VIDEO: ELEVEN new bells installed at St Thomas’ Church, Stockton Heath, Warrington, rang out for the first time this evening.
The bells, which replaced the old Crosfield’s bell, were being tested for the first time. They were installed in the church tower back in April but had to be given time to settle in.
They include eight ringing bells from a church at Bollington near Macclesfield, where St Thomas’ vicar Rev Michael Ridley was a former curate and two new bells donated by former local resident Ashley Pugh and daughters in memory of Helene his wife.
The final bell is the old school bell from nearby St Thomas’ school.
The work to install the bells was carried out by contractors John Taylor & Co from Loughborough the same company who installed the original Crosfield’s Bell.
Each time bells are rung the tower can move up to an inch so the cement had to be given time to properly set.
Earlier this year a Church Service to bless the bells attarcted around 200 people.
It has cost around £80,000 for the new bells with a further £250k Heritage Lottery funding being spent on repairing the church tower.
The former Crsofield’s bell from St Thomas’s Church
4 Comments
Aww bugger what time was that at? Did they tell anyone this was happening?
I’d have loved to have stood outside listening to them for the very first time.
Have to say though having just watched the video there weren’t many smiles from all the people standing there or ringing them considering it was the first time and how long it has taken to raise the funds for them and to do all the work. Were they all worried and expecting the tower to fall down or something 😉
The young lad was smiling Diz, the others looked as though they were concentrating. The bell ringers have to have a well coordinated technique to get the bells ringing a tune, it must take some time and practice to get used to ringing a new set of bells.
Very well done! to Vicar Ridley and all the people who have put in so much work over the last few years to raise the funding and organise this project.
I’m really looking forward to hearing them ring out their first Christmas in Stockton Heath!
You’ll be able to hear them again soon. This first ring of all 10 bells together was to make sure that the installation work was successful. As it was, minor adjustments were needed, and the engineer from Taylors’s bell foundry was on hand to do that. They will be rung again soon, listen out on Thursday evenings, from 7.30pm.
Thanks for the info Alison, I will listen out for them.