The church of St Mary sits within the grounds of the country house of Raynham Hall. It has been the seat of the Townsend family for nearly 400 years. The hall gave it's name to the five estate villages known as The Raynhams. The hall is known to be haunted, being the location of the famous 'Brown Lady' photograph, descending the great staircase.
Prior to 2002 there were three ringable bells. They were cast in 1868 by Mears & Stainbank and were rung from the clock room which was, until the 2002 restoration, the first floor of the tower. There was a local band that rang the three bells regularly. They decided to fundraise to restore the ring of three and augment to eight. In 2002, the Whitechapel Bell Foundry cast 5 new trebles for the tower and hung them in a new steel frame, which was built beside the wooden frame. The original three bells still hang in their old frame, but on new fittings alongside the 5 new bells. There is now a larger local band that ring the bells regularly. To coincide with the opening of the new bells and a significant anniversary of the Townsend Family, the church and the hall received a private visit from Her Late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.
It was, perhaps, especially moving to be able to visit to ring and record this video in October 2022, four weeks after the passing of The Queen, given that the tenor bell is dedicated to Elizabeth II in 2002, her Golden Jubilee year. 10 years later we were ringing the bells during her Platinum Jubilee year, but also marking the end of her life and 70 year reign.
8 bells, 8-2-24cwt in G.