Ringing at St Chad’s

St. Chad’s has a historically strong bellringing history. When the church opened in January 1868, 3 bells were installed, cast by John Taylors of Loughborough in 1867. They were a heavy 3, with a tenor of about 19cwt. 4 further bells were added in 1872, making a ring of 6, with the 7 bell present to allow the newly installed clock to chime the Cambridge/Westminster chimes, with the 8th and lightest bell following in 1876, to make a ring of 8. These were cast to Lord Grimthorpe’s specification, who specified thick bells for the tone, so St Chad’s bells, were tuned to the key of G major, despite the tenor being almost an imperial ton in weight.

The local band went from strength to strength, with various peals rung on them, which are documented on the peal boards in the tower, including the first peal on the newly augmented 8 including Jasper Snowdon in the band, the president on the Yorkshire Association of Change Ringers, which took place on the 22nd December 1877, with a peal of Kent Treble Bob Major. The last peal on these bells was rung on 6th November 1915

As bell tuning improved towards the end of the Victorian era and onwards into the 20th century, a new desirable standard was set by the bellfounders of the UK, which meant some rings were now seen as having poor tuning, which was a case thought of many of Lord Grimthrope’s rings. In 1933, Canon C. C. Marshall, the Vicar of St Chad’s convinced Taylor’s that the 8 bells were not satisfactory, and as a result, all 8 bells were recast by Taylor’s at their own expense. The recast bells are slightly lighter, with the tenor weighting 18cwt, but are in the key of E flat, so are a major third down for a similar weight, bringing them in line with modern standards of tuning. The first peal on the current bells was of Stedman Triples, rung on the 17th November 1934.

Bells are used to mark many occasions, and St. Chad’s bells have rung for national moments, such as coronations, jubilees, for the millennium, plus many weddings throughout the years, and are well known for their tone.

If your interested to know more about the bells and give bellringing ago, please feel free to get in touch.

Click this link to hear the bells from outside

Click this link to see the bells in action