Church Bells

All Saints has a ring of six bells, hung in the uppermost stage of the tower immediately below the louvre openings.

A Brief History

In 1553 All Saints had four great bells and a sanctus bell, according to the records. By 1734 there were six bells, but these were melted down in order to recast five new bells that year. It is likely that Daniel Hedderly, an itinerant bell founder from Bawtry (and later of Lincoln), cast the new bells in Winterton — it was common practice at the time to cast new bells on site, as carrying heavy goods any distance was so difficult over the poor roads. A new sixth bell was added in 1899.

All Saints Bells 1 — Our bells ringing in 2009

Our Six Bells

No.	Diameter	Founder	Year	Weight
Treble	2′ 4″	John Taylor & Co., Loughborough	1899	5 - 0 - 13
2	2′ 5″	Daniel Hedderly	1734	5 - 1 - 4
3	2′ 6⅜″	Daniel Hedderly	1734	5 - 3 - 24
4	2′ 8⅜″	Daniel Hedderly	1734	6 - 2 - 12
5	2′ 11½″	Daniel Hedderly	1734	8 - 0 - 24
Tenor	3′ 2¼″	Daniel Hedderly	1734	9 - 1 - 23

Diameter measurements are in feet (′) and inches (″); weights are in Imperial hundredweights, quarters and pounds. The tenor bell is tuned to G♯.

All Saints Bells 2 — Inside the Bell Chamber

All Saints Bells 3 — Another view inside the Bell Chamber

Inscriptions

The inscriptions on the 1734 bells state:

2 — inscription chipped off
3 — “Ex Dono Thomas Place Gen.” (As a gift, Thomas Place, Gentleman)
4 — “Daniel Hedderly made us all in 1734”
5 — “Richard Studley Vic. Roger Sawyer, William Martin C.W. 1734” (Richard Studley, Vicar; Roger Sawyer and William Martin, Churchwardens, 1734)
Tenor — “Gloria Deo in Excelsis George Stovin Esq. 1734” (Glory to God in the Highest, George Stovin Esquire, 1734)

A treble bell and tablet were presented to the church in 1899, inscribed: “In Memory of Edward Synge Wilson, Vicar 1873–1898. Charles Henry Gibbons, Vicar; Edward Chapman, Richard Hall, Churchwardens 1899.”

All Saints Bells 4 — A further view inside the Bell Chamber

The Bell Frame

The bell frame was upgraded in 1948 by John Taylor Bellfounders of Loughborough, and is of composite construction, comprising cast iron frame sides mounted upon, and bolted to, a steel girder foundation. The bell frame is designed for eight bells.

Bells on path outside church — 1948: our six bells on the path outside All Saints

Our Bell Ringers

To find out about ringing the bells, see the page about our bellringing team at Bell Ringers.

Photos on this page inside the Bell Chamber taken by Steve Stubbins.