned by the locals into a basic clavier keyboard (with the use of broom handles).

Details Of The Bells

1   64.00"
2   66.00"
3   70.00"
4   74.50"
5   79.00"
6   91.50"
7   87.50"
8   92.00"

History Of The Bells

The parish was first created in 1669. In 1851 the Sisters of Mercy were offered the building by Bishop Ullathorne for the founding of a home for orphans. The chapel was the parish church. This was no longer big enough with the expanding poplulation of the area and a new church was built in 1954-7 to replace the previous church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception. George Bernard Cox and Bernard Vincent James of Harrison & Cox were the architects.

The church has a large west tower of brick. Access to the bells is by a long vertical iron ladder close to the north wall. The bells are hung from deadstocks on the in two rows on the north and south sides of the tower. Bells 1, 3, 5, 7 hang on the north and 2, 4, 6, 8 on the south. Originally there was an electro-magnetic hammer in each bell and they were played from a piano-type keyboard – set out for 13 bells, with the semitones omitted – in the organ loft over the porch.

The chime was overhauled by Taylors in 2009. New hammers were fitted and an "Apollo Programmable Chime Controller" added. It has a push button keypad for manual operation by pressing buttons labelled 1-8.

(Most of the above information is quoted directly (with permission) from the research notes of Chris Pickford)

Details Of The Bells

1   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough    1963    1-0-24   17.875"
2   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough    1963    1-1-16   19.00"
3   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough    1963    1-3-12   21.125"
4   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough    1963    2-2-00   23.125"
5   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough    1963    3-1-22   26.00"
6   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough    1963    4-0-14   27.50"
7   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough    1963    5-1-18   30.875"
8   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough    1963    7-2-02   34.00"

History Of The Bells

These bells were hung dead as a chime by Whitechapel in 1967 when the upper stages of the tower were rebuilt. All retain their canons and are sounded via ropes attached to the clappers.

Details Of The Bells

1   Newcombe, Leicester   1616   4cwt
2   Newcombe, Leicester   1616   4½cwt
3   Newcombe, Leicester   1609   7cwt   33.00"

History Of The Bells

These are a clock chime with the fourth quarter bell hung for ringing. The 4th is the old bell from the previous church, being by Thomas Mears, 1835. It is hung for ringing in a frame dated 1880. Taylors provided new ringing fittings for it in 1917. The others are hung dead. They are actually clock bells, but all five can be chimed from an Ellacombe chiming manual. The Mears bell has had its canons removed, but the Taylor bells retain their canons.

Details Of The Bells

1   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough        1884   3-0-12
2   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough        1884   3-3-24
3   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough        1884   5-2-18
4   Thomas Mears, Whitechapel             1835   9-3-15
5   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough        1884  14-2-11 42.50"

History Of The Bells

This is the chapel for the Roman Catholic public school and were cast to ringing weights. They are hung dead in two rows of four and chimed from an Ellacombe manual. The weights come from a newspaper report of the dedication in June 1900. The tower looks strong enough for a ringing peal, just a few thousand pounds needed. Any offers?! A couple of large water tanks at the top of the tower might make ringing interesting! There is an Angelus bell(3cwt) hung for swinging - also by Warner 1899.

In the tower of the original chapel there are three small bells by Thomas Mears, 1835 (the largest about 2½ cwt).

Details Of The Bells

1   John Warner & Sons, London   1899  3½cwt
2   John Warner & Sons, London   1899  4¼cwt 
3   John Warner & Sons, London   1899  4½cwt 
4   John Warner & Sons, London   1899  5½cwt 
5   John Warner & Sons, London   1899  6¼cwt 
6   John Warner & Sons, London   1899  7cwt 
7   John Warner & Sons, London   1899  7¾cwt 
8   John Warner & Sons, London   1899  10cwt  39.00"

History Of The Bells

This unringable 3 was hung dead in a new "frame" in 1979 by Taylor's and augmented to become a chime of 4 by the addition of a new treble in 1985. Previously they hung in a four bell frame, though the spare pit was never occupied. They are chimed using trigger action clappers attached to 4 separate ropes  i.e. not an Ellacombe apparatus.

