Bell Tower - St Mary - Martham, Norfolk
Posted by: 
SMacB
N 52° 42.475 E 001° 37.947
31U E 407607 N 5840657
Bell tower of St mary's church, Martham.
Waymark Code: WMQRFE
Location: Eastern England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 03/23/2016
Views: 1
"The tower at a height of 100ft is reached by well over 100 steps, with a small spirelet on top and a clock on the south face. It has a ring of six bells which were restored and re-hung in 2000 as part of the millennium project. The present church which was built between about 1377 and 1450, is a fine example of early perpendicular architecture including a hammerbeam roof with 11 pairs of carved angels. It replaced an older round-towered church, the footings of which were discovered in 1999. A modern ringing gallery, kitchen, meeting rooms and toilet were constructed in the tower as a millennium project in 2000."
SOURCE - (Visit Link)
Martham, Norfolk
S Mary |
|
Bells |
|
Bell |
Weight |
Nominal |
Note |
Diameter |
Dated |
Founder |
Canons |
Turning |
|
1 |
5-1-18 |
1168.0 |
D |
29.75" |
1717 |
John Stephens |
R |
|
|
2 |
6-2-14 |
1038.0 |
C |
31.50" |
1717 |
John Stephens |
Y |
|
|
3 |
7-2-20 |
930.0 |
Bb |
34.25" |
1611 |
William & Alice Brend |
R |
|
|
4 |
8-3-8 |
876.0 |
A |
36.50" |
c1450† |
Richard I Brasyer |
Y |
|
|
5 |
10-1-2 |
775.0 |
G |
39.00" |
1868 |
Mears & Stainbank |
Y |
|
|
6 |
12-2-8 |
697.0 |
F |
42.25" |
c1450† |
Richard I Brasyer |
Y |
SOURCE - (Visit Link)
"The peal is tuned to the key of F (697Hz)
The original inscriptions on the bells are as follows:
Treble: "John Stephens bell fovnder of Norwich made me 1717"
2: "Christo Burraway; John Keme. Chvrchwardens. John Stephens fecit 1717"
3: "Roger Stannow N.G.T.R.E. Anno Domini 1611 AWB"; on the crown is "Robert Linsy, Clarke."
4: "x Petrus Ad Eterne Ducat Nos Pascue Vite"; on the crown is "ser ric grauour" and three shields (Brasyer). Alice Skowe of Martham, by her will dated 1468, appointed Thos Skowe, her husband, and Sir Richard Gravoure, her son, executors.
5: "GOD AMEND WHAT IS AMES AND SEND LOVE WHER NON IS 1660 T.B."(Thomas Brend).
NB. In 1860, this bell was broken, and has since been recast with the original inscription and date, but with the following addition, Recast by G Mears and Co. of London, 1862.
Tenor: "CMIRGLDHNEAOKQVPSFTXB" and a shield (Brasyer).
In 1552 there were only four bells of 8cwt, 12cwt, 15cwt & 20cwt.
NB. The 15cwt tenor (listed above) was probably recast in 1717 to create the new treble & second bells, bringing a ring of five bells up to a ring of six.
The treble and 3rd bells were repaired by welding at Soundweld, Newmarket, Suffolk. The six bells were tuned and equipped with all new ringing fittings for re-hanging in a new fabricated steel frame during 2000 by Tony Baines.
BELLRINGING:
The bells had stood silent for over 70 years due to an unsafe wooden bell-frame in the upper belfry. For a number of years the sound of recorded bells was played through large loud speakers mounted on the old wooden frame.
Early in the 1990s a decision was made to get the bells removed from the old frame, restored and retuned and refitted in a new frame lower down in the tower beneath the old frame (the old wooden frame remains in situ. in the upper belfry).
A small local team of dedicated bell-ringers now ensure that the sound of the bells once again rings out from Martham, St Mary the Virgin, for Sunday morning services and also weddings and if required funerals.
The current team consists of:
Nicola Hems Tower Captain & Ringing Master
Richard Hems
Michael Hems
Christine Duxbury
John Webb (Horsey)
Chris Harrison Tower Correspondent and NDA Belfry Advisory team member
Occasional ringing assistance is provided by other ringers in the nearby vicinity, but new ringers are always urgently needed to maintain the tradition of a very old art. Ringing practice is on Wednesday evenings throughout the year from 7.30-9.00pm. Ringing for morning services on Sundays is from 9.45-10.30am"
SOURCE - (Visit Link)