• Contact us
  • About us
  • Digital edition
  • Online archive
Friday, June 20, 2025
Cumberland and Westmorland Herald
  • News
    MP asks for Government help over plans to replace M6 bridges

    MP asks for Government help over plans to replace M6 bridges

    Resurfacing work to start in Shap – road to be closed for 21 days

    Resurfacing work to start in Shap – road to be closed for 21 days

    Arrests after drugs raid in Penrith

    Arrests after drugs raid in Penrith

    New Kirkby Stephen shop blends retail with purpose

    New Kirkby Stephen shop blends retail with purpose

    New vicar appointed for churches

    New vicar appointed for churches

    Award for Eden writer

    Award for Eden writer

    Penrith man admits possessing cannabis twice with intent to supply

    Penrith man admits possessing cannabis twice with intent to supply

    Risks and strategies for flexible pension drawdown

    Risks and strategies for flexible pension drawdown

    Man arrested after fleeing from police in Penrith

    Man arrested after fleeing from police in Penrith

  • Sport
    Medal success for Upper Eden tug-of-war team

    Medal success for Upper Eden tug-of-war team

    Eden man competes in Hyrox World Games

    Eden man competes in Hyrox World Games

    Double national triumph for Stuart Robinson

    Double national triumph for Stuart Robinson

    Patterdale’s Eden Eagles make history

    Patterdale’s Eden Eagles make history

    Penrith teen crowned British vault champion

    Penrith teen crowned British vault champion

    Penrith gymnasts represent North of England in finals

    Penrith gymnasts represent North of England in finals

    New boss revealed for Penrith AFC

    New boss revealed for Penrith AFC

    Penrith Panthers celebrate winning season

    Penrith Panthers celebrate winning season

    Darren Edmondson leaves Penrith AFC

    Darren Edmondson leaves Penrith AFC

  • Obituaries
  • Nostalgia
  • Online archive
  • Buy Photos
  • Buy your paper
  • North Lakes Living
No Result
View All Result
Cumberland and Westmorland Herald
  • News
    MP asks for Government help over plans to replace M6 bridges

    MP asks for Government help over plans to replace M6 bridges

    Resurfacing work to start in Shap – road to be closed for 21 days

    Resurfacing work to start in Shap – road to be closed for 21 days

    Arrests after drugs raid in Penrith

    Arrests after drugs raid in Penrith

    New Kirkby Stephen shop blends retail with purpose

    New Kirkby Stephen shop blends retail with purpose

    New vicar appointed for churches

    New vicar appointed for churches

    Award for Eden writer

    Award for Eden writer

    Penrith man admits possessing cannabis twice with intent to supply

    Penrith man admits possessing cannabis twice with intent to supply

    Risks and strategies for flexible pension drawdown

    Risks and strategies for flexible pension drawdown

    Man arrested after fleeing from police in Penrith

    Man arrested after fleeing from police in Penrith

  • Sport
    Medal success for Upper Eden tug-of-war team

    Medal success for Upper Eden tug-of-war team

    Eden man competes in Hyrox World Games

    Eden man competes in Hyrox World Games

    Double national triumph for Stuart Robinson

    Double national triumph for Stuart Robinson

    Patterdale’s Eden Eagles make history

    Patterdale’s Eden Eagles make history

    Penrith teen crowned British vault champion

    Penrith teen crowned British vault champion

    Penrith gymnasts represent North of England in finals

    Penrith gymnasts represent North of England in finals

    New boss revealed for Penrith AFC

    New boss revealed for Penrith AFC

    Penrith Panthers celebrate winning season

    Penrith Panthers celebrate winning season

    Darren Edmondson leaves Penrith AFC

    Darren Edmondson leaves Penrith AFC

  • Obituaries
  • Nostalgia
  • Online archive
  • Buy Photos
  • Buy your paper
  • North Lakes Living
No Result
View All Result
Cumberland and Westmorland Herald
No Result
View All Result
Home Latest

Ringing the changes at Eden village church as new band start to learn the ropes

by Andrew Keogh
7 February 2023
in Latest, News
A A
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
The bells at St Michael’s Church, Brough, being taken away for restoration.

The world’s heaviest set of four bells could be ringing out properly in the hands of Brough residents for the first time in decades this Christmas.

Modern technology is being used to help train a new band of village bell ringers at St Michael’s Church while the bells themselves — one of which dates from 500 years ago — are away being restored in Somerset.

It is hoped the bells will be back in the tower in time for Easter, but it is likely to be Christmas, at the earliest, before they will be able to be rung by the newly formed Brough band — such is the skill demanded to ring them.

The bells have been weighed by bell engineer Matthew Higby at his Somerset base and the community is delighted that Brough can now lay claim to having the heaviest ring of four bells in the world.

Brough churchgoer Judy Dobson said: “It is incredible”.

She said it was quite moving to see them being taken out of the tower and loaded up on the lorry to be taken away.

“They were huge,” said Mrs Dobson, who was a churchwarden up until last year.

She said the restoration project sprung out of a chance encounter she had a few years ago.

