The Church Bells are back!

Photograph from Kenneth Senar”s book about St Albans

Ringing for more than 400 years.

There are six bells in Tattenhall Tower. They are rung every Sunday at 10am before the 10.30am service.

Of the six bells in Tattenhall Tower three are dated 1596. These are said to be the oldest dated bells in Cheshire. A treble and a tenor were added in 1710. After considerable restoration between 1900 and 1904 a sixth bell was added.

When the last bell was added, a metal frame substituted the previous and presumably wooden frame. Since then, there doesn't seem to have been any major work done on it. Being fairly exposed to the elements, the metal frame had gone rusty. So, in 2016 it was restored by the tower team. In 160 working hours, five ringers and a non-ringer cleaned, scraped and coated the bars and R.S.J.s with three layers of heavy-duty marine paint. The work took five weeks and will keep the frame fit for purpose for decades to come.

More about the fascinating history of the bells can be found in Kenneth B. Senar's book: "Saint Alban's. Our Parish Church in Tattenhall", available at the rear of the church.

Recently further work was needed on the bells. But now our bells are back! After a long delay our bells are now ringing again. For us as bellringers the feel of the bells is so much improved. The bellhangers of Matthew Higby & Co. Have done an excellent job. To those with keen ears the sound of the bells is slightly different, this is because we have new clappers, thanks to the Friends of St. Alban's; they also have paint on them which in time will wear off.

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