Sneinton
St Stephen

Bells

The bells are located on the second floor of the tower. The access to the tower is through a small arched door set in the corner of the north vestry. A wrought and cast iron spiral stairway, within a brick lined plastered circular shaft, initially gives access to the former organ loft, (now sealed). At this level the stairway is terminated and a vertical pole ladder secured to the walls gives access to the first floor of the tower. The brick lining above the organ loft entrance is not plastered. An angled pole ladder in the corner of the first floor level gives access to the second floor and the bells.

  Inscription Size Weight
1 Blank 23" c2.5 cwt
2

GOD SAVE HIS CHVRCH IA NORWELL: LEESON

CH. WARDENS 1704

 26.5" c3.25 cwt
3 GOD SAVE OVR CHURCH 27.5" c4 cwt

Hung for full circle ringing in a small low-sided wooden frame for 3 bells with traditional fittings and plain bearings. The installation is in poor condition and the treble has a large piece out of the soundbow, quite unringable. All bells retain their canons.

The treble, though blank, has the characteristics of a medieval bell dating from about 1500 and could possibly be the work of the Seliok family. The second was cast by William Noone and the tenor is by Henry II Oldfield about 1600. The church has been rebuilt several times. This frame certainly predates the present tower of 1840.

In 1842 an advertisement in the Nottingham Journal asked for subscriptions for a new organ, clock and peal of bells. Again in 1872 Taylors sent an estimate for a tenor to make a ring of 4 bells with a new frame and fittings, all at a cost of £152 to Mr Marshall, blacksmith of Sneinton. Phillimore, a year later, noted that efforts were still in progess. In recent years (1955) it is said that an offer of bells was made by Mr H Cobbin but this was rejected.

Currently only one bell is in use. This is rung by a steel wire attached to the clapper and routed from the bell frame, via a series of simple pulley wheels into the corner of the tower. It drops vertically through the wooden floor into the room below and again through that floor into the space over the chancel ceiling. It then passes through a hole in the ceiling in south east corner to hang in front of the Lady Chapel screen.