Details Of The Bells

1   John Taylor & Co           1985   2-3-20
2   George Mears,London        1859   3-2-02
3   Henry Bagley, Chacombe     1677   3-3-20
4   Matthew Bagley, Chacombe   1763   5-1-01   31.125"

History Of The Bells

Near to the school this, like the parish church, has two towers, one having a spire. The reason for this is also similar. The original tower is the saddleback one, built in 1846/7. The church was extended northwards in 1864-7 by the addition of a new nave and chancel. The tower itself was added in 1871/2

The bells were cast to ringing weights but the tower might not be strong enough to have them hung as a ringing peal. They are hung on one level between four wooden beams, 1, 2 & 3 on the west side of the tower, 7 & 8 in the middle and 4, 5 & 6 on the east side. They are difficult to examine as they are hung well above the belfry floor. They are chimed from a clavier in the ringing room.

The smaller saddleback tower of the older part of the church would take a light 6 if you have a spare one going! It contains a single bell by C. & G. Mears, 1847 (5-3-21), which was hung for ringing, but became unringable and was rehung for lever chiming by Taylors, Eayre & Smith in 2006.

Details Of The Bells

1   Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel   1871   4-2-14 
2   Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel   1871   4-3-10 
3   Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel   1871   5-1-15 
4   Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel   1871   6-1-14 
5   Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel   1871   7-0-26 
6   Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel   1871   8-1-17 
7   Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel   1871  10-0-25 
8   Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel   1871  14-3-02 45.75"

History Of The Bells

The church, replacing a temporary church of 1921, was opened in 1933 and consecrated on 8 June 1934. Is a large red-brick building in the Italian Romanesque style. It is cruciform with a large central tower containing the carillon. The total cost of the building was around £43,000. This was raised inside two years. The church was severely damaged in raids on Birmingham on Decmeber 3rd 1940 and April 10th 1941. Repair work was started very quickly. The bells were put in storage and then replaced in the tower in September 1944.

The bells were all cast in the second half of 1932 by Gillett & Johnston. The bells are hung on three levels in a steel framework. Bells 1-8 occupy the top tier, 9-17 hang in the middle and the remainder (18-23) are hung at the bottom. They have carillon-clappers and transmission gear and they are played from a baton clavier in the room below the bells. They are a chromatic two-octave carillon, with the exception of the lowest two semitones. The bells were a gift from the Power family, who had made their money in whiskey distilling. Fr. John Power, the first priest of the new church, had served at St. Patrick’s, Dumbarton, where a two-octave carillon, also by Gillett & Johnston, was installed in 1928.

Details Of The Bells

1   Gillett & Johnston, Croydon   1932    0-1-23    12.625"   2932.0Hz
2   Gillett & Johnston, Croydon   1932    0-2-02.5  13.25"    2764.0Hz
3   Gillett & Johnston, Croydon   1932    0-2-06    13.69"    2611.0Hz
4   Gillett & Johnston, Croydon   1932    0-2-16    14.375"   2457.0Hz
5   Gillett & Johnston, Croydon   1932    0-2-26    15.06"    2320.0Hz
6   Gillett & Johnston, Croydon   1932    0-3-09    15.94"    2192.0Hz
7   Gillett & Johnston, Croydon   1932    1-0-09    16.875"   2068.0Hz
8   Gillett & Johnston, Croydon   1932    1-1-00    18.00"    1952.0Hz
9   Gillett & Johnston, Croydon   1932    1-1-19    19.00"    1840.0Hz
10  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon   1932    1-2-20    20.00"    1740.0Hz
11  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon   1932    1-3-19    21.25"    1640.0Hz
12  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon   1932    2-1-22    22.00"    1548.0Hz
13  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon   1932    2-3-08    23.50"    1464.0Hz
14  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon   1932    3-0-14    24.875"   1380.0Hz
15  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon   1932    3-3-04    26.125"   1304.0Hz
16  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon   1932    4-0-16    27.50"    1228.0Hz
17  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon   1932    4-3-08    28.875"   1160.0Hz
18  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon   1932    5-2-06    30.56"    1096.0Hz
19  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon   1932    6-1-05    32.00"    1034.0Hz
20  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon   1932    7-2-10    34.00"     976.0Hz
21  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon   1932    8-3-07    36.00"     920.0Hz
22  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon   1932   12-1-03    40.125"    820.0Hz
23  Gillett & Johnston, Croydon   1932   17-0-14    44.56"     732.0Hz

