Ringing for a wedding on this little three, filmed 11th May 2024.
Birdsall village (of which there is now very little) was once a monastic site. Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1540, the Sotheby family acquired the land from the church and built a small Tudor house; since 1719, Birdsall House has been owned by the Willoughby family.
A church was recorded in Birdsall in 1130; however, by 1824, it had fallen into a bad state of repair, and demolished; some remains can be seen in the grounds of Birdsall House. Its replacement - the current Grade II listed building - is constructed in limestone in the Gothic Revival fashion. It was designed by James Pigott Pritchett and Charles Watson, with a chancel later added in 1881. It naturally serves the nearby House, and was paid for by Henry Willoughby, the owner at the time. Nestled in a beautiful setting, and right next to the manor house, it is very understandable that Birdsall is a popular wedding venue!
The three bells are contemporary with the church. They were cast and hung by Thomas II Mears of London in 1824 - so they, like the church, are celebrating their 200th birthday this year! They hang in a massive timber frame, possibly constructed locally, which takes up the whole of the (relatively narrow) tower. The ropes fall in a line down the East wall; the treble is tucked well in a corner, necessitating tight bellhandling! The tuning is unconventional, being 1,3,6 of a six (I can only presume this was for the purpose of striking chimes on the clock, rather than for any change-ringing purpose!). The fittings look in pretty original condition, and the ringing room - reached via a steep ladder - is rather sparse. The bells handle pretty reasonably, except for a walkway built directly above where the ringers stand (to allow access to the clock and bells), which makes ringing a little more awkward than it need be (this woodwork looks relatively recent). The treble has an impressive double-clappering, which was very noticeable in the backrounds (you may note my amusement!). The bells are currently listed as unringable on Dove’s Guide, but are rung, by experienced ringers, for weddings and other occasion ringing.
The ship's bell, featured from 5:22, can be found near the chancel. It came from H.M.S. Middleton, a "Home Class Destroyer" ship built at Walker-on-Tyne in 1941. She survived the War, and was decommissioned and ceremoniously sunk at Harwich in 1955 as part of an artificial harbour. The bell was passed to Birdsall Church for "safe custody".
Tenor 4½cwt in D
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