Saint James’ Church, Burton-in-Kendal
Burton-in-Kendal, St James
Category Archives: Towers
Marple, All Saints Church
The detached tower at All Saints, Marple.
The detached tower at All Saints Church, Marple, is home to a fine ring of 8 bells. The original six bells, cast in 1731 by Abraham II Rudhall, were from Stockport Parish Church. They were installed here in 1816. Two trebles were added in 1963 cast by John Taylor and Co. of Loughborough when the existing Rudhall bells were rehung and the tower strengthened following demolition of the church.
The tower was part of a church built in 1811. However, during the 1870s it was found that the church was too small and the building was not suitable for extension. A new church was built 30 metres to the south of the existing building. Used for occasional services up to 1964, the original church was demolished as the building was unsafe.
About The Bells
Dedication: All Saints
Bells: 8 bells. Tenor 691 kg in F – A ground floor ring in a detached tower
Association: Chester Diocesan Guild
Practice Night: Monday (no time is given)
Sunday Ringing: Not Known.
Address: 155 Church Lane, Marple. SK6 7LD (Google Maps)
Visiting The Church
There is a good car park accessed from Church Lane on the south side of the church.
Liverpool Cathedral
12 bells; 82-0-11 in Ab
There is a bourdon bell, Great George, and a ring of thirteen bells hung in the central tower at Liverpool Cathedral. The thirteen ringing bells, a twelve with a sharp second, were all cast in 1939 by Mears and Stainbank. The tenor bell, which weighs in at 82 cwt (82-0-11) and is A♭, is the heaviest ringing bell in the world. This gives Liverpool Cathedral the unique honour of being the heaviest twelve, ten, eight and six.
Everything about Liverpool Cathedral, including the ring of bells, is pretty stunning. The ringing chamber is vast and the bells are rung from a brick and wood platform about three feet above floor level in a ringing chamber 8 floors up.
The ringing room and platform at Liverpool Cathedral.
Ringing the bells is an experience.
About The Bells
The bells of Liverpool Cathedral hung in their concrete radial frame.
Dedication: Liverpool, The Cathedral Church of Christ
Bells: 13 bells. Tenor 82-0-11 in A♭
Association: Lancashire Association / Liverpool Branch
Practice Night: Saturday 6 pm to 7.30 pm
Sunday Ringing: Generally, 1.30 pm to 3 pm on the first Sunday. 9.30 am to 10.30 am on the third Sunday.
Address: St James Mount, Liverpool. L1 7AZ
Visiting The Cathedral
There is a large car park beside the Cathedral. The entrance is via Cathedral Gate. Parking is normally free for visiting bell ringers. Ask at the tower for more information.
Find Liverpool Cathedral on Google Maps
Hearing the bells being rung
There are various clips of the bells being rung available on YouTube. Here are a few of video recordings I have made.
East Crompton, St James
S James, East Crompton. 8 bells. 9-3-15
Also known as Shaw, Greater Manchester. There are eight bells hung in the tower at Saint Jame’s Church. All of the bells were cast in 1955 by Mears & Stainbank. The bells are rung from the ground floor.
About The Bells
Dedication: Saint James
Bells: 8 bells. Tenor 9-3-15 (588 kg) in G♯ – A ground floor ring
Association: Lancashire Association / Rochdale Branch
Practice Night: Wednesday (no time is given)
Sunday Ringing: Not Known.
Address: Saint Jame Shaw, Shaw. OL2 7TD
Visiting The Church
There is parking on nearby streets and a small car park at the junction of Milnrow Road and Salts Street to the east of the church.
Middleton, St Leonard
The Parish Church of Saint Leonard, Middleton.
There are nine bells hung in the tower at Saint Leonard’s Church. The oldest of these is the Sanctus bell, 0-2-24 in F#, was cast in 1614 by Robert Orwell. Of the eight ringing bells the current back six bells, 3 – 8, were cast in 1714 by Abraham I Rudhall. The two trebles were added in 1891, by Mears and Stainbank, to form the current ring of eight.
A peal of 5,300 Anniversary Surprise Major was rung in September 2014 with the following footnote to mark the 300th anniversary:
This peal is dedicated to the 300th Anniversary of the back six bells at Middleton, which were cast in 1714 by Abraham Rudhall of Gloucester.Two additional treble bells were added in 1891, funded by public subscription, to augment to the current eight.
The curious-looking wooden belfry was added on top of the medieval tower in 1666. According to Saint Leonard’s website this was to enable a new set of bells to be added.
About The Bells
Dedication: Saint Leonard
Bells: 8 bells. Tenor 11-2-18 (588 kg) in F♯
Association: Lancashire Association / Rochdale Branch
Practice Night: Monday 8pm – 9pm
Sunday Ringing: 10.15am – 10.45am
Address: New Lane, Middleton, Lancashire. M24 6BW
Visiting The Church
There is a large car park at the church when accessed from New Lane.
Find Saint Leonard’s on Google Maps
Heywood, St Luke
Saint Luke’s, Heywood.
There are 8 bells hung in the tower at Saint Luke’s cast by Gillett and Johnston and installed in 1911 as a tribute to King Edward VII. The tenor bell was found to be cracked in 1920 and the bells were recast. In 1971 the bells were lowered by 20 foot in the the tower to reduce sway. The original bells were cast by Mears & Co of Whitechapel London and were dedicated in 1863.
Saint Luke’s Church was consecrated in October 1862 replacing a chapel on the same site from 1552.
About The Bells
Dedication: Saint Luke
Bells: 8 bells. Tenor 21-3-9 (626 kg) in E♭
Association: Lancashire Association / Rochdale Branch
Practice Night: Monday 7.30pm – 9pm
Sunday Ringing: 9am – 9.30am for 9.30am service
Address: York Street, Heywood, Lancashire. OL10 4NN
Visiting The Church
There is no parking at the church, but spaces are normally available in the car park beside the Civic Centre and Library. The entrance is just off Church Street (A6046) in Hornby Road.
Find Saint Luke’s on Google Maps
Farnworth and Kearsley
The Church of Saint John, Farnworth and Kearsley
Saint John, Farnworth & Kearsley.
There are 8 bells hung in the tower at Saint John’s cast by John Taylor and Co of Loughborough and installed in 1954.
The Church was built in 1826 as a Waterloo church, funded on the wave of national triumph following the defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo, and there has been many modifications and extensions made over the years. The most recent was in 1998 and included roofing, decorating, windows and rewiring. During 2008 the church was used as a location for All The Small Things.
Peals are rung on the bells monthly by members of the Lancashire Association.
About The Bells
Dedication: Saint John The Evangelist
Bells: 8 bells. Tenor 12-1-8 (626 kg) in G
Association: Lancashire Association / Bolton Branch
Practice Night: Currently no practice
Sunday Ringing: Currently no regular Sunday ringing
Address: Church Street, Farnworth, Bolton. BL4 8DA
Visiting The Church
Saint John’s’ church is at the bottom of Church Street in Farnworth. Although it is possible to park in Church Street, it is quite narrow and difficult to turn round, most regular visiting ringers park in Albert Street which is off Church Road. Albert Street is very close to the side entrance in Church Road and has plenty of parking on either side of the road. The Church is also very close to Farnworth railway station.
Find Saint John’s on Google Maps
Blackburn, St Silas
The Church of St Silas, Blackburn
Blackburn. Saint Silas’ Church.
There are 8 bells hung in the tower at Saint Silas installed in 1983. The bells were cast in 1888 by John Taylor and Co of Loughborough and were originally hung in Holy Trinity, Blackburn a mile or so down the road. The ring is in the key of F with the tenor bell weighing 17-2-14 (895 kg). The last peal on the bells at Holy Trinity was Plain Bob Major in 1949. There have been 57 peals rung on the bells: 22 of those at Holy Trinity and, at the time of writing this, 35 at Saint Silas. There is a group of peal boards in the tower relating to peals rung at Holy Trinity.
The main body of the church were completed in 1898 with the tower and porch added in 1914.
About The Bells
Dedication: Saint Silas
Bells: 8 bells. Tenor 17-2-14 (895 kg) in F
Association: Lancashire Association / Blackburn Branch
Practice Night: Friday 8pm
Sunday Ringing: 10am to 10.30am
Address: Preston New Road, Blackburn. BB2 6PS
Visiting The Church
Saint Silas’ church is on raised ground on the north side of Preston New Road very close to the junction with Saint Silas’s Road. There is limited parking available outside the church, but there is normally ample parking available along Preston New Road.
Find Saint Silas on Google Maps
Ten, Eight and Six of Eight
Or . . . Three in a day.
Nothing really spectacular in ringing, but I think worth of note. Today for Remembrance Sunday we rang at all three Blackburn towers for the morning services. As far as we know it has never been done before. Seven of us rang at all three towers.
- 08:45 to 09:30 The Cathedral Church of Saint Mary the Virgin – 11 ringers present
- 10:00 to 10:30 Saint Silas – 10 ringers present
- 11:00 – 11:45 Saint Judes – 11 ringers present
Blackburn Cathedral. Lancashire.
Blackburn. Saint Silas’ Church.
Blackburn. Saint Jude’s Church
Worsley, St Mark
The Parish Church of St Mark, Worsley
Saint Mark’s Church, Worsley
Saint Mark’s Church now has a ring of 10 bells cast in 1935 by John Taylor & Co of Loughborough and tuned to the Taylor’s True Harmonic System (see blow). When the church was consecrated in 1846 there were 3 bells in the tower. This was augmented to 8 bells in 1873 with the tenor weighing 20 cwt (1,020 kg). By the mid 1920s the bells were described as “a mixed lot, not very well in tune“.
The church is located very close to the Worsley junction with the Manchester orbital M60 motorway. The impressive spire is easy to spot when approaching on the motorway.
About The Bells
Dedication: Saint Mark
Bells: 10 bells. Tenor 24-0-7 (1,222 kg) in D
Association: Lancashire Association / Manchester Branch
Practice Night: Tuesday 7.30pm to 9pm
Sunday Ringing: 10am to 10.30am and 6pm to 6.30pm
Address: Worsley Brow, Worsley, Manchester. M28 2HL
Architect: George Gilbert Scott
Visiting The Bells
Find Saint Mark’s Church on Google Maps.
Parking
There is a car park next to the church. The entrance is in Walkden Road, the A575, and is signposted “Footpath / Bishop’s Lodge”. Once you have turned of Walkden Road turn almost immediately right which will take you to the car park.
There is also a lay-by at the west end of the church on Worsley Brow, the A572, where parking is available for short periods of time.
Tuning
Taylor’s True Harmonic tuning System has the prime and hum of each bell in octaves with the nominal of the bell. If you want the details then Bill Hibbert provides more information on this method of tuning on his The Sound of Bells page.