Shenfield, St. Mary the Virgin The Bells Calendar of Events ............................................................................................................. 2 2011 (May) - Parish Magazine ....................................................................................... 2 2011 (October) - Southern District Newsletter ............................................................... 3 1865 There Were Four Bells ........................................................................................... 5 1898 A New Treble Added ............................................................................................ 5 1911 (August) - Ringing Suspended............................................................................... 5 1911 (September) - Survey & Reports, a New Tenor Added ......................................... 6 1911 (October) - Work to Commence ............................................................................ 8 1912 (January) - The Ringing World.............................................................................. 9 1926 Overhaul of Fittings ............................................................................................ 10 1927 Tower beams found to be badly damaged by death watch beetles. .................... 11 1928 Minutes of Standing Committee – Strengthening Steelwork .............................. 11 1970s Bell Frame Maintenance. ..................................................................................... 12 1990s Access to the Ringing Room. .............................................................................. 12 2008 DAC Bell Advisor’s Report: D. Sloman. 1st July. ............................................ 12 2009 Nicholson Engineering Report ........................................................................... 12 2010 The Clappers ....................................................................................................... 13 2011 (July) - Report on Survey of Bells John Taylor, Loughborough ......................... 13 2011 (August) - Shenfield request to Taylor’s to proceed. .......................................... 13 2012 (Jan/March) - Fitting of New Headstocks and Refurbished Wheels ................... 14 1 Calendar of Events 1856. There were 4 Bells dated 1626, 1637, 1664 and 1715.. 1898. A Treble added to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. 1911. Augmentation to a 9cwt. 6 in ab. In December. Original 5 Bells recast and a new Tenor added. New floor constructed beneath the Bell frame. 1926. Bearings replaced. Those of the plain type used again. 1927. Strengthening steelwork added to the Tower. Timbers removed due to attack by death watch beetles. 1970s. Frame re-painted. Labour provided by the Probation Board. 1990’s Dog-leg Staircase replaces vertical ladder for access to the Ringing Room. Glis-glis evicted from sound proofing above the Ringing Room. 2008. DAC Bell Advisors Survey and report. 2009. Nicholson Engineering report on Survey of the Bells. 2010. Clappers re-bushed and complete overhaul by Taylor’s of Loughborough. 2011. Taylor’s report on Survey of the Bells. 2011. Taylor’s quotation for additional work. Bearings of a Ball-sealed type for 5th & Tenor. Wheels to have new side flanges and soles. 2012. January. Work starts just one day. March. Items remounted and 5th and tenor bells weighed. Tenor accurately weighed. Shenfield, Essex 6 bells 7-0-20 in A Flat. Roger G Butt. April 2012 2011 (May) - Parish Magazine The last 100 Years of ringing in Shenfield… Well almost. In July 1911 the ring of 5 bells (Tenor 5 cwt.) were found to be in a dangerous condition and ringing had to stop. The wooden frame needed replacing and it was noted that the bells were described as “being badly out of tune”. Just two months later in September sufficient funds had been raised not only to replace the frame but also to have the 5 bells recast and a new Tenor (9cwt) added by Warner & Sons, of Cripplegate.. 2 It is true to say that old bells would not now be allowed to be melted down because of restrictions relating to conservation. Also, even with all the information to hand, careful study of the proposals by the DAC does take time. December 1911 the Dedication Service was on Saturday 23rd. Bells rung for the first time for Divine Service on Christmas Day. 1919. No narrative would be complete without reference to Harry Turner’s contribution. Born in 1906 near Shenfield Station he joined the Choir in 1914 and learnt to ring in 1919 becoming Secretary in 1922 and Tower captain in 1932. He always said that before 1928 “that the bells only kept ringing by the force of habit” the result of the additional weight in our wooden tower. Appointed full time Verger / Parish Clerk in 1936 and he held this position together with that of Tower Captain until his death in 1983. He was made an MBE in the 1977 New Years Honours List for his services to the local community and bell ringing. 1926 The Bearings on all 6 bells were replaced by Boswell’s of Ipswich at a cost of £26. 