Скачать или смотреть Stedman Triples at All Saints, Stranton, Hartlepool

A few extracts from a peal on this Hartlepool eight, the first on the bells since a major restoration was completed.

Stranton bells are chiefly the work of Mears and Stainbank, who cast six of the present eight, and hung the ring in a new cast iron frame in 1907. The 4th and 6th bells were survivors from the previous ring of three; the other bell, dating from 1699, was recast to form the present 7th.

Aside from being fitted with ball bearings in 1951, again by Whitechapel, the bells had not had any major work done since their installation. In 2022, a local project to restore the bells finally came to fruition. The bells were removed to Taylors of Loughborough for retuning and rehanging on new fittings in the existing frame. Because there were no hatches in the tower, the bells had to be lifted out (and later, back in) through the louvres - which must have been quite a sight! Whilst at Taylors, the fourth was found to be too far out-of-tune to rescue, and was replaced with a stock bell from Taylors (cast 2010). The retired bell now hangs stationary for chiming above the others, and can be heard at 9:22 - clearly, the right decision was made.

The result is a complete transformation, and a vastly improved ring of bells which the locals can be rightfully proud of. One of the biggest hurdles the project encountered (and overcame) was permission to tune the listed, pre-Reformation, 6th bell (cast c.1520, slightly earlier than previously realised). This bell has gone from being one of the worst in the tower to (arguably) the best sounding bell in the whole of Hartlepool! That said, there are still some idiosyncrasies in the tuning; the 7th, and (especially) the 5th, don't sound quite right to me, although this doesn't show up too badly within the video. Minor quibbles aside, the improvement is there for all to see, and the bells still retain their character (and sound "like Stranton"), whilst also being much more pleasing to the ear.

It was a privilege to be asked into this peal, rung the day after the rededication of the bells. My thanks to Jack Hanlon for the invitation, and for the use of many of his photos in the video. The audio recording is used with kind permission of John Pladdys, who learnt to ring on the treble bell here (and was baptised in the now rather forlorn-looking font shown at 9:09)! For old times' sake, this extract, like my previous video of these bells, includes Queens (at 8:57), but also Tittums, four near-misses and a good smattering of rollups for you to nod along to. :-)

My congratulations to all involved - both the Hartlepool ringers who enabled this restoration to happen in the first place, and Taylors of Loughborough who carried out the work, on an excellent job well-done.

Tenor 11-2-15 in F (prior to restoration; 12-3-4 in F).

https://dove.cccbr.org.uk/tower/10564

Taylor's webpage on the project may be found here:
https://taylorbells.co.uk/project/har...

My video of these bells prior to restoration may be found here:
   • Stedman Triples at All Saints, Stranton, H...  

A video of the rededication may be found here:
   • Rededication of the Bells at Stranton Chur...