Ringing at Beckwithshaw
6 Bells, 13 cwt in F♯
Sunday Service Ringing: By arrangement
Practice: Monday 6.30pm
Contact: Ann McGeoch
The bell ringers’ group at St Michael’s is starting again, as from Monday 15th October. If you are interested in joining, then please let us know.
St Michael’s Church, Beckwithshaw
History
St Michael’s church was built in 1886 by William Swinden Barber and funded by Dr Henry Williams of Moor Park House and his wife. The church is in an Arts and Craft Movement Gothic Revival style. The base of the tower serves as the porch, with the ringing chamber upstairs.
The six bells were cast by Mears and Stainbank of Whitechapel in 1886 and are named after Dr Williams, his wife and four children. They hang in two tiers with 1, 3 and 5 above 2, 4 and 6.
The back three bells have traditional Yorkshire Tails (woollen sallies for backstroke in addition to the usual sallies for handstroke); a rarity these days – even in Yorkshire!
Bell Details
| Bell | Weight (CWT-QTR-LB) | Note | Diameter | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4-3-20 | D♯ | 281⁄4″ | 1886 |
| 2 | 5-3-4 | C♯ | 303⁄4″ | 1886 |
| 3 | 7-0-8 | B | 331⁄4″ | 1886 |
| 4 | 7-3-13 | A♯ | 343⁄4″ | 1886 |
| 5 | 9-1-10 | G♯ | 37″ | 1886 |
| 6 | 13-0-15 | F♯ | 423⁄4″ | 1886 |
All the bells bear the inscription
MEARS & STAINBANK, FOUNDERS, LONDON. 1886
Additionally each has a name of the donor’s family inscribed on the waist: Joshua (1), John (2), Annie (3), Mary (4), Ellen (5) and Henry (6).
