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Winthorpe
All Saints

Bells

When the current church was built in 1886-8, the original ring of three bells from the previous church was augmented to five by the gift of two new bells from Mr Joseph Gilstrap Branston of Winthorpe Grange, and his wife Blanche Marguerite. The tenor dates from 1630 and is the oldest bell in the tower, cast by George Oldfield I of Nottingham. In 1887, as well as casting the two new bells, both with canons, John Warner & Sons (of Cripplegate, London) removed the canon from the tenor bell, and recast the other two old bells, also with canons. The augmented ring was installed on timber headstocks and plain bearings in a new 5-bell frame (Pickford type 6.A). This frame is perhaps slightly unusual in that whilst the three heaviest bells have a pit each, the two lighter bells share a pit between them.

In September 1905 the rector of Winthorpe, the Revd. Clement William Hazlewood Griffith, himself an old ringer, decided that he would start a fund for a 6th bell to be added to the existing five, because in his own words 'ringing on 5 bells is dull, uninteresting work'! On 18 October of the same year, the training of a new band of ringers commenced, on the condition that 'a new Treble Bell shall be added, it otherwise being useless'. By March 1906, sufficient donations had been received from the parishioners and friends of the parish that the bell could be ordered and cast. It was hung in the tower on 29 March 1906, the cost of supplying and hanging the bell being £45 15s. 10d. In his closing report on the Treble Bell Fund, the Revd. C.W.H. Griffith added 'and may the clock and chimes one day follow!' (As of January 2014, they have not.)

The new treble bell was flat-headed; supplied by John Taylor and Co. to Whites of Appleton, who housed it in a new single-bell frame (also Pickford type 6.A) above the existing five-bell frame, again on a timber headstock and with plain bearings.

The Revd. C.W.H. Griffith noted in 1896 that 'a charming [Ellacombe] apparatus has been ordered which, being affixed to our five bells, would enable one man or boy to chime all the bells for the various services'. An extra chiming hammer was added in 1906 for the sixth bell, and the Ellacombe apparatus was still in use as recently as 2001. It no longer functions, although all its constituent parts are still in the tower and could be restored.

The notes, inscriptions, sizes and weights of the bells were as follows:

The treble above bells 5, 6 and 2

Bells 4, 5 and 6

Following an unfortunate incident during ringing before the Revd. Anthony Keeble Shaw's last service at Winthorpe in 2001, the number two bell fell from the frame to the belfry floor completely destroying its wheel in the process. After some consideration it was decided not only to re-hang this bell, but to gradually re-hang the other bells as the money could be found. This would not only make them easier to handle, but would hopefully prevent any more bells from falling out!

The number two bell was re-tuned and re-hung in 2002 on a cast iron headstock, with all new fittings, including roller bearings, by Hayward Mills Associates (HMA). The four and six received similar treatment in 2003 and the remaining bells in 2004. Bells 2, 3, 4 and 5 had their canons removed during the re-fit.

Whilst out of the tower it was noted that the treble was very tall and straight-waisted. The crook number on the crown was noted and checked at Taylors where the bell was found to be cast using an experimental crook which is appreciably taller than the modern crook. In the event it was used only three times, at Winthorpe, Leckhampton, and for a clock bell at Batley, Yorkshire.

Following the re-tuning process, which changed the weights of some of the bells, the current details (as taken from information supplied by HMA), are as follows: