3 New Bells for Chearsley ~
The Die is Cast!
On Friday 17th October, three new bells, which will soon hang
in the bell tower of St Nicholas’ Church Chearsley, were cast at the historic
Whitechapel Bell Foundry, in the East End of London, witnessed by a small group
of parishioners, the Vicar and Churchwardens. It was a unique and awe-inspiring
experience.
Whitechapel is the world’s most famous bell foundry, makers of
Big Ben and the Liberty Bell, and more recently, the “Royal Jubilee Bells”
which led the procession of boats in the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee flotilla in
2012. They continue to produce and export bells throughout the world to this
day.
The Foundry buildings date from 1670, four years after the
Great Fire of London, and over the years, it has found itself in the midst of
other dramatic events, not least of all when Jack the Ripper was committing his
grisly murders in 1888, as well as surviving the Blitz during World War II.
Bell making is an old fashioned craft, not a modern production
line process, each bell being individually made. Before going into the workshop
to see our bells cast, we were given a brief lecture on the process leading up
to the moment when the molten metal, a mix of copper and tin, is poured into
the loam moulds. These are made of an interesting recipe of horsehair, sand,
clay and manure!
All the inscriptions are pressed into the moulds at this stage
so they are cast into the bells and will appear as raised lettering, and not
engraved after the bells are made. The inscriptions are:
Bell
1
(front)
Elizabeth R
(reverse)
Three new bells were added to make a
ring of six
in the year AD2014, the 63rd year of her reign
Revd Canon John Wynburne – Vicar
Alicia Howard and Joy Payne – Churchwardens
Bell
2
(front)
Nicholas
Patron Saint of children and this church
(reverse)
The children of
Chearsley, past present and future
Bell
3
(front)
Oliver
(reverse)
Donated by family, friends and customers
of “The Bell” in memory of Oliver Babington
1974 – 2012
As we entered the workshop, we were transported back in time.
The traditional craft, though aided now by modern technology, has largely
remained the same process over the centuries. The furnace had been fired up at
6.00 that morning, with metal reaching the required temperature of 1,150
degrees Celsius for casting at 11.45 am.
An intensely focussed team of eight men, dressed in protective clothing and
space helmets, barely spoke, as they concentrated on skilfully transporting the
red hot metal from the furnace to each of our three bell moulds, then pouring a
steady stream of glowing liquid with occasional dramatic flurries of sparks and
smoke. It was extremely exciting, and moving too, knowing that these bells will
reside in Chearsley for centuries to come.
During the next few weeks, the bells will be cooled and tuned
to blend perfectly with our existing bells. They will then be transported to
Whites’ workshop in Appleton, on the far side of Oxford, where the bell frame
will be constructed and the fittings added. It is possible that a trip to
Appleton may be arranged while the bells are there. Hopefully, they will arrive
in the village in time to be rung at Christmas. Prior to hanging, they will be
briefly displayed in the church for all to inspect! In early 2015 there will be
a special service of dedication and celebration to which everyone will be
welcome.
We still need to continue to raise funds – as our target
display board shows, we are about £10,000 short of the total required. Please
check out the notice boards and Chearsley website for future events. There has
been amazing support for this project over the past two years, both from the
local community and beyond.
A great deal of time and expertise has been freely given to
making applications for possible grants – some successful, others not. Donations, large and small, have been received from the local
community, including the Babington family and customers at “The Bell”, also
from visitors to the church from all over the country, who have perhaps enjoyed
a family wedding or a baptism at St Nicholas’, or just recall happy memories of
times spent in Chearsley, plus the wider bell ringing community who see this as
a worthwhile venture. “Thank you” to everyone who has contributed, and to those
who have come along and enjoyed the various fund-raising events that have been
arranged in the village –please
keep coming!
This remarkable fund-raising effort has not affected the
regular charitable giving to which the PCC and congregation at St Nicholas’ is
strongly committed – this year supporting Christian Aid with a door to door
envelope collection and soup lunch, and the Gaza crisis appeal, The Children’s
Society Christingle collection, Cystic Fibrosis and DEBRA carol singing
collection, Florence Nightingale Hospice, Mix 96 Christmas toy appeal, Steppin
Stones shelter for the homeless, and sending a cow and several goats to Africa.
A key element to this project has always been education, and it
is wonderful to report that during the past two years, five adults and seven
youngsters have been taught the art of bell ringing. When the new bells are
installed their repertoire will be widened and their enthusiasm and commitment
will be rewarded.
If you are interested in seeing the
fascinating process of making a bell,
there is an excellent U-Tube video filmed at Whitechapel, at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RW2Vwq6qco0
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