22 CORNWALL TODAY. st winnow bell_5.5 pages kk ED209.indd 2 14/09/ :30:20

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1 22 CORNWALL TODAY st winnow bell_5.5 pages kk ED209.indd 2 14/09/ :30:20

2 clear Bell AS A AS A A SHINY NEW RING OF TEN FOR ST WINNOW PARISH BELLS CHURCH, NEAR LOSTWITHIEL Words by Kirstie Newton, photographs by Sally Adams and Tom Last st winnow bell_5.5 pages kk ED209.indd 3 14/09/ :30:32

3 Is there anything more redolent of country life than the sound of church bells on a Sunday morning? They celebrate some of our proudest moments, carry our sadness in their sombre knell, or simply mark the passing of time. When this sound was threatened at one of Cornwall s most picturesque churches, the community banded together in the bold aim of raising funding for a new ring of 10 bells. It s a remarkable achievement, and one their ancestors would wholeheartedly approve of. In 1714, parishioners at St Winnow, nestled prettily by the River Fowey a few miles from Lostwithiel, had a vision of installing five bells when most churches had only two or three. Three hundred years later, a quinquennial inspection revealed that the old bells were so heavy, their swing was causing the fragile walls of the tower to crack. Ringing ceased immediately and an ambitious plan was formed: to fix the tower, and to increase the number of bells from six to eight. Each bell costs 4,000; contributions came pouring in from charitable funds including SITA Cornwall Trust Ltd, the Cornwall Historic Churches Trust and Truro Diocese Guild of Ringers. Families clubbed together, and the ropes were paid for by the family of Canon Geach, who is 90. Liz Shufflebotham, secretary to the St Winnow Parochial Church Council (PCC), explains: First we considered raising money for six bells, but we re enthusiastic about what we do. A lot of people believe in St Winnow, and we have friends across the country and even across the pond. So we went for eight bells, and then another two sponsors came forward, so we were able to buy ten. A peal of ten bells is the most musical combination; St Winnow s new set, in the key of D major, is the only ring of 10 in south-east Cornwall, and the sole ring of ten concurrently cast bells in the county. The bells were designed using computer technology, specifically to be rung at St Winnow, by Nicholson Engineering in Bridport, and cast at Royal Eijsbouts Bell TOP LEFT: WAX MOULDS BEING LEFT TO SET TOP MIDDLE: PREPARING THE MELT TOP RIGHT AND MIDDLE LEFT: REMOVING THE SET BELLS FROM THEIR MOULDS MIDDLE: TUNING THE BELLS 24 CORNWALL TODAY st winnow bell_5.5 pages kk ED209.indd 4 14/09/ :31:10

4 Foundry in Holland the Latin around the top of each bell, EIJSBOUTS ASTENSIS ME FECIT ANNO MMXVII, translates as Eijsbouts of Asten made me in Liz smiles: Dutch bells for the Duchy. Traditionally, bell metal is 10% tin and 90% copper; St Winnow parishioners attended the casting, and threw tin from South Crofty, copper from Geevor and pennies collected by parish schoolchildren into the molten metal mix. The bells were then shipped back to Bridport to meet their component parts including frame, headstocks and wheels. In the meantime, the tower was repaired and made ready by Ship s Carpentry of Grampound, overseen by architect, parishioner and bellringer Louise Lubbock. It s been a journey of great discovery, she says. Things we hadn t been aware of became evident as we unpicked the fabric of the tower. Cracks stretched from the outside in, allowing the ingress of water which had corroded metalwork and timbers, leaving the structure unsteady and dangerous in places. There was quite a lot going wrong at the top, as those big old bells had been shaking the tower to pieces. Large chunks of masonry had become very loose, and were tied and repointed; early 18th-century tie beams were about to fall out of the wall, and were safely secured with galvanised brackets. The south beam of the bell chamber floor was rotten with damp: Raising a 13ft long oak beam to replace it was incredibly exciting. It s so good that we ve done a really thorough job. Being attacked by wood wasps, which were perfectly happy with the state of the tower, was a low point, but there were plenty of highs, not least the discovery of many clues left by previous generations: a central beam with the date 1753 carved into the timber; beautifully decorative pintle hinges; an old oyster shell, and a smashed bottle from the 1800s tucked into the oak frame the remains of someone s lunch, perhaps, or evidence of bell lubrication. There were even signs of a minstrels gallery, and of a large pocket suitable for a barricade, possibly dating back to the Civil War, when Lostwithiel was at the heart of the action and the community would have been seeking refuge. We also found a window halfway down the tower that could date back to the 12th century, says Louise. The new bell frame has been designed to line up with CORNWALL TODAY 25 st winnow bell_5.5 pages kk ED209 x2.indd 5 14/09/ :29:35

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6 it, and the new floor below the bells has been designed to be beautiful to look up to. It was also an opportunity to open up the bellringing chamber so it can be seen by the congregation the ringers really are part of the service now. The new bells are half the size and weight of the original set, and have been hung lower down the tower where the walls are twice as thick, thereby placing less stress on the walls while being no less musical. They will play a key role in services and events St Winnow s scenic location has made it a popular wedding venue. On Sunday, August 6, the Bishop of St Germans consecrated the new bells and rededicated the refurbished tower and old bells, which have been replaced on their listed oak frame. Another generous donation has paid for an electronic chiming mechanism so that their historic voice is not lost; these bells will now be struck on the hour by pistons, thus eliminating the swing that caused so much damage. On the August bank holiday, the annual pilgrimage from St Mary Bradoc church to St Winnow via Bocconoc church and St Nectan s Chapel ended with the new bells pealing for the first time in joyful celebration, the sound rising up the tower and out of the louvres across the surrounding countryside. St Winnow s ringers are dedicated to teaching the ancient art of campanology to the next generation, visiting schools and scout groups with a mini-ring and hand chimes. Robert Pearce, captain of the tower, learned to ring bells from the age of nine at Truro Cathedral; he is now 65, and passing on his skills to youngsters. This is magic, it really is, he says. For a small church to be able to raise so much money in a year, with such commitment and support, is remarkable. Bell ringing is a hobby that has lasted for hundreds of years. It s a lovely tradition that enables us to involve people in the church. It delights me to see people ringing and enjoying themselves, but unfortunately it is becoming an old person s occupation. The new bells are light enough to be rung by children, and I hope to see more of them here. Lerryn resident Lesley Thomas and her family sponsored a bell in memory of her father-in-law, Bill Green. As a pilot, Bill defended his country in the Battle of Britain of 1940, and the bell is named the Battle of Britain bell in his honour. Although I m not a churchgoer, or even religious, I believe the church is part of our history and heritage, not to mention being the most beautiful church in the most beautiful spot, says Lesley. My father-in-law knew the church, and I thought it would be the most wonderful thing to dedicate a bell to him, and indeed all the men who flew in that battle. I heard the bells ring when they were first installed, and they sounded lovely, although I wasn t entirely sure which tone was Bill s. I m thrilled to have done it, and it s nice to think Bill could be pealing down the river for 300 years. The bells will be rung on October 1 for Harvest Thanksgiving, and at a special Sunday service for people married or christened in the church, on November 19. stwinnowparishchurch.com st winnow bell_5.5 pages kk ED209.indd 7 14/09/ :31:49