The Bells and Bellringing at Writtle
Writtle has a very long tradition of bellringing which is evident from the Churchwardens' Accounts of 1588-1643. By 1597 there was a peal of five bells; and eight bells by 1758.
In 1787 Robert Patrick of Woodford furnished an estimate (still preserved among the parish records) for recasting. We do not know whether this was carried out, for the collapse of the tower destroyed the bells.
On 4 April 1800 part of the tower, which for some time had shown signs of decay, fell down. At midnight the remainder of the tower collapsed. Villagers woke up to a scene of total devastation with 7 of the 8 bells lying broken in the rubble. A local rhyme of the time went "In 1800 Writtle tower and Chelmsford steeple, both fell down and hurt no people". Fortunately, a record of the original tower exists in a watercolour of the late 18th century by Thomas Girtin. Click here to view Girtin's watercolour.
Local brewer Henry Lambirth, supervised the rebuilding of the tower, which was completed in 1802 at a cost of £2,000. The tower is now a very solid construction, with walls over 4 feet thick. The rebuilt tower rests on the foundations of the original tower, but is not as high and has massive brick buttresses supporting the corners. Click here to view the rebuilt tower.
In 1925 further alterations were made, when the brick string courses were removed, the large round topped windows filled in and the clock placed in its present position. There are now Gothic arched louvred openings to the belfry on three walls with the clock face on the North wall. Pinnacles were added to the corners of the tower (but removed in 1975 as they had become unsafe) and the West door enlarged to its present form. Click here to view the tower as it is today.
It was not until 1811 that a new oak bell frame and ring of 8 were installed. The bells were opened on Monday 30 December 1811 with a peal of Oxford Treble Bob Major rung by the Ancient Society of College Youths in 3 hours and 11 minutes.
The bells were removed in January 2004 and purchased by the Keltek Trust. The front six were taken to Whitechapel Bell Foundry and retuned and two new trebles added. It was proposed that the eight bells would be hung in a new tower in Seattle but the tower was not deemed to be strong enough and a lighter set of eight bells were eventually cast and hung at Seattle in 2008. The six old Writtle bells and two new bells have now been repurchased from the University of Washington by the Keltek Trust and it is hoped a new home may be found for them very soon. The other two bells (seven and Tenor) were held by the Keltek Trust. The tenor bell was rehung in the tower at St James the Elder, Horton, Gloucestershire in 2010. The old seventh bell was broken up.
See also Sodbury Vale Benefice Re-dedication of the bells, 20th March 2011; Tower & bells. A brief history; and Bells and Improvement Project – A Brief History
Click here for further details of the work undertaken to install the new ring of 10 Bells at Writtle All Saints.
Click here for Bell Weight & Inscriptions
Quarter Peals
Click here for full details of the Quarter Peals rung since 1 September 2002.
Peals
Click here for full details of the Peals rung since 1 November 2003.
See also the Felstead Peals Database for all Writtle Peals since 30 December 1811.
Dove Tower page.
Analysis of Peals rung at All Saints Writtle since from 1811 to 2004.
In 1787 Robert Patrick of Woodford furnished an estimate (still preserved among the parish records) for recasting. We do not know whether this was carried out, for the collapse of the tower destroyed the bells.
On 4 April 1800 part of the tower, which for some time had shown signs of decay, fell down. At midnight the remainder of the tower collapsed. Villagers woke up to a scene of total devastation with 7 of the 8 bells lying broken in the rubble. A local rhyme of the time went "In 1800 Writtle tower and Chelmsford steeple, both fell down and hurt no people". Fortunately, a record of the original tower exists in a watercolour of the late 18th century by Thomas Girtin. Click here to view Girtin's watercolour.
Local brewer Henry Lambirth, supervised the rebuilding of the tower, which was completed in 1802 at a cost of £2,000. The tower is now a very solid construction, with walls over 4 feet thick. The rebuilt tower rests on the foundations of the original tower, but is not as high and has massive brick buttresses supporting the corners. Click here to view the rebuilt tower.
In 1925 further alterations were made, when the brick string courses were removed, the large round topped windows filled in and the clock placed in its present position. There are now Gothic arched louvred openings to the belfry on three walls with the clock face on the North wall. Pinnacles were added to the corners of the tower (but removed in 1975 as they had become unsafe) and the West door enlarged to its present form. Click here to view the tower as it is today.
It was not until 1811 that a new oak bell frame and ring of 8 were installed. The bells were opened on Monday 30 December 1811 with a peal of Oxford Treble Bob Major rung by the Ancient Society of College Youths in 3 hours and 11 minutes.
The bells were removed in January 2004 and purchased by the Keltek Trust. The front six were taken to Whitechapel Bell Foundry and retuned and two new trebles added. It was proposed that the eight bells would be hung in a new tower in Seattle but the tower was not deemed to be strong enough and a lighter set of eight bells were eventually cast and hung at Seattle in 2008. The six old Writtle bells and two new bells have now been repurchased from the University of Washington by the Keltek Trust and it is hoped a new home may be found for them very soon. The other two bells (seven and Tenor) were held by the Keltek Trust. The tenor bell was rehung in the tower at St James the Elder, Horton, Gloucestershire in 2010. The old seventh bell was broken up.
See also Sodbury Vale Benefice Re-dedication of the bells, 20th March 2011; Tower & bells. A brief history; and Bells and Improvement Project – A Brief History
Click here for further details of the work undertaken to install the new ring of 10 Bells at Writtle All Saints.
Click here for Bell Weight & Inscriptions
Quarter Peals
Click here for full details of the Quarter Peals rung since 1 September 2002.
Peals
Click here for full details of the Peals rung since 1 November 2003.
See also the Felstead Peals Database for all Writtle Peals since 30 December 1811.
Dove Tower page.
Analysis of Peals rung at All Saints Writtle since from 1811 to 2004.