WOLSEY'S BELLS

The oldest ring of five in the country, the bells were known locally as 'Wolsey's Bells' since Henry VIII's advisor Cardinal Wolsey grew up in the area and would have heard them as a boy. Whitechapel Bell Foundry were able to fire-weld new tops on the ancient clappers, an option that only we among British bellfounders can offer, so that they could continue in use with the bells. So since the bells were only cleaned with no new tuning undertaken, and the original clappers remain, the bells will sound the same now as Wolsey would have heard them all those centuries ago.

A BBC news report on the bells, complete with video clip, can be found at:

BBC News Report

News Archive:

March 2009: October 2008: September 2008: April 2008: April 2007: July 2006: June 2006: Mid-April 2006: April 2006: September 2005: Late-April 2005: April 2005: Late-October 2004: October 2004: July 2003: June 2003: September 2002: Late-August 2002: August 2002: April 2002: February 2002: September 2001: May 2001: February 2001: December 1999:

Royal Visit Three Recent Installations (Stanion, Londal Castle, Harefield) The 2008 Ringing Roadshow Big Ben - the 150th Anniversary Quebec: Holy Trinity Government Seeks Whitechapel Help New Cathedral Ring for Alabama WBF Wins Best Family Business Award Whitechapel and A Passion for Churches Report on 2005 Ringing Roadshow Three Decades of Charlie Smith Ringing at the Royal Northern 100 Years of the Hughes Family at WBF Lord Mayor Opens WBF Shop Extension Report on Ringing Roadshow, 2003 Ringing Roadshow, 2003 New York: The 9-11 Bell Dedication The 1881 Libel Case Casting the 9-11 Bell Another Liberty Bell A Big Wheel Open Day 2001 (with photos) Historic Finds at the Foundry Open Day 2000 (with photos) Masham and the Millennium