The Bells of Saint Mary's

The church tower was completed in 1478 and the first mention of bells was in the inventory taken in 1552 when there were five bells and a Sanctus bell in the tower.

A new frame was installed for these bells in 1550. In 1602 Richard Holdfield of Cambridge recast at least three of these bells. John Darbie of Ipswich recast the tenor bell in 1682. The fourth bell of the five fell down in 1772 and was recast at the Whitechapel bell foundry in 1773.

On the installation of the clock by Thwaites and Reed of Clerkenwell in 1800, a clock bell, cast by Thomas Mears was installed. This remains and is now the oldest bell in the tower. A sixth bell was added in 1806, also cast by Thomas Mears. With the exception of this sixth bell, all the old bells were recast by Mears and Stainbank in 1872; the tenor bell had been cracked since 1863 and was not in use.

In 1895 Mears and Stainbank cast two smaller bells to complete the octave and in 1902 John Warner added two further bells to make the present ring of ten bells and recast the 1872 tenor bell. At this time the bells were rehung with completely new fittings in a new composite framework of cast iron frame sides and wooden sills.

The bells were rehung on ball bearings in the 1960’s by John Taylor of Loughborough.  Since that date no major work has been done to the bells and fittings.  The 1902 frame was beginning to come to the end of its useful life, so major work had to be done.  

St. Mary’s Prittlewell Bells fund was set up as a separately registered charity in 2008 with the task of securing funding for the replacement of the bells and frame.

The Whitechapel Bell Foundry was awarded the contract and cast the new bells in the middle of 2010.  The work in the tower began on the 9^th August and by the end of the week all the old bells and frame had been removed to Whitechapel.  Nine of the old bells have been found new homes: the 9^th, 6th and 3^rd have been installed as a clock chime in the National Maritime Museum of Malta, the 5^th was sold to Millbrook in Bedfordshire, the 4^th to Temple Guiting in Gloucestershire, the treble to Willingale in Essex and the 2^nd and   7^th to Kilburn in London.  The 8^th bell is now in the foyer of the National Theatre.  Despite attempts to find a home for the tenor, first in Lithuania and then Germany it has now been scrapped.  Pictures of the blessing and inauguration of the three bells in Malta can be found at:  http://heritagemalta.wordpress.com

Bakers of Danbury removed the old frame and installed the new floor under the bells.  The Whitechapel Bell Foundry then installed a new frame.  On November 5th the new bells were delivered to the church and placed round the font ready for a service of blessing and baptism at the family Eucharist service on the 8^th November. In view of the recent thefts of bells, parishioners and ringers arranged a “bell-sit” from Friday night the 6^th November to Monday morning the 9^th November when bell hangers from The Whitechapel Bell Foundry hoisted the bells into the tower. The installation of the bells and frame was completed in time for us to ring for Christmas.

The bells were dedicated by the Archdeacon of Southend the Venerable David Loman on Saturday the 8^th January 2011 when they were formally handed over to the Archdeacon by Alan Hughes managing director of the Whitechapel Bell Foundry. Following the dedication, The Archdeacon placed the bells into the care of the Vicar Revd Shaun Conlon who passed their day to day care into the hands of the Ringing Master, David Sloman and the Master of the Ringing School Peter Sloman.

We are very pleased with the new bells and the glorious sound they make.  Come along and hear them before one of our Sunday Services or on a Monday night when we practise between 7.30 p.m. and 9.30 p.m.

On-going Work.  The bells are fully operational and are bedding in nicely.  There is still a little work to be done.  Martin Newman one of our Saturday School tutors has made some magnificent oak seating for the ringing room which has been re-decorated by students from the Prospects College, a provider of apprenticeship training opportunities in building trades.  When the oak panelling and belfry table have been re-polished we will be fitting a new carpet.

Prittlewell Ringing Centre.  A ringing centre for the teaching of bell ringing in the Southern part of Essex has been established for over twenty years.  High tech computer software, cameras and ringing simulators are used at the centre which runs each Saturday morning from 9.00 a.m. till 12 noon.  Ringers taught at the centre over the years contributed to the new bells by sponsoring a “Saturday School Bell”. 

The ringing centre is open to anyone interested in learning to ring church bells in the English “full circle” style. If you would like to give ringing a try or would like to contribute to the fund for the new bells and frame, please contact the chairman of the St Mary’s Prittlewell Bells Fund, Peter Sloman at: pandl[at]petersloman.demon.co.uk    To use this address substitute @ for [at], as usual in emails.