All Saints' Church, Gresford

The Bells.

The earliest record of the bells is to be found in the parish register commencing 1714 The note is as follows:

"On Friday the 8th day of December, in the year 1775, the tenor third and treble bells were returned being recast at Gloucester"

	Cwt	Qtr	lbs
The tenor	22	3	15
The third	1O	3	5
The treble	7	2	19

An article in the parish magazine for February 1873 lists six bells

Treble Peace and Good Neighbourhood TR 1775
Second Gloria in Exelsis Deo 1623
Third Thomas Rudhall Gloucester Founder 1775
Fourth Omnia propter scipsum creavit Deus GP WR PL IA C-wardens 1623
Fifth Thomas Mears of London Founder 1836
Sixth Thomas Mears of London Founder 1836

It is possible that the tenor bell of 1775 was replaced in 1836 by two bells thereby increasing the number from five to six. An entry in the Churchwardens' books suggests an increase was made but the dates are not clear.

In 1875 the tenor bell was found to be cracked and the two oldest bells were so badly damaged that they needed to be replaced. In addition to replacing the damaged bells two smaller bells were cast to make a ring of eight.

The bells are inscribed:

Treble	CAST BY JOHN WARNER & SONS LONDON 1875
Second	CAST BY JOHN WARNER & SONS LONDON 1875
Third	PEACE & GOOD NEIGHBOURHOOD TR 1775
Fourth	RECAST BY JOHN WARNER & SONS LONDON 1875
Fifth	THOS RHUDHALL GLOCESTER FOUNDER 1775
Sixth	RECAST BY JOHN WARNER & SONS LONDON 1876
Seventh	THOMAS MEARS OF LONDON FOUNDER 1836
Eighth	RECAST BY JOHN WARNER & SONS LONDON 1875

Following the augmentation of the bells to eight in 1875, a note in the parish magazine of December 1876 appealed for additional contributions to cover the cost of the glazing of the windows in the tower, the replacement of the clock and the installation of a chiming apparatus.

The magazine for April 1877 reported that an apparatus had been put in the belfry by which all eight bells could be chimed by one person. This is used to chime the bells for services when it is not possible to assemble enough people to ring them.

Using the chimes it is possible to ring hymn tunes and carols.

The last major refurbishment of the bells was carried out by Mears and Stainbank in 1954. It was then that the old wooden headstocks were removed and the "crowns" cut off the bells. The headstocks were replaced with cast iron and the bells were rehung on ball bearings which had been fitted in 1937. The only bell remaining with its original crown and a wooden headstock is the "Parsons" or "Prayer" bell which is inscribed "GOD SAVE HIS CHURCH "

The weight of the tenor bell is estimated to be 1.2 tonnes (24 cwt). The total weight of the bells is approximately 4.7 tonnes The oak bell frame in which the bells are hung was installed in 1884.

In 2005 four new lighter bells were installed into the tower thanks to grants from Nothern Marches Cymru, the North Wales Association of Church Bell Ringers, and local donations. The new bells are used to augment the original front four bells, making a ring of eight light bells, which has allowed us to encourage youngsters to enjoy the ancient art of bell ringing.

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