Welcome to the Winthorpe Bells page.

Following a minor disaster during ringing before Anthony Shaw's last service at Winthorpe 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 the two, 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 then tower captain, Keith Lloyd, began the task of raising the necessary funds to pay for the work to be carried out. He managed to secure a grant from Wren and a promise from the Bell Repair Fund of the Southwell and Nottingham Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers to pay 10% towards the overall costs of the work, the rest he would raise through donations from individuals.

The two was re-tuned and re-hung in 2002 on a metal headstock and all new fittings by Hayward Mills Associates (HMA). Members of the team assisted Geoff Wells, the local representative of the Bell Repair Fund, in removing the bell from the tower and in re-hanging it in the original wooden frame after the work carried out at the HMA factory in Nottingham. The provision of expertise and insurance cover from the Guild, along with muscle power from the band, saved us a substantial sum of money. The four and six received similar treatment in 2003 and the remaining bells in 2004. Over the two years Keith managed to raise nearly £20,000 to cover the cost of the work. For a more detailed account of the work have a look at Keith's account on the Winthorpe Village website that can be found here .

The current church was built in 1886 and the original ring of three bells was augmented to five by the gift of two new bells by Mr and Mrs J G Branston. The tenor dates from 1630 and is the oldest bell in the tower. The other two old bells were re-cast in 1887 as part of the work. Another treble was added in 1906 by the vicar, Rev C W H Griffith, which had to be housed in a new frame above the existing one. According to the Felstead Peal Reports there have been 26 peals rung on the bells between 1931 and 2004, the last one has been the only one after the re-hanging work. Prior to the recent work the details of the bells were (taken, with kind permission, from Church Bells of Nottinghamshire by George A Dawson):-

The current details of the bells after re-tuning are as shown below (taken from the information supplied by Hayward Mills Associates), please click on a bell to see a picture of it.

They are in the key of b (960Hz)