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BELL TOWER ENTRANCE & DOOR

THIS PAGE

SECTION 2 (Bells 2)

First up is the Entrance Area & Door (including a quick survey of Ringers Path).

SECTION 3 (Bells 3 - Bell Tower Interior)

Here we explore the (cobwebby) whitewashed Spiral Stairs (leading us - eventually - up to the tower roof). We continue in the vertical, up clockwise corkscrewing stone steps to reach level 1 - Bell Ringers Room. After detailing this interesting and casually kept (homely) space. Then we detour into a supplemental page (Bells 3b - Organ Area) to explore the organist's bells early warning system and other bell related things tucked away at ground zero.

SECTION 4 (Bells 4 - The Belfry)

Here we plod on up more clockwise spiral stairs to the next floor (level 2) which is the belfry (bell-stage) and its securely housed heavy mechanical appliances of traditional sonic sciences.The jewels in the crown.

SECTION 5 (Bells 5 - Roof With A View)

Finally (as a bonus!) we squeeze up steps (that are no more than narrow winding ledges) almost to a weighty wooden roof ceiling with wind vane base piercing through to its secure foundation in the tower wall. From here we (cautiously) emerge through a south facing Tudor Arch side door onto the breezy bell tower roof (which features wide panoramic vistas of Maiden Bradley village and surrounding landscape). A rather splendid rotary weathercock silhouette, swiveling on fixed NESW compass bearings - up on the turret to our left - keeps proving wind direction.

(Do open a new tab/s in your browser for Bells 1 Bells a-z and/or Glossary to keep up with any unfamiliar terms.)

click pics to ENLARGE

ENTRANCE AREA & DOOR 1

Long shot - south-east (again). Tower door is bottom left of church clock.

Entrance area - NE face of octagonal tower. . .

At ringers path terminus; windows, lamp, door (with prized fern), to examine.

So, from whence does the ringers path come?

Ringers Path

Let's find out. . .

Down there somewhere. . .

Ah ha. . .

Our path joins the main route into the church from the road (B3092, Church Street).

Main public entrance along there. . .

Gates open from 9am until dusk (usually).

Closer look at steps (wrought iron handrail made by my guide, Colin Dowson).

Back to ringers entrance area (now knowing how we got there).

ENTRANCE AREA & DOOR 2

Clear glass, 2-light leaded window (north aisle).

Under the window a small vent grill and tower lightning conductor earth.

On the other side a stone channel decorates any rain.

Lightning conductor (diagram below) and slit window.

Slit windows illuminate the spiral stairs inside. . .

. . .all the way up.

Ringers Door

Let's highlight some door details, top to bottom. . .

Matching lamp for the one we saw around the corner.

(The other one.)

Door lamp - up close and personal.

Decorative arrow shows which side the door opens?

Under lock and key.

The Tudor door base (with matching arrow plus algae).

A picturesque slab step (don't slip).

Prize fern (been here years all unscathed by careful traffic).

And so we have our rubblestone entrance area enlightened.

Time to pass through (at last). . .

. . .to the other side.

Bells 3

The next section of our photo-essay will detail steep clockwise spiral steps up which we will discover a fascinating vertical interior which houses two inner floors - Bell Ringers Room and Belfry (bell-stage). . .