New bells in one of Worcester’s ancient parish churches
Old St. Martin’s Georgian tower contains 17 bells. The old ring of six and a sanctus bell were hung dead in the 1780 bellframe in 2011 when a new light peal of ten bells were hung in the middle of the tower. This lovely bright and easy to ring peal of ten bells are a popular valuable addition to the Worcester ringing scene. The bells are regularly rung and form a key resource for the teaching of new bellringers by the Worcester Cathedral Guild of Bellringers. The bells are available for peals, quarter peals and outings.
Ringing Times
The bells are available for visiting ringers. Sunday service ringing is by arrangement.
Please check with the tower before visiting.
Video
Audio
The first ring of the new bells (4m26s)
The clock striking at noon (0m57s)
The Bells
The new ring
| Bell | Inscription |
| 1. | 317 / 20 (Taylor’s circular mark) 11 (vine-leaf border) Waist: THE CITY OF / WORCESTER / GAVE ME |
| 2. | 311 / 20 (Taylor’s circular mark) 11 (vine-leaf border) Waist: ST MARTIN / PRAY FOR US Opposite: PAUL AND GILLIAN / WESTCOTT / GAVE ME |
| 3. | 310 / 20 (Taylor’s circular mark) 11 (vine-leaf border) Waist: IN MEMORY OF / BISHOP / PHILIP GOODRICH Opposite: “RING OUT WILD BELLS” |
| 4. | 278 / 20 (Taylor’s circular mark) 11 (vine-leaf border) Opposite: URSULA ANDERSON / AND / GERAD HAMBURG / GAVE ME |
| 5. | 243 / 20 (Taylor’s circular mark) 11 (vine-leaf border) Waist: EDWARD AND ELIZABETH / PRIOR / AND FAMILY / IN THANKSGIVING |
| 6. | 267 / 20 (Taylor’s circular mark) 11 (vine-leaf border) Waist: BERNARD TAYLOR / GAVE ME |
| 7. | 298 / 20 (Taylor’s circular mark) 11 (vine-leaf border) Waist: THE FOUNDATION / FOR SPORTS AND THE ARTS / GAVE ME |
| 8. | 210 / 20 (Taylor’s circular mark) 11 (vine-leaf border) Waist: THE BRANSFORD TRUST / AND / THE KINNEAR FAMILY / GAVE ME |
| 9. | 151 / 20 (Taylor’s circular mark) 11 (vine-leaf border) Waist: IN MEMORY OF / JOAN SUMMERHAYES |
| 10. | 211 / 20 (Taylor’s circular mark) 11 (vine-leaf border) Waist: THE / WORCESTERSHIRE AND DISTRICTS / CHANGE RINGING ASSOCIATION / BELFRY REPAIRS FUND / GAVE ME |
| Bell | Founder and Date | Diameter | Hz | Note | Cwt. | Qrs. | Lbs. |
| 1. | John Taylor & Co, 2011 | 19½ | 2474 | D# | 2 | 1 | 17 |
| 2. | John Taylor & Co, 2011 | 20⅝ | 2201 | C# | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 3. | John Taylor & Co, 2011 | 21⅜ | 1954 | B | 2 | 2 | 15 |
| 4. | John Taylor & Co, 2011 | 22 | 1854 | A# | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| 5. | John Taylor & Co, 2011 | 23 | 1651 | G# | 2 | 3 | 23 |
| 6. | John Taylor & Co, 2011 | 23⅞ | 1468 | F# | 3 | 0 | 8 |
| 7. | John Taylor & Co, 2011 | 25½ | 1310 | E | 3 | 1 | 11 |
| 8. | John Taylor & Co, 2011 | 26¼ | 1236 | D# | 3 | 3 | 21 |
| 9. | John Taylor & Co, 2011 | 29½ | 1100 | C# | 5 | 0 | 13 |
| 10. | John Taylor & Co, 2011 | 32 9/16 | 980 | B | 6 | 2 | 17 |
The new bells were all cast with flat tops and have standard Taylor mouldings (2:2-2:3:2). They are hung with Taylor ringing fittings including cast iron stocks and ball bearings in a galvanised steel frame manufactured to Taylors’ designs by NDS Engineering of Clifton-on-Teme. The installation work was undertaken locally under the supervision of John Slater. The bells were dedicated on the floor of the church on Sunday 4 September 2011 and first rung for the Patronal Festival service on Friday evening, 11 November 2011.
The old ring
The old ring of six remains in situ above the new bells, along with the old sanctus bell:
| Bell | Inscription |
| 1. | GOD PROSPER ALL OVR BENEFACTORS (vine border) 1780 (vine border) Below (cutting into the mouldings): (arabesque border) JOHN BAND CHVRCHWARDEN (vine border) |
| 2. | Thomas Mears of London Founder 1833 Waist: Christopher Barden } / John Goodman } Church Wardens |
| 3. | + (fleur-de-lys) SANCTE (fleur-de-lis) MARTINE (fleur-de-lis) HORA (fleur-de-lis) PRO (fleur-de-lis) NOBIS (fleur-de-lis) |
| 4. | (Arabesque border all round) / (Brasyer shield) DVRANTIA (border) DONIA (border) IN (border) HONOREM (border) DEI (border) 1638 (border) / (arabesque border all round) |
| 5. | 1638 (acorn border all round) / (Brasyer shield) THE (mark) GIFTE (mark) OF ROBERT (mark) DURANT (mark) FOR (mark) THE (mark) HONOUR (mark) OF GOD (mark) / (arabesque border all round) On rim: (three coins) |
| 6. | (Arabesque border all round) / + DEO (border) GLORIAM (border) ET (border) GRATIAS (border) SONO (border) BERKELEY (border) 1640 (border) / (arabesque border all round) |
| Bell | Founder and date | Diameter (inches) | Hz | Note | Cwt. | Qrs. |
| 1. | Thomas Rudhall, 1780 | 28½ | 1305 | E-18 | 4¾ | 3 |
| 2. | Thomas Mears II, 1833 | 31 | 1183 | D+12 | 6 | 0 |
| 3. | John Mitchell of Lichfield c.1320 (attributed) or Unknown founder c.1400 |
30¾ | 1045 | C-2 | 5½ | 2 |
| 4. | Hugh Watts II, 1638 | 33½ | 991 | B+6 | 7½ | 2 |
| 5. | Hugh Watts II, 1638 | 37¼ | 886 | A+12 | 9 | 0 |
| 6. | Hugh Watts II, 1640 | 42 | 778 | G-13 | 13 | 0 |
The 18″ sanctus hangs in an upright wooden frame within the eastern window of the bell chamber. It is hung for swing chiming. It bears the following inscription:
+ THE GIFT OF RICHARD DVRANT 1621
Downloads
Detailed history of the Old St Martin bells by Chris Pickford