History Of The Bells

This church was built betweein 1848 and 1850. The church suffered wartime damage and a restoration took place between 1948 and 1951. There was likely to be a single bell in the tower when it was built but it now contains a set of eight tubular bells, most likely cast by Harrington, Latham & Co of Coventry, in the key of C# (the largest bell 93½” in length), given by Lord Norton and dedicated on 25 September 1904. They hang in the middle of the tower in a pitch-pine frame in two rows of four (1, 3, 5, 7 in one row and 2, 4, 6, 8 in the other). They are sounded from a chiming apparatus in the centre of the ringing room on the first floor. They were overhauled by Smith of Derby in 1976 at a cost of £380.

The tower also contains the bell from St.Basil’s, Deritend, which was installed here by Eayre & Smith in May 1979. It is hung for ringing. It was cast by Barwell of Birmingham in 1911 and it weighs 2½cwt in Eb.

Details Of The Bells

8 bells by Harrington, Latham & Co, Coventry, tenor 93.50" in C#.

History Of The Bells

The church, then in Staffordshire, was built in 1857/8. It was a gothic building in white Stourbridge brick with Bath stone dressings, with a tower and spire over the porch at the NW angle. The original church was destroyed by fire on 3 February 1963 but the tower and bells were unharmed. It was afterwards rebuilt on a reduced scale within the ruined shell of the old church, with the steeple remaining at the entrance to the site. Following the closure of the church the bells were removed from the tower in November 1993. They have since been rehung as a light ring of eight at Holy Trinity, Clifton, in Nottinghamshire, installation being completed towards the end of 1999. The clavier is now preserved in a display of materials about bells and ringing at the Swan Bell Tower in Perth, Western Australia. The church was declared redundant in 1994 and demolished in 1996-7.

Originally there were three bells in the tower, but only one remained when a chime of 8 was put in the tower in 1923/4. Gilletts won the contract to supply a light chime of bells, intended intially as 6 bells to form 3-8 of a 12. The contract was changed to a ring of 8, with the clavier fitted out for 4 tenors, (largest 8½cwt) and an extra semitone bell, which would be the natural to the now sharp 2nd. These bells were never provided. Cast in the middle of 1924, the bells were in the key of E natural (1336Hz or E plus 22.81 cents).

Details Of The Bells

1   Gillett & Johnston, Croydon    1924    0-2-08   13.50"    2672.0Hz
2   Gillett & Johnston, Croydon    1924    0-2-22   14.625"   2528.0Hz
3   Gillett & Johnston, Croydon    1924    0-3-18   16.00"    2256.0Hz
4   Gillett & Johnston, Croydon    1924    1-0-01   17.125"   2008.0Hz
5   Gillett & Johnston, Croydon    1924    1-1-17   18.875"   1792.0Hz
6   Gillett & Johnston, Croydon    1924    1-2-21   20.00"    1688.0Hz
7   Gillett & Johnston, Croydon    1924    2-0-24   21.875"   1512.0Hz
8   Gillett & Johnston, Croydon    1924    3-1-18   25.50"    1336.0Hz

History Of The Bells

Replacing a mission church of 1908, this church was completed and opening in 1923 and consecrated in 1946. It is Italin Romanesque in style and has a south-western tower. A bell was supplied by Barwell in 1913, 29", 4-0-23 in B and this was scrapped when the chime was placed in the tower. The bells are hung on two tiers in a steel framework at the level of the belfry windows. Bells 1-3 hang from a steel girder in the upper level, with the remainder below – bells 4-6 on one girder and bells 7-8 on another. They are hung stationary and sounded from a baton clavier by carillon-type clappers. The mechanical action was refurbished by Taylors in 1990.

