the tower & bells - Silkstone Bells.pdf · 2013-07-25 · These three bells are all listed for...
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ne silkstone denby rworth th urlstone odworth barnsley high- nd cawthorne boroughsilkstone denby sley west-bretton crane- oylandswaine oland stainborough denby thurlstone dodworth nsley high-hoyland e cumberworth west- crane-moor hoylandswaine oland stainborough denby silkstone thurlstone y high-hoyland cawthorne rth west-bretton crane- oylandswaine stainborough d stainborough mberworth silkstone tone barnsley land cawthorne nborough west-bretton crane-moor andswaine denby oland stainborough denby thurlstone dodworth nsley thurgoland high- cawthorne stainborough erworth west-bretton oor hoylandswaine oland stainborough denby silkstone thurlstone y high-hoyland cawthorne rth crane- oylandswaine stainborough and ough cumberworth stone h barnsley high-hoyland rough west-bretton crane- oylandswaine oland stainborough denby thurlstone dodworth rnsley horne project supported by: SILKSTONE ALL SAINTS & ST JAMES THE GREATER PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL the tower & bells silkst one reflects on the church heritage The Tower In 1090 the church at Silkstone was given as part of the endowment of the Cluniac Priory of St John Pontefract. The original church was cruciform in shape, the tower at the crossing. In the 15 th century many Norman towers collapsed because of the weakness of the round Norman arch. The tower at Silkstone was in danger, but neither the Monks nor the parishioners were willing to pay for rebuilding. The Archbishop of York intervened, and in 1479 the Prior of Pontefract and the parishioners of Silkstone agreed to ‘the erection of a new steeple’ as the tower was in ‘a ruinous state’ and ‘like to fall down’. The monks paid two thirds of the cost. The Bells It is not known when bells first rang out over the village. The earliest Saxon church may have had a single bell to call villagers to service. Today six bells in Silkstone church tower are hung for change ringing. It is unusual to find a peal of 6 original bells, none of them recast. The oldest bell is the tenor. It has the Chesterfield foundry stamp of Ralph Heathcote 1510 to 1525. It seems that this was the only bell hung in the tower for over a hundred years. In 1628 bell 5 was cast by William Oldfield in Doncaster, with the dedication Fili Dei Miserere ‘Son of God have mercy on me’. He also cast bell 3 in 1638, with the dedication Soli Deo Gloria Soli Deo gloria, Latin for ‘Glory to God alone’ These three bells are all listed for preservation. The other three were cast in the Toft Green foundry, York: bell 4 in 1674 by Samuel Smith I, and bells 1 and 2 by Samuel Smith II in 1718. Since 1718 only two major repairs to the bells have been recorded. In 1935 the wooden bell frame was replaced with steel and in 2011 repairs were undertaken to replace bearings and pulleys, re-bush the clappers and replace two wheels. Change ringing in Silkstone has continued into the 21 st century. The local tradition of closed lead or cartwheel ringing has been maintained. Silkstone is possibly the only tower in Yorkshire to keep ringing in this way. Bell Ringing The bell ringers are striving hard to keep this ancient tradition alive. Why not come and watch a ringing practice and perhaps enjoy learning to ring. Musical ability is not a requirement. Most Mondays 7.30 - 9.00pm.
Transcript of the tower & bells - Silkstone Bells.pdf · 2013-07-25 · These three bells are all listed for...
cawthorne silkstone denby cumberworth th urlstone
denby dodworth barnsley high-hoyland cawthorne
stainboroughsilkstone denby barn sley west-bretton crane-
moorhoylandswaine thurgoland stainborough denby
silkstone thurlstone dodworth bar nsley high-hoyland cawthorne cumberworth west-bretton crane-moor hoylandswaine
thurgoland stainborough denby dodworth silkstone thurlstone
barnsley high-hoyland cawthorne cumberworth west-bretton crane-moor hoylandswaine stainborough thurgoland stainborough denby cumberworth silkstone thurlstone dodworth barnsley high-hoyland cawthorne
stainborough barnsley denby west-bretton crane-moor hoylandswaine denby
thurgoland stainborough denby silkstone thurlstone dodworth barnsley thurgoland high-
hoyland cawthorne stainborough cumberworth west-bretton
crane-moor hoylandswaine thurgoland stainborough denby dodworth silkstone thurlstone
barnsley high-hoyland cawthorne cumberworth west-bretton crane-moor hoylandswaine stainborough
thurgoland cawthorne stainborough denby cumberworth silkstone thurlstone dodworth barnsley high-hoyland
stainborough west-bretton crane-moor hoylandswaine thurgoland stainborough denby
silkstone thurlstone dodworth barnsley high-hoyland cawthorne stainborough
project supported by:
SILKSTONEALL SAINTS
& ST JAMES THE GREATER PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL
the tower& bells
silkstone reflects on the church heritage
The Tower
In 1090 the church at Silkstone was given as part of the endowment of the Cluniac Priory of St John Pontefract.
The original church was cruciform in shape, the tower at the crossing.
In the 15th century many Norman towers collapsed because of the weakness of the round Norman arch. The tower at Silkstone was in danger, but neither the Monks nor the parishioners were willing to pay for rebuilding.
The Archbishop of York intervened, and in 1479 the Prior of Pontefract and the parishioners of Silkstone agreed to ‘the erection of a new steeple’ as the tower was in ‘a ruinous state’ and ‘like to fall down’. The monks paid two thirds of the cost.
The Bells
It is not known when bells first rang out over the village. The earliest Saxon church may have had a single bell to call villagers to service. Today
six bells in Silkstone church tower are hung for change ringing. It is unusual to find a peal of 6 original bells, none of them recast.
The oldest bell is the tenor. It has the Chesterfield foundry stamp of Ralph Heathcote 1510 to 1525. It seems that this was
the only bell hung in the tower for over a hundred years.
In 1628 bell 5 was cast by William Oldfield in Doncaster, with the dedication Fili Dei Miserere ‘Son of God have mercy on me’. He also cast bell 3 in 1638, with the dedication Soli Deo Gloria
Soli Deo gloria, Latin for ‘Glory to God alone’
These three bells are all listed for preservation. The other three were cast in the Toft Green foundry, York: bell 4 in 1674 by
Samuel Smith I, and bells 1 and 2 by Samuel Smith II in 1718.
Since 1718 only two major repairs to the bells have been recorded. In 1935 the wooden bell frame was replaced with
steel and in 2011 repairs were undertaken to replace bearings and pulleys, re-bush the clappers and replace two wheels.
Change ringing in Silkstone has continued into the 21st century. The local tradition of closed lead or cartwheel
ringing has been maintained. Silkstone is possibly the only
tower in Yorkshire to keep ringing in this way.
Bell Ringing
The bell ringers are striving hard to keep this ancient tradition alive.
Why not come and watch a ringing practice and perhaps enjoy learning to ring. Musical ability is not a requirement.
Most Mondays 7.30 - 9.00pm.
