History of St Matthew's Church Bells
The bells have been cleaned and fully lubricated and are now in full working order and a group of parishioners have received training and the bells can be heard once again.
They consist of the following: -
Bell Details
| Bell | Weight | Diameter | Note | Date | Founder |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tenor |
9-2-8 |
39 |
G |
1721 |
John Waylett, Cripplegate |
5 |
7-3-12 |
36 1/2 |
A |
1913 |
Alfred Bowell, Ipswich |
4 |
6-2-12 |
32 1/5 |
B |
1913 |
Alfred Bowell, Ipswich |
3 |
5-2-8 |
31 1/5 |
C |
1721 |
John Waylett, Cripplegate |
2 |
4-3-0 |
29 |
D |
1721 |
John Waylett, Cripplegate |
Treble |
4-0-18 |
27 |
E |
1936 |
Alfred Bowell, Ipswich |
The historical records regarding the bells, detailed in the following information: -
1552 4 bells recorded in the tower
1721 Bells 1, 2, 3 and 5 recast by John Waylett, who rehung them into a new timber frame
1723 John Waylett recast the 4th bell
1777 Present tower built
1779 Record of 5 bells in the tower, 3 and 4 were recast by Alfred Bowell and the remainder rehung, he also added a treble, increasing the number to to 6
1936 In July a new treble was completed, 2 bell ropes replaced costing a total, equivalent to £62.20 (£62-4 shillings), and in August 13 handbells were purchased costing £4, details provided from the Bowell records