Details Of The Bells

1   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough    1946    1-2-13    19.625"    1744.0Hz
2   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough    1946    1-3-12    20.625"    1644.0Hz
3   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough    1946    2-1-16    22.50"     1465.0Hz
4   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough    1946    2-3-22    24.50"     1305.5Hz
5   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough    1946    3-3-18    26.875"    1163.0Hz
6   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough    1946    4-2-06    28.50"     1098.0Hz
7   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough    1946    6-0-00    31.50"      977.0Hz
8   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough    1946    7-3-26    34.875"     872.0Hz

History Of The Bells

The church, its parish carved out of the of Yardley in 1894, replaced a temporary iron church. It was built in stages between 1888 and 1905. The last part to be completed was the spire and at this time the single bell in the tower was replaced by a set of 8 tubular bells. They are hung in a tall wooden frame in two rows of four, with bells 1,3,5,7 on one side and 2,4,6,8 on the other. They are struck by hammers and played from a manual – roped left to right - in the north west corner on the first floor of the tower. The bells were undoubtedly manufactured and installed by Messrs. Harrington, Latham & Co of Coventry. They were overhauled in 1925, 1966 and 1978.

    Length    Diameter
1   63.125"   3.75"
2   65.00"    3.75"
3   68.50"    3.75"		
4   73.50"    3.75"		
5   78.50"    3.75"
6   80.75"    3.75"
7   86.00     3.75"
8   93.375"   4.00"

History Of The Bells

A clock chime housed under the eaves of the roof of the chamber over the main archway. The hour bell is a tone higher than 4th quarter.

Details Of The Bells

Q1       H Oldfield, Nottingham   1620      14.125"    D#
Q2       H Oldfield, Nottingham   1620      14.875"    C#
Q3       Newcombe, Leicester      c1580     16.50"     B 
Q4       Unknown                  Early C19 21.5"      F#
Hour     C & G Mears,             1851      2-0-25½    G#

History Of The Bells

The present church was built in 1968, replacing a mission hall. The main façade has a plain wall with six bells in apertures in the brickwork. As seen from the street below, bells (left to right) 3, 1 and 2 hang in the upper level with 4, 6 and 5 below. The bells incorporate the metal (total weight 5-2-21) of bells salvaged from other churches in the area including St.John’s, Tile Cross (an uninscribed 14” bell), St.Peter’s, Tile Cross (a 23” bell by C & G Mears 1856 - believed to have come from St.Matthias, Birmingham), St.Cuthbert’s, Winson Green (a 25” bell of c.1885-6 by Charles Carr) and a bell (22½” diameter) from a scrap metal dealer. The bells are hung dead and sounded by trigger-action clappers from an Ellacombe chiming manual on the gallery at the back of the church

Details Of The Bells

1   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough   1968   1-0-07   17.00"   1956.0Hz
2   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough   1968   1-1-17   19.00"   1742.0Hz
3   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough   1968   1-3-13   21.125"  1552.0Hz
4   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough   1968   2-0-19   22.00"   1465.0Hz
5   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough   1968   2-3-09   24.50"   1305.5Hz
6   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough   1968   4-0-09   27.625"  1163.0Hz

History Of The Bells

This church was built in 1877, being financed by the owner of the Umberslade Estate, George Frederick Muntz, a wealthy Birmingham industrialist and staunch Baptist. The bells - all completely devoid of inscriptions - are hung dead and sounded from a chiming machine were provided by Gillett & Bland of Croydon in 1878, being amongst the first products of the Croydon foundry. The cost of the installation, including the carillon and clock was £705/10/-. The machine played a set of 7 tunes. They hang in a two tier wooden frame with 1, 2 5 & 6 above the others. All have canons

After being derelict for some years, the bells were brought back into use in 1978 when the chiming machine was restored by members of the Hockley Heath Steam Association, led by Jack Marshall.  The installation is largely intact, but is out of use due to a lack of an electricity supply to the church.

