Farnsfield St Michael

Bells

Five bells cast in 1793 by Thomas Osborn of Downham Market, Norfolk.

These were apparently recast from three existing bells.

First rung Jan 1794.

A sixth bell, the treble, was added in 1974. It was given by Mrs Murdoch and made for the church of St Philip, Hulme, Manchester. It was originally cast in 1797.

Tower Captain: Mrs Janet Webb. She started in 1969, and rang her first service at Easter 1970.

Previous Captain: Ralph Emmons (uncle of Billy Emmons).

The bells were re-hung by John Richard Cresswell of Farnsfield on 14 Sept 1890. They were rehung in 1894, and again in 1933 by Taylors of Loughborough.

A set of Ellacombe Chimes are fitted, although this apparatus is not used regularly as the resonance is inferior. The ropes are located in the Ringing Chamber. The Ellacombe Chimes was a chiming mechanism which enabled one man to 'ring' all the bells. Invented by the Rev. H.T. Ellacombe in the late 1800s.

The chiming apparatus for the bells was the gift of Mrs. Cash and her son in 1909.

The Bells were restored in 1935 in memory of Lawrence Naylor Hodgson-Wilson esq.

The following details are recorded in The Church Bells of Nottinghamshire by George A. Dawson, but with minor amendments following inspection in December 2000.

A western tower and spire containing a ring of 6 bells.

	Inscription	Size	Weight
1	TAYLOR & CO LOUGHBOROUGH 1860 Waist: THE GIFT OF THE WORKPEOPLE OF BIRLEY TO THE CHURCH OF ST. PHILIP HULME A.D. 1860 Incised: THE GIFT OF THE MURDOCH FAMILY 1974 Cast iron frame marked LOUGHBOROUGH 1974	26.75"	3-3-13
2	T. OSBORN DOWNHAM NORFOLK FOUNDER 1793	29.75"	c5.25cwt
3	OUR VOICES SHALL WITH JOYFULL SOUND. MAKE HILLS AND VALLEYS ECCHO ROUND	31.25"	c5.75cwt
4	ROBt HOLLIDAY Wm THORNALLY Ch WARDENS T. OSBORN DOWNHAM NORFOLK	32.25"	c6.25cwt
5	IN WEDLOCKS BANDS ALL YOU WHO JOIN: SO SHALL OUR TUNEFULL TONGES COMBINE T. OSBORN FECIT 1793	36.5"	c8.5cwt
6	BEG YE OF GOD YOUR SOUL TO SAVE BEFORE I CALL YOU TO THE GRAVE ROB HOLLIDAY ) T. OSBORN 1793 W THORNALLY ) CHURCHWARDENS FOUNDER	40"	c11cwt

The original five bells are hung in a low-side wooden frame for five bells, but the additional treble provided in 1974 hangs in a completely separate low side cast iron frame situated in the gang way between the west side of the original timber five bell frame and the west wall of the tower.

The treble is a second hand Taylor bell, acquired in 1974 from a church in Hulme. The back 5 are by Thomas Osborn, and with Elston back 5 represent his only Nottinghamshire work. It is relevant to note that both jobs occur in the year that the foundry of George Hedderly closed down.

The ring was opened in January 1794:

RINGING
On Friday January 10th will be opened at Farnsfield in the County of Nottingham
A NEW PEAL OF BELLS
Cast by Thomas Osborn Bell Founder at Downham in Norfolk
Gentlemen ringers who choose to make a trial of ringing of the said new peal may have the opportunity
of displaying their abilities on an excellent peal of bells.
Five hats will be given to those who ring the best round of peal in twenty minutes.

Late papers do not indicate winners.

The bells have been rehung a number of times during the last century.

Firstly by John Richard Trusswell of Farnsfield had an unsuccessful attempt in 1890, followed by Mears and Stainbank of Whitechapel, London in 1894.

The rehanging should perhaps be attributed to Taylors of Loughborough.

A cast iron plate on the south wall of the bell ringing chamber reads as follows:

TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN MEMORY OF MY FATHER RICHARD TRUSWELL
37 YEARS CHURCHWARDEN OF THIS PARISH WHO DIED JUNE 12th 1866.
THE BELLS OF THIS CHURCH WERE REHUNG BY JOHN RICHARD TRUSWELL
OF FARNSFIELD. SEPTEMBER 14th 1890
R.A.McKEE. M.A. VICAR
F.CARDING, ) CHURCHWARDENS
T. WITHERS,)
JOHN TAYLOR AND Co. BELLFOUNDERS

Earlier records show:

1552: first iij (sic) bells in the steple
1740: 4 bells