There are eight bells, the oldest dating from 1682!
BellDateWeight
1st (treble) 1900292 kg (5 cwt)
2nd1900299 kg (5cwt)
3rd 1864346 kg (6cwt)
4th 1682386 kg (7cwt)
5th 1682407 kg (8cwt)
6th 1750456 kg (8.5cwt)
7th 1839546 kg (10cwt)
8th (tenor) 1815974 kg (19cwt)
The 6th bell was recast in 1954 and the 8th was recast in 1906.
The tower is built on Saxon stonework foundations. The building dates from the thirteenth and fifteenth centuries with the parapets and roof dating from 1864.
The church clock was a gift in 1893 from
George Sargent, in memory of his parents.
The wooden gates dividing the base of the bell
tower from the rest of the church. Within the base of the tower there is storage for vestments, hymn books an other service equipment.
This is the external door to the bell tower. The photo was of course taken from outside.
This is a photo of the stairs leading up the bell tower. They are carved from great pieces of stone, neatly cemented together into a spiral staircase. Like most such staircases, they are rather worn with age.
I am hoping to get some photographs of the actual bells soon, and possibly a recording of their playing. Stay tuned ...
On 6 May 1876, R Wooding was seriously injured whilst bellringing, acccording to the local newspaper, the Beds Mercury
