Our bells were originally installed at St Martin's church in Bradley, near Bilston. Above is a report of the dedication of the bells in 1877 (Church Bells volume 7 page 339)
1866 Church foundation stone laid
1877 Six bells donated by Edward Pugh of Wolverhampton with a tenor of 23 cwt.
1899 Ringing for the anniversary of the death of Mr Pugh - by now bells have 'the hardest go of any in the district'.
1901 Remodeled into a lighter ring of eight, with the old 5th (16 cwt) as tenor, by Charles Carr.
1906 First peal rung on the remodeled bells - Grandsire Triples in 2 hours 57 minutes.
1907 Second and final peal rung on these bells - very little ringing after this.
1956 No ringing for nearly 50 years as bells were still too heavy for the tower & hung too high.
1957 Bells recast 25 cwt lighter and hung 18 feet lower in the tower by John Taylor & Co.
1957 Bells rededicated by Bishop of Lichfield on 23rd November. Present was William Bayliss, sole survivor of the 1899 band.
1960 First peal on the recast bells.
1974 Final peal on the bells.
1975 Church is closed due to extensive dry-rot and alternate use sought for the bells.
1976 Bells, frame and fittings bought by Abbots Bromley PCC and removal completed days before the demolition of the church began.
Peal board recording the first peal on the bell in 1906. Click here for details of all 24 peals rung at Bradley.
Bradley church in 1975/6 prior to removal of the bells and demolition.