Mereworth Bells To Be Rehung

The sound of the St Lawrence bells will soon be returning to Mereworth. Following my article in last month’s Record, the locals will have spotted that the scaffolding was a little late in being removed. This has had a ‘knock-on’ effect, and meant that the return of the bells has been delayed to the 1st and 2nd of July.

If anybody would like to turn up on the day and watch them being hoisted up to the frame, we will be pleased to see them.

White’s Bell Hangers, from Appleton in Oxfordshire, have inspected the frame, and have done some strengthening work. They have used drills up to five feet long (because some of the beams are so thick). Sixteen tie rods have been fitted to provide additional support and strength to the ancient frame – which is in surprisingly good condition considering its age.

They have also inset a piece of oak where they found some dry rot. The new bell ropes have arrived, and - things are never as simple as they seem – it is not just a length of rope.

Bell ropes are usually long – they go, obviously, from the ringing chamber to the bells, and round the wheel of the bell. The big wheels can be seven feet in diameter, so that means that you need twenty-one-and-a-bit feet of rope just to go round the wheel.

Rope stretches, and ringing a bell with a new rope is not easy, as the rope feels like an elastic band. To get around this, the better ropes are mainly man-made fibre which (good news) does not stretch, but (bad news) does not feel very nice in the hand. So soft, natural fibre bell rope is spliced on to the ringing end, and soft wool is inserted into part of the rope to make it easier to grip. This is called the “Sally”. Sallies come in many different patterns and colours.

 Contractors will soon be in the bell chamber doing a final clean, and the frame will then be sprayed to prevent insect infestation.

The bells will be carefully installed on the due dates (fingers crossed!) and there will be some further woodworking and adjustments, and then….on Tuesday 14th July we are very much hoping ….with some certainty….all being well….we will hold our first practice night with the refurbished bells.

If anybody would like to turn up and have a ring, we will be pleased to see you.

Barry Evans

(from The Record, July-August 2009)