Bell Tower - Church of St. Peter & St. Paul, Bardwell, Suffolk. IP31 1AH
Posted by: 
greysman
N 52° 19.572 E 000° 50.822
31U E 353282 N 5799502
A mainly C18th ring of bells augmented to eight in 2009 in a new frame with all new fittings.
Waymark Code: WMR87W
Location: South East England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 05/25/2016
Views: 1
This large parish church is Grade I listed. There was undoubtedly a church on the site before the rebuilding and the church we see today almost all originates in the late C14th and early C15th as a result of the increase in wealth following the black death and the rise of the wool trade. The tower is C15th and is of rubble flint, on a checker-work base of stone and knapped flint. There are four ashlar-faced buttresses, two of them diagonal. An external stair turret on the south side give access to the ringing chamber and, further up the tower, access to the bell chamber. The string-courses differ on each face: there are four on the north, three on the south, and five on the west. There is one two-light window with cusped and traceried head over the west doorway, and similar windows on all 4 faces of the top stage. On top of the tower is a small lead-covered spire similar to the 'Hertfordshire Spikes' found on towers to the west of Suffolk. The six bells range in casting date from 1713 to 2009 when two trebles were added to form a full octave ring of eight.
There has been considerable Victorian restoration, especially the chancel, dated 1853. The roof is of considerable interest being originally erected in 1421, much of the original single hammer beam roof remains and is a sight worth seeing with angels and tracery.
Originally there were four 'great bells' in the tower in a timber frame of C15th origin. Over the years bells have been replaced which has resulted in a mixed bag the most recent being a replacement for the then 4th (of the old six) which was cast by Alfred Bowell in 1935. Then in 2009 the long awaited project to overhaul the bells came to fruition, the third needed recasting, the frame needed replacing and the opportunity was taken to add two trebles making a ring of eight. The work was undertaken by Hayward-Mills and the bells were rededicated in October, 2009.
Following is a table extracted from Dove's Guide for Church Bell Ringers showing the weights in kg, and sounding note of the bells.
Bell Weight Note Casting date Founder
1 172.82 F# 2009 Hayward Mills Associates
2 176.90 E# 2009 Hayward Mills Associates
3 189.15 D# 1719 Thomas Gardiner
4 219.54 C# 1770 Pack & Chapman
5 303.91 B 2009 Hayward Mills Associates
6 309.35 A# 1935 Alfred Bowell
7 410.05 G# 1713 Thomas Newman
8 596.47 F# 1780 Thomas Osborn
Service 298.01 B 1820 William Dobson
Thomas Newman was casting bells in Cambridge from 1699 until 1745 and Thomas Gardiner first in Sudbury from 1709 until 1745 then he moved to Norwich and continued his business there until 1760.
Pack & Chapman were casting bells in Whitechapel, London from 1769 until 1781 in the foundry started in 1420 by Robert Chamberlain. Thomas Osborn started his bell founding business in St.Neots in 1773 then moved to Downham Market in 1779 where he continued until 1806. William Dobson was also at Downham Market at this time (the same foundry?) and went on to 1832.
Alfred Bowell was a founder in Ipswich fro 1893 until 1939.
Hayward Mills Associates was formed in 2000 by ex employees of Taylors of Loughborough mainly to carry out restoration work on church bells and were based in Nottingham, they outsourced the casting side of the business. Then in 2009 they joined a consortium of other interested parties to rescue Taylors from their financial difficulties, a successful venture which sees bells being cast for clients the world over.
The given co-ordinates are for the south porch.