The chimes of All Saints Challoch, near Newton Stewart, Wigtownshire will ring out once again – thanks to repairs being done by the largest bell foundry in the world, Taylors of Loughborough*.
The peal, consisting of three bells, was re-cast in 1924 by Taylors and paid for by a donation from William Malcolm Hamilton of Craichlaw who dedicated them to the memory of his mother and sister. The bells were later tuned, restored and electronically mechanised by the same company from a generous donation by Berkeley Stewart in 1989.
Paul Ewan, who is in charge of property at All Saints said: “The bells’ mechanism has deteriorated after thirty years of use and so we decided we should get them restored especially as we are celebrating our 150th anniversary** this year and in readiness for our Doors Open event in September.”
A representative from Taylor Bells visited the church recently to measure up for new hammers to the bells which involved climbing into the very small belfry to inspect the mechanisms which are electrically pulsed from a control box in the vestry.
New electro-magnetic chiming hammers will be manufactured in Belgium and a programmable unit will be supplied and installed in August. Scaffolding with a platform will be needed for the refitting as the lowest bell will need to be lifted to fit the new hammers and mechanism.
More information about the repair can be found here: https://taylorbells.co.uk/project/challoch-dumfries-galloway-scotland/
For more details about All Saints Challoch visit: https://allsaintschalloch.wordpress.com/
John Taylor & Co. continues a line of bell founding which has been unbroken since the middle of the 14th Century, when Johannes de Stafford was active only 10 miles from the site of the present foundry. From 1784 the business was operated by members of the Taylor family, and in 1839 moved to Loughborough as a condition of a contract to recast the Parish Church bells. The Foundry was moved to its present site in Loughborough in 1859, and now operates the largest bell foundry in the world.
** All Saints Challoch will be celebrating the 150th anniversary of its consecration on November 20th 2022
