Bells and bellringing

News - Hudswell bell

St Andrew’s church is installing a dedicated chiming bell for use with hammers. A suitable bell, cast in 1715 by Samuel Smith II of York, previously hung in the church of St Michael and All Angels, Hudswell, Yorkshire will be taken to Taylor’s bell foundry this week. The Rector of St Mary’s Richmond has recorded a blessing here for the people of Calstock, whose Rector has expressed appreciation!

Visiting bell ringers and new ringers are always welcome. We ring every Sunday for morning services, usually from 8.45, and for Evensong. Our regular weekly practice precedes Evensong and starts at 5.30 p.m. For more information please contact the tower captain Sue McClaughry (07771 756125) or visit the ringers website at www.calstockbellringers.com.

The six bells in the tower were cast by John Pennington of Lezant, near Launceston in 1773, possibly using metal from local mines. They were re-hung in 1892 by Stokes of Woodbury, in 1952 by Gillett and Johnston of Croydon and most recently in 2019 by John Taylor & Co of Loughborough. An Ellacombe-type chiming apparatus previously installed to allow all six bells to be chimed by one person is no longer useable.

Bells 4 and 5 swing north/south along the west wall, whilst the others swing east/west towards the east of the belfry. The first floor is 27 feet above the ground, resulting in a ringing chamber taller than optimum, so a steel rope-guide is installed at 15 feet 8 inches to steady the bell-ropes. In the Clergy Vestry is a fine set of 25 bronze hand-bells, four of which were made in 1984 when the others were refurbished. There is a charming 18th century painting of the ringers of the day in their shirts and breeches with this rhyme, versions of which are known elsewhere.

"We Ring the quick to Church, the dead to grave Good is our Use such Usage lett us have, Who swears or curse or in A Cholerick mood Quarrels or strike although he draw no blood Who wears His Hat or Spur or turns a Bell Or by unskilfull handling marrs A Peal Let him pay Six pence for each Single crime Twill make him Cautious against another time So when the Bells are ceased then lett us Sing God bless our holy Church, God Save the King. These Bells was cast in the year 1773 & the the Tower new leaded. (John Moon) (John Hunn). Church Wardens"

One of the earliest scientific change-ringing bands in Cornwall existed here under the able and enthusiastic leadership of Harry Reginald Salusbury-Trelawny of Harewood House. A peal-board in the ringing chamber (restored in 1974) tells of a "peal" consisting of three six scores of Grandsire doubles rung in 1864, the ringers being all local men trained by Trelawny. Another tells of a peal of Grandsire Minor rung in 1866; these were the first ever rung in Cornwall.

We are blessed that the bells are still rung today with their messages of hope, joy and worship, for there is no sweeter sound echoing over our beautiful Tamar Valley.