The church has been closed - but the building still stands and is in the care of the Historic Chapels Trust.

Details Of The Bells

1   Gillett & Bland, Croydon    1878   3-1-24   24.50"   1693.5Hz  (Ab+33c)
2   Gillett & Bland, Croydon    1878   3-2-24   25.00"   1600.0Hz  (G+35c)
3   Gillett & Bland, Croydon    1878   4-0-18   26.50"   1428.5Hz  (F+38c)
4   Gillett & Bland, Croydon    1878   4-0-24   27.50"   1274.5Hz  (Eb+41c)
5   Gillett & Bland, Croydon    1878   4-2-09   29.00"   1137.0Hz  (Db+43c)
6   Gillett & Bland, Croydon    1878   5-1-10   30.50"   1064.5Hz  (C+29c)
7   Gillett & Bland, Croydon    1878   6-1-20   33.00"    952.0Hz  (Bb+36c)
8   Gillett & Bland, Croydon    1878   8-0-10   36.50"    843.5Hz  (Ab+26c)

History Of The Bells

Originally installed as a ring of four by William Watson of Napton in 1864, but Taylors replaced the fittings of the two larger bells in 1874. Recently converted to a chime in 1999 by Andrew Nicholson, who has overhauled the headstocks and ironwork and fitted trigger action Ellacombe chiming hammers.

He tells me that the work involved the removal of all old cast-in crown staples with the bells remaining in the tower, hanging the bells dead for stationary chiming using trigger action Ellacombe hammers in conjunction with a new oak chiming frame and undertaking a full restoration of the turret clock which had been out of use for very many years, the clock being arranged to strike the hours upon the tenor bell as well as driving the external dial.

This church is very unusual in that it is a "Peculiar" and is owned by the local landowner rather than the Church of England

Details Of The Bells

1   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough       1864   4-0-24
2   John Taylor & Co, Loughborough       1864   4-2-00
3   Henry Bagley I, Chacombe             1640   5¼cwt
4   Henry Bagley I, Chacombe             1651   6½cwt  32.25"

History Of The Bells

These bells were an unringable 3, due to a thin frame. The frame is by John Waters of Kings Sutton - 1809, fittings Whites - 1903. Eayre and Smith removed these bells on 1st July 2002 and rehung them for swing chiming. They are hung on standard canon retaining headstocks fitted with levers. The firm were not been allowed to touch the frame. Previous information that the tenor was bigger than the space to get it out of the frame is incorrect. They sound notes 1-3-4 of four.

Details Of The Bells

1    John Briant, Hertford       1811   7cwt
2    Newcombe(?), Leicester      1616   8cwt
3    Edward Newcombe, Leicester  1602  10cwt 40.00"

History Of The Bells

This church is historically in Worcestershire. The present church was built in 1860-2 to replace a small brick church of 1777, which had in turn replaced an earlier building. There was a central tower in the original plans, but it was not until 1907-8 that it was built and a set of tubular bells, by Harringtons of Coventry, installed. They hung in a tall wooden frame in two rows of four, with bells 1,3,5,7 on one side and 2,4,6,8 on the other. They were struck by hammers and played from a manual in a lower floor in the tower.

The church was closed some time before 1988 due to concerns about its condition. It was declared redundant in 1992 and converted into offices early this century after years of neglect. There was a conventional bell, 2½cwt, diameter 22.875" cast by Matthew Bagley in 1689 that was hung for ringing. This had come from Kings Norton church, St Mary's being a daughter church to it. It has been returned to its original home.

Details Of The Bells

1   60.25" 
2   62.00"
3   66.50"
4   70.50"
5   75.50"
6   77.50"
7   83.00"
8   91.75"