history of the bells
PRE 1750
A RING OF SIX INSTALLED
A RING OF SIX INSTALLED
At the Edwardian Inventory of Church Goods, 1552, there was at the 'Chapella de Holmfurth,' inter alia, '..... one sacryng bell,' which would have been a small bell rung at the Elevation of the Host during Mass. Nothing more is known of any bells at Holmfirth until the end of the eighteenth century.
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A RING OF SIX INSTALLED
A RING OF SIX INSTALLED
A RING OF SIX INSTALLED
In January 1781 the then vicar and churchwardens petitioned the Archbishop of York for a licence to repair and enlarge the old chapel, which had been severely damaged in the flood of 1777. Sometime between the completion of this work and 1786 the tower was added and in this latter year, a ring of six bells installed.
A RING OF SIX INSTALLED
RINGERS
The Leeds Intelligencer recorded the opening of the bells. They were cast at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry, London, then in the ownership of William Mears, the largest bell weighed 10cwt 0qrs 8lbs (510kgs or just over half a tonne) and each was inscribed "WM. MEARS LATE LESTER PACK & CHAPMAN OF LONDON FECIT 1786".
RINGERS
THE BELLS ARE RECAST
RINGERS
Who the first ringers of these bells were is not known but there is evidence that fifty years later, Holmfirth had a band of ringers capable of entering - and winning – prize contests, which is something that continued with zeal right down to the 1940s.
On New Years Eve, 1844, the band assembled in the tower to ring out the old year and ri
Who the first ringers of these bells were is not known but there is evidence that fifty years later, Holmfirth had a band of ringers capable of entering - and winning – prize contests, which is something that continued with zeal right down to the 1940s.
On New Years Eve, 1844, the band assembled in the tower to ring out the old year and ring in the new. They succeeded in ringing a peal of 6000 changes in nine different methods of change ringing, taking 3 hours and 27 minutes to complete the performance
JOE MARSDEN SNR
THE BELLS ARE RECAST
THE BELLS ARE RECAST
Perhaps the most remarkable of these old ringers was Joe Marsden Snr. who lived to be 91 years of age and actually took part in the ringing to celebrate his 91st birthday. He was also a member of the band of Holmfirth ringers that rang the very first peal of 5040 changes on the new bells at Armitage Bridge in 1856. He was then in his 77th
Perhaps the most remarkable of these old ringers was Joe Marsden Snr. who lived to be 91 years of age and actually took part in the ringing to celebrate his 91st birthday. He was also a member of the band of Holmfirth ringers that rang the very first peal of 5040 changes on the new bells at Armitage Bridge in 1856. He was then in his 77th year.'Old Joe Marsden' died in 1871 having given over 70 years service to bell ringing at Holmfirth.
THE BELLS ARE RECAST
THE BELLS ARE RECAST
THE BELLS ARE RECAST
By 1934, the old timber bell frame and the bells' fittings had given nearly 150 years service and were at the end of their useful life. Following an inspection by the bell founding firm of John Taylor & Co. of Loughborough, it was decided to have the six old bells recast to modern profiles to improve tone and tune and at the same time, to
By 1934, the old timber bell frame and the bells' fittings had given nearly 150 years service and were at the end of their useful life. Following an inspection by the bell founding firm of John Taylor & Co. of Loughborough, it was decided to have the six old bells recast to modern profiles to improve tone and tune and at the same time, to have two new treble bells cast to complete the octave.
The new bells were hung in a cast iron and steel frame with all new modern fittings. They are now a pleasant, easy to ring octave tuned to the key of F♯.