“What happened was, I walked out of the bell tower and a man walked into the church. I said to him, ‘we need a bell engineer’, and he said, ‘I am one’.

“And that was Matthew Higby,” said Mrs Dobson.

It is a project that has been seven years in the making, explains Carlisle diocesan bell advisor Ron East.

On top of £10,000 being raised by the local community, the restoration scheme has also received a grant of £67,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

“This is a multi-phase project,” said Mr East.

Phase one was the removal of the bells by the contractor, Matthew Higby, and their transport to his works in Somerset for restoration.

The number three bell and the tenor bell (bell four, the largest bell) had to be turned on their sides to get them out of the church.

The bells were then moved on a pallet truck by several pairs of willing hands along a steep and slippery path to where local farmer Dave Ellwood picked them up with his tractor complete with a fork lift attachment. “He very kindly moved them along the church drive to The Green in Church Brough where they were loaded on to waiting transport,” said Mr East.

The next phases of work, which are set to get under way in the tower on 13th February, will involve taking down the old floor and beams before the installation of new galvanised steel framework and the construction of a new floor.

Finally, the bells will be returned with new headstocks, wheels, stays and a strengthened frame.

In the meantime, new volunteers wishing to learn how to ring are being sought.

Mr East explained that the Brough bells are too heavy for teaching bell handling to new ringers, so the lighter weight and safer bells at Appleby have been fitted with electronic sensors.

“These enable new ringers to be taught without the noise of the bells disturbing the local community,” said Mr East.

This simulator for teaching has been funded as part of the project.

“We tie the clapper so the bell can’t sound externally and we put electronic sensors on the wheels, and join it to a computer and the computer plays the sound through speakers,” said Mr East.

Two treble bells were offered at no cost by the Keltek Trust which would have made a ring of six bells, but the PCC turned down the offer, wanting to keep their claim to having the world’s heaviest ring of four bells.

The oldest bell is 500 years old, while the others have been cast at different times since then. The youngest dates back to 1887. That was recast from the original bell which had been provided by Lady Anne Clifford.

It had probably cracked, but the metal was used by James Barwell of Birmingham to recast a new one.

The bells have not been rung in the English full circle style for several decades. But they have sounded out by being pulled from side to side to make them chime, but the church council wanted them restoring as they were historically.

Mr East, who has been the diocesan bell advisor for 23 years and has overseen well over 100 projects in that time, is set to retire at Easter, so the Brough bell restoration is likely to be his last job.

Brough resident Paul Steadman is set to be the tower captain and he has already started learning how to ring. Others are expected to join him shortly.

Related Posts

MP asks for Government help over plans to replace M6 bridges
Latest

MP asks for Government help over plans to replace M6 bridges

20 June 2025
Resurfacing work to start in Shap – road to be closed for 21 days
Latest

Resurfacing work to start in Shap – road to be closed for 21 days

20 June 2025
Arrests after drugs raid in Penrith
Latest

Arrests after drugs raid in Penrith

20 June 2025
New Kirkby Stephen shop blends retail with purpose
News

New Kirkby Stephen shop blends retail with purpose

20 June 2025
New vicar appointed for churches
News

New vicar appointed for churches

20 June 2025
Award for Eden writer
News

Award for Eden writer

20 June 2025
No Result
View All Result

Stay connected

Facebook Twitter Instagram

Most popular

Eden man competes in Hyrox World Games

Eden man competes in Hyrox World Games

20 June 2025
Medal success for Upper Eden tug-of-war team

Medal success for Upper Eden tug-of-war team

20 June 2025
Risks and strategies for flexible pension drawdown

Risks and strategies for flexible pension drawdown

15 June 2025
Arrests after drugs raid in Penrith

Arrests after drugs raid in Penrith

20 June 2025
MP asks for Government help over plans to replace M6 bridges

MP asks for Government help over plans to replace M6 bridges

20 June 2025
Looking back through the archives

Looking back through the archives

20 June 2025
Cumberland and Westmorland Herald Logo

33 Middlegate
Penrith
Cumbria
CA11 7SY

Phone: 01768 862313
Email: news@cwherald.com

Registered in England as Barrnon Media Limited. No: 12475190
VAT registration number: 343486488

Explore

  • News
  • Sport
  • Farming
  • Property
  • Obituaries
  • Nostalgia
  • Your view

Useful links

  • Contact us
  • Photosales
  • Online archive
  • Buy your paper
  • Digital edition
  • North Lakes Living
  • Advertise
  • About us

Follow us on

© Barrnon Media Limited 2025

Terms & Conditions / Privacy Policy / Cookie Policy

This website and its associated newspaper are members of the Independent Press Standards Organisation
Review Your Cart
0
Discount
Add Coupon Code
Subtotal
Total Installment Payments
Bundle Discount
Checkout

 
0
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Obituaries
  • Nostalgia
  • Online archive
  • more
    • North Lakes Living
    • Buy Photos
    • Buy your paper
    • About us
    • Contact us

© 2020 Cumberland & Westmorland Herald