boxfrenzy
16-04-2009, 10:45 PM
Look two, treble's going, she's gone...
Something a bit different, a building nine hundred years old. We're here today to see the hidden and unseen side of St. Peter's Church, high above the Staffordshire village of Kinver.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3325/3445180401_e8cd8d1e0f.jpg
Come on, don't forget to close the lychgate behind you.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3328/3445998686_cfa25f6b96.jpg
We're going up the ancient sandstone tower, up the tight, twisting staircase.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3625/3445176085_4fd3e0a496.jpg
First stop, the ringing chamber, moved up here from the ground floor at the turn of this century. There was no room here before.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3401/3445990334_6623a6c6ee.jpg
The bells are "down" at the moment, and the bellropes are tied up, out of the way. The fluffy, brightly coloured bit is called the sally.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3300/3445987102_95c74bdf83.jpg
Next floor up, the clock room.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3105/3445977628_724aaa4f32.jpg
Not much in here. Some tools, the clock mechanism and the bell ropes.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3603/3445983966_9e9aa19724.jpg
And a very old ladder.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3555/3445163891_026f77723a.jpg
The clock mechanism. The large notched wheel on the left is the hour hand, the small single hand is the minute hand. In the last ten years the clock is now automated; before it needed to be wound by hand once a week. Big picture so I don't have to type out the history.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3366/3445974718_ffaa4f2d0a_b.jpg
Let's wind our way up the stairs until we get to the belfry, shall we? Poor pictures as nowhere to put a tripod i'm afraid.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3565/3445155627_4364161a23.jpg
There are eight bells here, rehung in April 2000. The original six were cast in 1746 at Gloucester, with the two lightest ones being added in 1920 after being cast in London.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3315/3445959348_629fd1bf11.jpg
The 12cwt tenor, tuned to F# was the last to be recast in 1999 at Loughborough. The inscription reads "Joy, recast for the third millennim of our Lord 1999"
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3064/3445152731_f8fce3d1fd.jpg
"We were rehung in 1920 when Peace and Goodwill joined our chime" That refers to the treble and the second bell, the two lightest bells.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3339/3445964562_2cdcc7823c.jpg
You can see the bell ropes, tied onto the bell wheels here. At the moment, the bells are down. When they are up, they are balanced upside down. The wheels spin, and the bells with them.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3576/3445140815_ab5365c4d8.jpg
Enough of that, next stop, the top of the tower. Don't be expecting a fantastic cityscape, as we are in the country here.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3631/3445953894_9a2eaa39d1.jpg
Below, Kinver High Street winds its way parallel with the River Stour.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3357/3445136039_168701edf9.jpg
The clock strikes 10.30 and we leave for a well deserved beer.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3557/3448741322_e4be794454.jpg
Stand.
Something a bit different, a building nine hundred years old. We're here today to see the hidden and unseen side of St. Peter's Church, high above the Staffordshire village of Kinver.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3325/3445180401_e8cd8d1e0f.jpg
Come on, don't forget to close the lychgate behind you.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3328/3445998686_cfa25f6b96.jpg
We're going up the ancient sandstone tower, up the tight, twisting staircase.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3625/3445176085_4fd3e0a496.jpg
First stop, the ringing chamber, moved up here from the ground floor at the turn of this century. There was no room here before.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3401/3445990334_6623a6c6ee.jpg
The bells are "down" at the moment, and the bellropes are tied up, out of the way. The fluffy, brightly coloured bit is called the sally.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3300/3445987102_95c74bdf83.jpg
Next floor up, the clock room.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3105/3445977628_724aaa4f32.jpg
Not much in here. Some tools, the clock mechanism and the bell ropes.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3603/3445983966_9e9aa19724.jpg
And a very old ladder.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3555/3445163891_026f77723a.jpg
The clock mechanism. The large notched wheel on the left is the hour hand, the small single hand is the minute hand. In the last ten years the clock is now automated; before it needed to be wound by hand once a week. Big picture so I don't have to type out the history.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3366/3445974718_ffaa4f2d0a_b.jpg
Let's wind our way up the stairs until we get to the belfry, shall we? Poor pictures as nowhere to put a tripod i'm afraid.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3565/3445155627_4364161a23.jpg
There are eight bells here, rehung in April 2000. The original six were cast in 1746 at Gloucester, with the two lightest ones being added in 1920 after being cast in London.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3315/3445959348_629fd1bf11.jpg
The 12cwt tenor, tuned to F# was the last to be recast in 1999 at Loughborough. The inscription reads "Joy, recast for the third millennim of our Lord 1999"
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3064/3445152731_f8fce3d1fd.jpg
"We were rehung in 1920 when Peace and Goodwill joined our chime" That refers to the treble and the second bell, the two lightest bells.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3339/3445964562_2cdcc7823c.jpg
You can see the bell ropes, tied onto the bell wheels here. At the moment, the bells are down. When they are up, they are balanced upside down. The wheels spin, and the bells with them.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3576/3445140815_ab5365c4d8.jpg
Enough of that, next stop, the top of the tower. Don't be expecting a fantastic cityscape, as we are in the country here.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3631/3445953894_9a2eaa39d1.jpg
Below, Kinver High Street winds its way parallel with the River Stour.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3357/3445136039_168701edf9.jpg
The clock strikes 10.30 and we leave for a well deserved beer.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3557/3448741322_e4be794454.jpg
Stand.