The Chime of Worstead, Norfolk

If ever a church illustrates the wealth of the Norfolk wool trade in the medieval period it is St Mary the Virgin in the pretty village of Worstead, the village that gave its name to the cloth. The church was begun on the proceeds of the wool trade in the 14th century, and it quite literally towers over the historic houses that line the streets of this small village. St Mary's is easily one of the most impressive medieval churches in Norfolk, and a testament to the wealth the wool trade brought to the region. Cloth was made locally as early as the 13th century, but an influx of Flemish weavers in the following century made Worstead a centre of the wool trade and a major producer of woollen cloth.
Though the building was begun in the early 14th century and remodelled later that century after the devastating effects of the Black Death had begun to wane, the church we see today is a product of the 15th century, when Perpendicular Gothic was the fashion. The one exception is the chancel with its huge Decorated east window. The 15th-century additions included a superb hammer-beam roof, supported on wall corbels. The corbels are decorated with coats of arms to church patrons, including the families of Rous, Stapleton, Thurlow, and Wharton, plus St Benet's Abbey and Norwich Cathedral.
The roof is stunning, but the feature that draws the most attention is the late medieval screen, inserted in the early 16th century. The screen is beautifully painted with 16 figures, among them the rare figure of St William of Norwich.
The tower holds a ring of six bells. Hung for full circle ringing, but unringable, until 1971 when they were converted to a static chime. At this time the 3rd and 5th bells were recast by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry and they were hung dead. The oldest bell was cast by Edward Tooke in 1675 and the tenor was cast by Thomas Newman in 1706. It weighs 17-0-21cwt and sounds the note of 'Eb'. It is the heaviest bell which is still in existence that Thomas Newman cast. The bells are rung from the old ringing gallery and are operated by an Ellacombe chiming frame on the South wall of the tower.
6 bells, 17-0-21cwt in Eb. Hung dead.

[@carriemiller4712]

My ancestors church. Heard the bells many times over the years.

[@martinrow5183]

Great video Ollie! Such amazing history of the church and beautiful bells too.

[@benjaminvallejo6695]

If these were hung for change ringing and augmented to 10 these would be cracking

[@msknight5]

Good video. Also interesting to read the history of why the Ellacombe apparatus was invented.

[@tittums]

From memory I believe it was designed by the Reverend Ellacombe to get rid of his drunken ringers so he could get the barrels of beer out of the tower and ring all the bells still.

[@user-ge8rx4jl6f]

@@tittums sad that they are hung dead

[@tallpojjy]

Brilliant!

[@DylanSmith_15]

Why were they unringable before they were made a chime?

[@tittums]

I can only imagine through lack of use. One peal was rung on the bells while they were hung for change ringing; Saturday 20th October 1832 of 'Grandsire Bob Minor' which is now rung as Plain Bob Minor.

[@carriemiller4712]

The purpose of the Worsted festival was to raise money for the church. As the festival is still proving popular, you would think there would be funds to repair the bells to full circle ringing x