Details of the St Clement’s project

A considerable amount of activity has taken place before the launch of this appeal:

·       The Worcester Cathedral Guild of Bellringers and family of Jonathan Hughes wholeheartedly back the project.

·       The fundraising strategy has been agreed.

·       The tower of St Clement’s has been thoroughly surveyed and deemed strong and sufficiently robust to contain the ring of bells proposed.  It is contemporary with the church (dedicated 1823) built of good quality bricks, laid in English bond rendered and pargetted externally in Roman cement.  No previous structural defects have been observed.

·       John Slater has previous technical drawings of the bell chamber of St Clement’s from 2014 which have been incorporated in the preparation of this current project.

·       John Slater has agreed to manage the technical aspects of this project.

·       A visit has been made to the selected contractor: Matthew Higby & Company Limited (Bell Founders, Bell Hangers, Belfry Service Engineers) to view their demonstration ring in their workshops near Radstock, Somerset.  Except for the founder, the Jonathan Hughes bells are identical to those of the Higby demonstration ring.

·       The St Clement’s project is, therefore, not a development exercise – the technology is already well established.  Matthew Higby & Company Limited are at the forefront of hanging small peals of bells for the last 30 years or so, and every confidence is placed with their abilities with this project.

·       Matthew Higby & Company Limited have provided a quotation for the installation.

·       Transport for the bells from Worcester to the Higby workshop and back will be provided locally.

Why we need your help to bring bells into the tower

We now need your help to raise £45,000 to provide St Clement’s with a ring of bells. Such a ring will:

·        Be an important part of worship of St Clement’s

The bells at St Clement’s will play an important part of the worship in this church. As well as reminding passers-by of the ministry of the church, the sound of bells frequently encourages visitors into the building and to worship.

 

·        Promote the ancient art of bellringing

The very English art form of change ringing has been associated with key moments in life for many hundreds of years.  It is a key part of our heritage.  The call to Sunday service, the celebration of weddings and Coronations, and the mourning at funerals. Installing bells in St Clement’s will ensure that a tradition dating back many centuries is continued.

 

·        Create a training ground for bellringing

The City of Worcester does not possess a light ring of eight bells. The proposed ring of bells at St Clement’s will be designed to be very easy to ring thus making the teaching of ringers (particular in the art of 8-bell ringing) much more effective and thereby enhance the collective ability of bellringers in the City.

 

·        Adding to the City’s heritage

Once in place, there is no reason why these bells should not ring out from the belfry for centuries. Whoever contributes to this appeal will leave a legacy, not just for one generation, but for many generations to come.

     

   Young Ringers meeting in the Cathedral Ringing Room                Visiting Ringers in the Teaching Centre

            

                            The Cathedral Bells                                    Part of the Worcester Cathedral Band in the Cathedral Ringing Room

Work planned

The following activities are planned, some of which will take place in parallel with fundraising, and some of which will take place as soon as sufficient funds become available.

·       A faculty (diocesan planning permission) will be obtained for all the structural activities in the tower.  There will be minimal modifications to the access in the tower and no interference to the operation or positioning of the clock.

·       Matthew Higby & Company Limited has inspected and approved the proposals.

·       A ringing room will be created out of the existing store room/vestibule on the first floor of the tower.  Some timber infill will be necessary to provide a level, trip free, floor area.

·       It is proposed that the bells be installed in the existing belfry, behind the pierced stone sound openings.  This is the original belfry which was formerly occupied by a single 700kg bell which was removed about 20 years ago.  The redundant frame remains intact but cannot be incorporated with the current project and will therefore have to be removed.  Additionally, the belfry contains the stepladder access to the tower roof and this will require some modification or repositioning.  Part of the belfry floor within the redundant bell frame has been permanently removed, but not replaced, and this will require re-instatement.

·       It is envisaged that some form of sound control will be necessary to give better sound distribution.  This can be accomplished by boarding on the inside of the pierced stone sound openings.  Some experimentation will probably be required to achieve the best results.