Askham St Nicholas

Bells

Medieval bellframe

The bells on the steel beam

Three bells formerly in a wooden frame, Elphick type O but much altered; clearly medieval.

The bells were removed during 1998 and the cracked treble welded by Soundweld of Lode, Cambridge. The second bell was tuned to make the ring more exactly in a minor key. They have been rehung 'dead' from a steel beam with chiming clappers and the old frame has been retained. The old frame is a composite with Elphick ‘V’, Pickford Group 6.B trusses on the ends, and Elphick ‘R’, Pickford Group 5.C trusses on the interior, although it appears that the long heads have been introduced later and that the original frame form may have been a short-headed Elphick ‘K’, Pickford Group 3.D.

The bells:

AVE MARIA with the badge of the Seliok family, though an unusual set of lettering for this founder. The moulding lines are late in style, so probably the work of Richard II c.1524-40

IHS MARIA with the badge used by both Henry I and Henry II Oldfield, though this bell is evidently by Henry I c. 1560-90

GOD SAVE HIS CHVRCH 1613 by Henry II Oldfield using the badge formerly owned by the Mellours and Quernbie familes.

In 1552 there were three bells and two handbells.