The Story Behind the Restoration of the Bells

The above book contains details of the restoration of the bells in 1977/78. The book is kept in the vestry of the church.

The above letter was written by Revd Selby as an introduction to the album.

The purpose of a Foreword or Preface is to offer a preliminary discourse on some literary or other work. Where such a contribution is supplied by a person other than the Author or Compiler of the work, the discourse touches on the merits of the work, sets out out to ex-plain the intention of the Author, the approach to the subject, and commends the contents to the reader. The compilation of photographs and reports in this Volume convey more graphically than any words of mine could do, the merit, intention and approach.
“If,” as has been claimed, “the building of an atomic stockpile, or a computer are the outcome of one sort of genius, the architecture, music, and literature of Christian civilisation, are the product of another”, then the following pages of this volume bear ample pictorial evidence to the truth of that claim.
The task of restoration of the 6 bells of Llantilio Crossenny, after some 269 years of progressive deterioration, was no easy task. Death-watch beetle, woodworm, rust and damp had all taken their toll of the timbers, bells and stonework, to the extent that the tower and fittings were in “a decayed and derelict condition.”
The new light peal of 8 bells is a tribute to those good friends who freely undertook the daunting and hazardous work of restoration, and to those who generously underwrote much of the cost of the bells and frame. Their names are recorded here-in and to them I pay my tribute and extend my heart-felt gratitude, for without their enthusiasm and support the project would never have reached fruition nor this record compiled. Aristotle’s view sums up most fittingly the outcome of a labour of love on the part of three friends who must be mentioned; Dick Horsington (who compiled this album). George Ward and Mervyn Roberts. “The true nature of a thing is the highest that it can become.”
It is hoped that this historical record of achievement may interest those, who, while not normally attracted to bell-ringing, will have respect and admiration for the achievement.
I am privileged to have played a small part in this album.

December 16, 1977

THE RINGING WORLD

Panment House, Woodbridge Meadows. Guildford, GU1 181

LLANTILIO CROESENNY, GWENT

During the past three months a number of ringers have completed the removal of the six bells from the tower of Llantilio Croesenny, Gwent. A thorough inspection of the frame and bells was made and it was found that there was not a reliable floor beneath the bells. All the work would have to be carried out from planks laid across the lower part of the frame. Scaffolding had to be erected on top of the frame to carry pulley-blocks, because the wooden beams were not strong enough for lowering the bells. A portion of the ceiling of the belfry had to be cut away.
The bells could all be lifted, except the tenor which had a crack through the cannon and extending around and below the shoulder. We decided, however, to lower the other five.
The first to go was the second, then the treble. From Robert Price’s firm we borrowed six pallets and a lifting truck, and as each bell was lowered it was placed on the pallets.
Before the third could be moved a section of the wooden frame had to be cut away. We plodded on, and eventually the fourth was lowered. We had to lift the 5th before removing its clapper and it was then brought across the frame ready for lowering. The tenor being cracked, we bored three holes near the end of the crack and extended the crack with a cold chisel and had half the crown ready to remove, and later removed the other half as well.
On Friday we had the fifth and the tenor ready to be lowered: the local press and photographer came. Quite a crowd turned up to see the descent of the last two bells, completed in just over an hour.
A businessman arranged the transporting to Whitechapel free, and had the timber of the frame in exchange. On Thursday, August 11, we took a fork-lift truck and moved the bells to the church porch, and a farmer with a tractor and lift moved the bells to his farmyard ready to load on to the lorry the following morning.
It is said that the four-hour journey to London was the equivalent number in weeks it took to move the bells from Gloucester to Llantilio Croesenny when they were installed.
The inscriptions on the bells are:
Treble Let us rejoice with cheerful voice. A.R. 1709
2nd-God save the Church and Queen. A.R. 1709
3rd-God save the Church. Peace and Good neighbourhood, 1821
4th. God save the Queen and Church A.R. 1708
5th Prosperity to all our benefactors. A.R. Tenor William Powell Esq. God preserve this place. 1709

When working among the bells and fittings one can only marvel at the way our ancestors worked. All the joints in the frame were mortised and secured with three wooden pins. They were as tight to remove as when first driven in.
There are four oak pillars rising from the floor of the church, in each corner of the tower. They extend to about 32 feet up, and it was on these oak pillars, and the cross beams at the top, that the bell frame was built, and this made the swinging of the bells independent of the tower masonry. The oak pillars were inserted downwards through the top of the tower in the days when the roof of the tower was flat. This is known because of the now useless gargoyles which formerly let out any water which collected at the top of the tower.
The spire dates from around 1709 and is a very interesting structure. A large onk pillar extends a long way up the centre of the steeple, supported on a wooden frame-work level with the top of the tower. There are branches extending outwards around the central pillar and it is upon these that the roof of the spire is built. There is an architect’s drawing in the vestry which shows how the roof of the spire is constructed. One can see that the tower and spire of St. Teilos, Llantilio Croesenny, are very interesting.

Upside-down view of the interior of the steeple. Chains were from the cross-beams to assist in the removing and installing of hung “the bells. The main cross timbers carry the butt of tree-trunk set up as the core on which the steeple was built of a 50 foot.

The image displays a collection of salvaged parts from removed bells, including a sanctus bell and various ironwork components, laid out on a church floor. The text beneath the image specifies that these are “Sanctus bell and spare iron works assembled on the church floor as salvaged parts of the removed bells”.

This image shows the crown and shoulders of a tenor bell that has undergone repair work, specifically highlighting a “dirty fracture” and a “clean cut” made on August 4th, 1977.

The photo was taken on Friday, August 4th, 1977.
It shows the greater part of a cracked tenor bell.
The bell is resting on the belfry floor.
It is described as being “on its way out,” likely indicating it was being removed or replaced.

The image shows Mervyn Roberts in the organ arch of a church on August 4, 1977, as the last bell is being lowered from the tower.

The image shows one of the bells being lowered before its transportation to Whitechapel. The photograph captures a moment in the bell’s history, likely related to maintenance or restoration work at a bell foundry.