Photos of the recasting of our 7th Bell

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Above photo of the dedication of the newly recast 7th Bell at our Eucharist service on 13th July 2025

In May 2024 the 7th bell, cast by John Briant in Hertford in 1797 and part of a world class ring of 12, developed a 25cm crack when struck by the clapper from another bell which broke free during a practice ringing . The bell was removed by John Taylor & Co. of Loughborough, the UK’s last bell foundry, and a new one recast that blends tonally with the existing bells, dating from 1798, which are less ‘bright’ (more mellow) than modern rings. The recasting was witnessed by a group from St Mary's Church including bellringers.

The new bell weighs approximately 7 cwt (using all the metal from the old bell topped-up with about 1 cwt of new bronze).The bell has been engraved with the town’s Coat of Arms and the names of two change ringers who have served continuously for over sixty years: John Mumford (from 1961) and Roger Collins (from 1962).

The new bell was delivered back to St Mary’s on Friday 11th July and put on display in the church over the following weekend, with two local scout groups learning more bout our bells and sleeping overnight in the church. The bell was dedicated at the 10:30 Eucharist Service on 13th July and installed in the following week. The joyful first ringing was on 18th July 2025.

The Change Ringers are also launching a Bells 2025 Project. The aims of this are:

To explain our heritage of bells and bellringing at St Mary’s;
To attract new ringers of all ages and
To improve the ringing experience.

Find out more about St Mary's bellringers on their website

Thanks to the following for the above photos: Charles Greensitt, Gillian Herbert, Martin Hugall, Chris McCarthy, John Mumford, Karen Semken and John Taylors Foundry. And many thanks to all those who helped and to Pam Russell and Jane Knight for the beautiful flower display.