1927. Ringing again had to stop when Death Watch beetles were found in the timbers supporting the Tower.. Additional steelwork was added to replace wood that had to be removed and which stretches from ground floor through the Ringing Room up to the Bell Frame. This gives the extra rigidity to the bells that was sorely missing up to this date. This work was undertaken by Dorman Long of Middlesborough and took over a year. These girders can be seen under the Tower but with careful colour selection most people do not even realize they are there. In the 1970’s. Harry Turner was asked by the Probation Service to find work for a group of youngsters. Ordering a drum of red paint to his detailed specification they were usefully employed in re-painting the bell frame. Harry would have ensured they did a good job and it is as good to-day as when it was done. In the 1980’s The vertical ladder used to get to the ringing room was replaced by the staircase that we see today. Welcomed by all, but particularly, our ladies. Also about this time a family of Glis- glis were evicted from the Tower. This brings us to 2008 when it was obvious that, almost 100 years on, time was beginning to take its toll. Detailed reports and costs were obtained from a number of sources as to the way forward. In 2010 the urgent job of clapper overhaul was carried out at a cost of £873. To save money a number of willing hands took them out and Ray Jones transported them to John Taylor & Co. Loughborough and, on another day, brought them back for re-fitting. Currently in 2011 discussions are taking place on replacing the wheel flanges and some, if not all, of the present plain bearings. The cost ?. Estimates are being obtained but we will need to find the sums needed. How good it would be to have the bells restored to top condition before Christmas this year. The centenary of augmentation from 5 to 6 just 100 years earlier. Roger Butt. 2011 (October) - Southern District Newsletter 3 Shenfield. Saint Mary the Virgin: A hundred years since augmentation. An out of tune 5 cwt. 5 to an acceptable 9 cwt 6 in Ab. In George Buckler’s book of 1856, Twenty- two Churches of Essex, there is a chapter on Shenfield It states that “In the Parish of Margaretting the Church in the Manor of Shenfield has 4 bells dated, 1626, 1637, 1664 and 1715”. Later, in 1898, a treble was added to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. The result being a most out of tune ring. In July 1911 the offer of a new Tenor was accepted in the hope that it would improve the tonal effect. A survey revealed that both bells and wooden frame to be totally insecure and ringing stopped immediately. Just two months later, in September, after fund raising, a faculty was obtained for a new ring of 6 in a steel frame. Warners of Cripplegate were given the contract at a cost of £270. The schedule of work to be completed by 9th December just 5 months from start to finish. The front 5 were put in the melting pot to create, with a new tenor, a 9cwt. ring of 6 in Ab. To retain a link with the past the new front 5 have cast on them the inscriptions of their predecessors. Saturday 23rd December 1911 was the day of the dedication service followed by High Tea at the Eagle and Child. The speeches included one urging the local band to take up the art of Change Ringing and to join the Essex Association who would be glad to help them progress. There was also a demonstration of hand bell ringing by a group from South Tottenham. Christmas Day 1911 the bells were sounding out once again. The Ringing Room. At the time of augmentation in 1911 it was more spacious than we see it today. Initially all ropes fell directly to the floor. The strengthening steelwork was added to the Tower 17 years later in 1928. Hence the awkwardness of ringing the 2nd and 3rd did not exist before 1928. Flooring was added after installation there being no trap doors in floor or ceiling. 1926 the Bearings The Warner Bearings were showing signs of wear and needed replacing. Boswell’s of Ipswich undertook the work, again with plain bearings, at a cost of £25 plus £1 for some blocks to help reduce wear on the ropes. 1927 the Tower Steelwork. Death Watch beetles had attacked the structure of the Tower and the affected timbers were removed. The additional strengthening steelwork, that we see to-day, was added bedded in concrete at ground level, attached to the main wooden vertical beams it goes right up to the 1911 steel frame. With the cross bracing in the Ringing Room it gives the much needed support and rigidity to the bells. In 1928 H E Stratton designed the steelwork (£105), Messrs. John Butler bought the steelwork (£131.17.5) & erected it (£329.12.10) the safety certificate issued in October. The result is far less room for ringers & the 2nd and 3rd ropes fall directly onto beams. In the 1970’s Harry Turner was asked, by the Probation Board, to find work for a group of youngsters. A special mix of red paint was purchased and the frame given a completely new coat 4 In the 1990’s A family of Glis-glis were evicted from the Tower. Also the vertical wooden ladder for access to the Ringing Room was replaced by the dog-leg staircase we see today.