A copy of the initial article in the church magazine that announced the start of the Restoration Project.

On Sunday December 31^st 1749, at a quarter to one in the morning, the Church of St. Mary & St. Wulfad, sited near the present Church, began to collapse. Fortunately the six bells, which were cast by Abraham Rudhall of Gloucester in 1710, were not damaged.

When the present church building was consecrated on June 21^st 1758, these bells had already been re-hung in the tower. The bells are hung in a wooden frame made from second hand timbers which appear to have been recycled from a frame which contained much larger bells. They are laid out in a pattern which is known as "four by two". This is not a very stable arrangement. The bells are hung anti-clockwise, which is opposite to normal.

The frame was further modified in 1896 to allow the addition of the two treble bells. These had previously been cast in1890 by John Taylor to go into their stock of bells ready for future sale. They are a very poor tonal match to the existing 6 Rudhall bells. This is because they were not specifically cast to blend in with the existing ring and they are more elongated in length, being more like a pepper pot in shape than that of a normal bell.

The wooden frame, wheels, bell headstocks and metal fitting are all in a poor condition through constant use, age and being open to the rain and snow in the bell chamber. The frame flexes up and down when the bells are rung. This is due to all the frame joints being loose and badly worn. There is an excessive side movement due to the original frame design. This all makes the bells very difficult to ring by other than experienced ringers. This also means that we have great difficulty and a high drop out rate when we try to teach new ringers. The long draft of rope between the ringing room and the bell chamber also adds to the difficulty especially for young people who we would normally target as learners. 

Over the last twenty years a vast amount of time and effort has been put in by the ringers to maintain and improve the go of the bells. Without this work being carried out the bells would now be silent on a Sunday morning.

As the three hundredth anniversary of the back six bells draws near. It is time to look at the sustainability of being able to continue to call people to worship by the ringing of the bells for Sunday Service. Having discussed the matter with the Vicar and the PPC, the ringers are starting to look at the various options available for major renovation work to the bells, fittings and frame. 

			The stripped down plumber blocks with the gudgeons removed and the broken bearing cases. At the top of the picture the broken spoke from the wheel of the 4th can be seen.
			The repaired and re-painted plumber blocks ready to be fixed back onto the bell
			The 4th being lowered back onto the frame
			The 4th being lowered back onto the frame from the wheel side.
			The new gudgeon bolts being cut to size
			The wheel from the fifth showing the broken and missing shrouding and sole.
			The repaired fifth wheel back on the bell.
			The south window showing the missing louver blade. This had to be replace first of all before the polycarbonate sheeting could be installed.
			The south window after the louver blade had been replaced. The new blade is a lighter colour than the rest.
			The south window showing the polycarbonate sheeting to provide some protection to the bells, fittings and frame from the rain and the snow which has taken its toll over the decades.