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A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE BELLS OF ST. GILES.

The Bells ring out for special occasions, and when visiting bands of Rigers come, and also for Bell ringing practice every Friday

1552 is the earliest any mention of Bells at St Giles when it was recorded as having four bells and two hand-bells, in addition there was a Sanctus bell (A bell rung in Catholic times to indicate to those not present in the building that the moment of consecration had been reached, this bell is still rung today in St. Giles).

1778 the church bells were re-hung at a cost of £12.

1802 it was decided to repair them, but it is probable that nothing was done until 1811, in which year the bells were found to be in a very bad state.

1812 the vestry having considered the cost of repairing the old bells, decided on a new peal of six, and the sum of £286 required was raised by subscription. There are suggestions that two bells were brought from the neighbouring parish of Ridge, but there is no evidence to confirm this.

1893the back three bells were re-cast. Mr Wood the vicar had new works for the clock and had 2 Bells recast and the peel rehung by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry, the peal still hung as it did in 1812.

1918 after a mishap with one of the bells the then Vicar Revd. Allen Hay had the ringing gallery removed and the bells were silenced.

1960’s under a new Vicar, the Rev. E. P. Clare, the tower and ringing chamber were restored .

1962 Roger Durrant, of Cheshunt, in the course of his work on church clock maintenance, (the clock uses the bells for its Cambridge chimes.) asked permission to try the bells. This was readily given and, after hard work with spanners, grease and a set of old ropes, the bells rang out for that year’s Harvest Festival. Interest was roused in the village and Ralph Bootman, the then organist and an ex-ringer, gave a few lessons, more help came from St. Albans and a regular Thursday practice was started on silent bells. A full team of beginners was immediately formed of all ages, from young to old.

1971 3 bells were acquired from The Church of St Lawrence Brentford which had stood empty and abandoned since the 1960s, at that time the bells were tuned and rehung in their existing fittings by the Whitechapel Bell foundry, The cost of this work was met by private donations and from the Bruce Robinson Trust.

2025 the bells are as follows.

1        4cwt 1qtr 23lbs     D    70.8cm dia. 1812 Thomas Mears       recast 1971 at Whitechapel Bell Foundry.

2        5cwt 0qtr 16lbs     C    76.8cm dia.  1812 Thomas Mears recast 1971 at Whitechapel Bell Foundry

3        6cwt 0qtr 25lbs     B    83.8cm dia.  1812 Thomas Mears

4        6cwt 3qtr 17lbs     A    87.6cm dia.  1807 Thomas Mears & Son

5        7cwt 1qtr 11lbs     G    71.5cm dia.  1840 Thomas  Mears

6        11cwt 12lbs           F    104.5cm dia. 1893 Mears & Stainbank

7        4cwt 2qtr 12lbs           B    75.3cm Sanctus. Early 16c Wiliam Culverden, from St. Lawrence Brentford, rung with the rope connected to directly to the clapper.

The bells are hung from a wooden frame with cast iron headstocks, and modern clappers.

Mike Allen