The Great St Mary's P.C.C. and the Society of Cambridge Youths bellringers are currently replacing the existing ring of 12 bells at GSM with a newer and lighter ring as part of the celebrations to mark the University's 800th anniversary. This year of celebrations commenced with ringing on the old bells during which a dazzling light show projected onto the Senate buildings entertained the ~10,000 crowd that gathered. The conclusion of year of celebrations will include a service at GSM for which ringing will be on the new bells. Photos of the progress with the bells can be found via clicking on this link.
Weights of the new ring of twelve are;
Bell Weight Nominal Note
Diameter
1 4-3-0 1771.0 A
25.50"
2 5-0-0 1578.0 G
26.50"
3 4-3-8 1476.0 F#
26.88"
4
5-0-2 1324.0 E 28.00"
5 5-2-10 1175.0 D
29.50"
6 5-3-23 1101.0 C#
30.50"
7 6-3-14 989.0 B
32.50"
8 8-0-0 880.5
A 34.88"
9 10-0-18 785.5 G
38.13"
10 12-1-16 737.0 F#
41.00"
11 17-1-2 661.0 E
45.38"
12
24-1-1 587.5 D 51.00"
6b 6-1-0 1047.0 C
31.50"
The programme (summary)
Bell founders cast a new ring of bells (12 plus a semitone) DONE
Clock is unlinked from the bells. Cambridge Chimes fall silent DONE
Bell founders with assistance of ringers remove the old bells and frame DONE
Bell founder builds new frame and fittings in the foundry DONE
Builders improve the sound proofing in the bell chamber DONE
Builders replace the plaster ceiling in the ringing chamber DONE
Builders install anchor bolts for the new frame to sit upon DONE
Builders install viewing platform DONE
Bell founder with assistance of ringers install new frame DONE
Bell founder plus ringers install the 3 "other" historic bells in the "Void" room IN PROGRESS
Bell founder plus ringers hang old clock bells and Sanctus bell in the bell chamber DONE
Bell founder plus ringers hang the new ring of 12 plus semitone bells in the bell chamber DONE
The new bells are trialled for the first time and adjustments made by Bell Founders before recommencement of ringing for Services DONE
Clock re-linked to the old clock bells and the Cambridge Chimes sound again
The official dedication Service for the new bells takes place ** October 4th **
Funding
Funding for the project is being provided from the University in the form of a gift from Martin "Dill" Faulkes and this generous donation will be duly marked on the inscription of the new Tenor bell;
|
THIS RING OF BELLS DONATED BY
DR M C FAULKES THE 800TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE
UNIVERSITY OF
CAMBRIDGE |
All the new bells will have the Founders mark and the year of they were cast upon them.
Background
As early as the ringers’ 1997 AGM consideration was given as to whether or not there was a need for a new ring of bells. There was recognition that some of the bells may be reaching the end of their useful life and that they are an unsatisfactory instrument. In the period since then the views of experts and specialists across a range of relevant disciplines (e.g. bell founders, bell hangers, engineers and other respected ringers) have been sought to improve our understanding of why there is a perception that he bells are becoming more difficult to ring and what the options are for improving matters.
At the ringers’ AGM in February 2007 a working party was appointed to complete these investigations and report back to an EGM in May 2007. During these three months the working party reviewed and completed the necessary historical and technical research. It consulted over 100 people (current and ex-ringers, bell founders, bell hangers, acousticians, engineers etc). At the May EGM the working party formally recommended a proposal for the installation of a new ring of 12 bells and after due discussion a vote was taken which produced a significant majority in favour of the proposal. The knowledge of this decision among the wider ringing community has also elicited further support for the proposal.
The next step was to form a proposal for the PCC which was duly accepted and the PCC formed a committee to take the proposal forward with the assistance of the ringers. Following further discussions with the DAC, English Heritage, Council for Care of Churches and other interested parties A Statement of Need and Significance was drawn up and formal Faculty application made in July 2008 and granted later the same year.
The project is governed by a tri-partite board representing the University, the Church PCC and the ringers. A professional project manager has been appointed to run the project assisted by the board and the original bell-ringers working party. Other expertise, on checking casting, on acceptance of the tuning, on acoustics and general engineering is also being provided.
The new ring
The new ring of 12 (plus a flat 6th) to be supplied by Taylors Earye and Smith of Loughborough will weigh approx 24cwt in D.
They will mounted in a new frame with most bells orientated to swing E-W and only the Tenor swinging in the weaker N-S direction. The choice of weight, orientation etc. is a result of some initial research by Harry Windsor in 2005 which was then taken up within the technical fraternity within Cambridge who have developed further analysis and modelling of the effect of ringing on towers; it is by reducing the weight of the ring, changing the orientation of swing it is anticipated the tower sway will be considerably reduced. Sadly, the location of the University Organ immediately below the ringing chamber meant that lowering the ring within the tower is not an option at GSM.
The existing clock bells (3,4,5,8 and Tenor) will be retained for continued use as chime bells thus preserving the famous Cambridge Chimes. The other 18th Century bells (6, 9 and 10) will also be retained in the tower as a condition of the Faculty. The remaining bells (1,2,7 and 11) are being sold for use in other bell projects (the 11th for example is going to Wolfson College). A new viewing platform will also be built inside the door way to the bell chamber to allow the considerable number of visitors to the tower to view the bells including the very old Sanctus Bell (cast by John Warrin in 1607) currently hidden from view.
During the preparation for the faculty it was discovered that the floor to the sound chamber, the "Void", was of great age. Possibly some floorboard were from the original bell chamber. As such the original plan to raise the ringing room ceiling by 3-4 feet was shelved in favour of removing the old plasterboard false ceiling and fitting an approved false ceiling that would expose some of the old beams, provide for an increase in height of the ringing room of some 18 inches but without effecting the old floorboards above.