The Bells Arrive

First thing this morning two lorries arrived from the foundry with eleven bells and most of the bell frame. The lorries were duly unloaded and then under the watchful eye of Steve, the bell hanger, the bells were taken and placed in the church. The six largest girders were also conveyed from the car park to the bottom of the tower before they were hoisted up into the bell chamber at the top of the tower. The bells will remain on view in the church for the next week while the frame is built upstairs.

Eight of the bells have come from a redundant church in Bollington and have been refurbished at the foundry where they were originally cast in 1880. They have been augmented with two new bells which were cast at the foundry in December last year. The 11th bell is the old school bell which had been housed in the church tower for many years and which will be used as the clock bell.

This wonderful plaque has come from the old church in Bollington and, along with another which commemorates the bells being refurbished in the 1930s, will be hung on the wall of the ringing chamber.

More photos of bells and girders being moved can be found  here.

Back to the day job tomorrow.