C O N T E X T 1 1 0 : J U LY 2 0 0 9 11 SUPPORTING COLUMNS Bell-frames under threat Timber and early iron bell-frames in church towers are being replaced by cast iron or steel frames and lost, writes engineer Brian Morton (with the help of Stuart Armitage). not being easily ringable. But they were still rung, and in many cases with no detriment to the tower whatsoever. It is important that bells continue to be rung, as this is an integral component of British life. Today some bell-ringers and their advisers claim that only nominal movement of the frame and the tower is acceptable. Some suggest a maximum horizontal movement at the head of the frame of 1.5mm before the ‘go’ of the bells is considered unacceptable. If this can not be achieved, often without further thought, Timber bell-frames, many of which are over 400 years old, are being condemned as the bell-ringers endeavour to make it easier for themselves to ring the bells by installing new cast iron or steel bell-frames, which present a more standard feel when rung. As engineers involved in historic buildings, particularly churches, we have assessed the condition of historic timber bellframes and church towers, relating to bell-ringing. It is only in recent years that there has been a movement, of increasing momentum, to disuse existing frames rather than accept them as they are, or repair them. Timber bell-frames have always moved significantly when bells are rung, simply because they were constructed from large fresh timbers cut straight from the forest, with pegged mortise-and-tenon joints. As the timber dried out, the whole structure became free to move. At that early stage these frames were sometimes stiffened or wedged as necessary. This was often initially done in a haphazard way, but later more significant stiffening would be carried out using metal straps. Even with this rather crude or piecemeal stiffening, the bells continued to be rung, even though in some cases rings of bells gained a notorious reputation for A significantly strengthened timber bell-frame Minor strengthening to a historic timber bell-frame
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