Over Kellet jubilee bells project

19/02/2024

A wonderful weekend and thanks to Simon Percy for his enthusiasm and coordination of all the ringing. Everyone had a really interesting, enjoyable and uplifting weekend.

This weekend has been an amazing success on many levels:
- Successful open day with 19 church's ringing between St Anne's on the Sea
- First quarter peal of Major on the bells at Over Kellet
- Ceilidh to celebrate the Over Kellet jubilee bells project with over 130 people attending
- First Peal on the bells at Over Kellet following the dedication service
What I'm most proud of however, was to ring a Quarter Peal with one of the residents of the village. Susan Johnson is the daughter of Norman Chaddock, as last rang a bell in 1964. She had a go following the test ring not being sure if she'd remember how to ring. In her ringing years she rang 48 peals with the last being in Rotherham in June 1964. I'm so proud of her for ringing her first quarter peal for 50 years at the age of 82 🤗 Well done Susan!

Lancashire bell ringers
Bellringers

1250 Cambridge Surprise Major rung at Over Kellet (St Cuthbert), Lancashire

31/01/2024

Following the successful completion of our project with the first ring of the bells on Christmas morning a weekend of Celebration and Thanksgiving will take place on 17th and 18th February.

On Saturday 17th, 1400-1630, there is an opportunity for village residents and other supporters of the project to view and have a try at ringing the bells, followed from 1630-1730 for other visitors to ring the bells as part of the Open Day, during which it will be possible to ring in 19 other towers in the area over the course of the day, finishing at Over Kellet. Further details of this can be obtained from St Cuthbert's Ringing Master, Simon Percy, email: [email protected] . From 1730-1830 a Quarter Peal will be rung.

On Sunday 18th February at 1045 the Rt Revd Philip North, Bishop of Blackburn, will conduct a service of Thanksgiving for the new bells in St Cuthbert's Church, following which a further Quarter Peal will be rung".

"On January 2nd 2024 a Quarter Peal was rung by the same Band who had rung the last Quarter Peal at the same time on January 2nd 2023 before the removal of the bells from Church Kirk.

26/12/2023

The bells ring out over the village of Over Kellet for the first time at 9am on Christmas Day marking the completion of the project on time and on budget.

22/12/2023

A successful test ring, just 3 days after the bells arrived, means we are all ready for the first public ring on Christmas Day.

22/12/2023

A quarter peal was rung on hand bells in the the new Ringing Chamber to welcome the arrival of the new bells.

22/12/2023

Our new bells were delivered on Monday 18th December. With only one week to Christmas. Andrew and James from Taylor's joined Kit and Nathan and a band of volunteers to ensure the bells would be ready to ring on Christmas morning. The bells were taken off the lorry and hauled up into the tower one at a time, where the wheels were fitted. After some slight adjustment the bells were tested and are now all ready to ring on Christmas morning at 9am.
All very exciting!

19/12/2023

St Cuthbert's Church, Over Kellet make final preparations for the installation of the new bells. Click the link to watch the video...

St Cuthbert's Over Kellet prepare for the arrival of the new bells.

12/12/2023

It is now time to say goodbye to our old Adam Smith Treble and Thomas Mears Tenor bells as they returned to Taylor's for rehoming by the Keltek Trust.

12/12/2023

It was a lot of steel that arrived on 6th December and it took 4 hours to unload.

02/12/2023

Final preparation for the new frames and bells came with the removal of the old belfry floor and Stonemason Chris Venn creating pockets in the walls to receive the new steel joists on which the new bell frames will sit.
It is planned that the joists and frames will arrive on 6th December and the bells the following week. The timetable is looking tight but it is still hoped to have the new bells ringing for the first time at 0900 on Christmas Day.

02/12/2023

Later that month a team of volunteers assisted Paul Mason with the removal of the existing 3 floors from the tower, replacing them with 2 new ones. One for the new Ringing Chamber and one for the new Bell Chamber.

02/12/2023

In early October a small party of Over Kellet residents travelled to Taylor's at Loughborough to see the 3 new bells being cast to join 5 of the Warner bells from Church Kirk to make up the new ring of 8.

As the new bell 6 is cast it is consecrated by Revd Father Martin Daniels, President of the LACR.