The Book of Bells - St Peter - Brooke, Rutland - UK Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

In 1992 there were only 4 bells in St Peter’s, Brooke, but during 1992 the inhabitants and friends of Brooke raised enough money to restore the bells and add two more to the tower. This book tells the story.

Beautifully hand written calligraphy and illustrated.

To the side is "the southern side truss of the old wooden bell frame, which was dismantled in 1991. Its construction indicates that it was probably erected in the closing decades of the sixteenth century, a date consistent with the major restoration of the church in about 1579.

The four bells were restored, augmented to six, and hung in a steel frame, in 1991-92. A book describing this work is on the table to your right.

Originally, there was provision for the bells to be swung and able to be held to rest at the top of their swing. There they could pause and change their place in the sequence with the other bells, as required for Change Ringing. All this gear had been removed in time past. The clapper could, however, be struck against the stationary bell by means of a rope. This practice, (known as “clocking”) is bad because it often leads to cracking of the bell.

The rough tree trunks supporting the frame can be seen at either side. One was so badly decayed where it entered the wall cavity that only about one centimetre of support remained! Had restoration not been undertaken, the whole lot could have come crashing down!

There is a mortise cut in the right hand vertical member of the truss. Several such signs, throughout the frame, indicate that the timbers were reused from an earlier structure.

Whether this was a predecessor frame, in this church, or was from elsewhere, we cannot say.
Unfortunately, in the years from 1992 to 2010, when the timbers were stored in various places, the bottom beam of the south truss disappeared. The present timber is a replacement, the cost of which was kindly borne by the Friends of the Rutland County Museum and Oakham Castle. Another major contribution was from the donations at the funeral of David Clemence, a keen bell ringer, who died on 6th October, 2010.

The work of erecting this truss has been done by Meadwell Church Restoration, Station Road, Uppingham, LElS 9TX. The other trusses, together with a copy of the one displayed here, can be seen assembled as a complete frame outside their works. Mr Nicholas Meadwell, as can be seen from the Bells Book on the table to your right, led the team which worked on the 1991-92 restoration."

SOURCE - info boards

Type of Historic Marker: Book Age/Event Date: 01/01/1992 Give your Rating: Historical Marker Issuing Authority: Not listed Related Website: Not listed

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