The Bells of St Mary the Virgin, Penzance

The original eight bells at St Mary's were installed in 1865; the details are as follows:

From Loughborough Foundry records (many thanks to Andrew Bull of Dursley for supplying this information):
Ring of eight bells supplied by Taylors. Cast April to August 1865. Left Loughborough 19 September 1865. Hung in a two tier frame with nos. 1 and 3 over 2 and 4. All swinging in same direction. Lower frame arranged with two rows of three, viz: 2, 4, 5 and 8, 7, 6.

Like the present ring, these were clearly well thought of; the 1870 Catalogue of John Taylor & Co. quoted the following testimonial dated October 1866 from the Rev. Philip Hedgeland, incumbent of St Mary's:

"Dear Sir, - I am instructed by our Bell Committee to express their entire satisfaction with the peal of eight bells which you have recently placed in the tower of St Mary's, Penzance. It is our unanimous opinion that the peal is a thoroughly good one, musical, in perfect tune, and excellently hung. Residents and visitors are alike struck with the pure quality of the tone; and after twelve months experience, we are glad to find that the more the bells are heard the better they are liked."

The bells were overhauled, and new crown staples fitted, in 1885.

But in the 1904 Report of the Truro Diocesan Guild of Ringers, the following appeared:

"PENZANCE. - In June, Mr I.W. Taylor, Junr., of Loughborough was desired to inspect the 'go' of the bells, with the result that he considered the ringing of the fourth and fifth was dangerous to the safety of the peal; whereupon the Church authorities decided that all further ringing should be discontinued, much to the regret of the band, and, it is to be feared, greatly to the detriment of the latter's exemplary interest and practical enthusiams in endeavouring to promote the aim and objects of the Guild in its beneficial work.

"...Since the first week in August, there has been no ringing, and there is apparently little hope of an early restoration being contemplated, owing to the apathy and indifference of the Church authorities in this which may be considered one of the most important branches of Church work."

This ring of bells remained unringable until, in 1929, the Town Council took the initiative to have the bells recast and rehung. The bells were recast in 1930, the job being completed on 6 July 1930.

The details of this, the present ring, are as follows:

No.	Weight	Diameter	Note	Inscription
Treble	5-1-20	29"	E flat	Peace and Good Neighbourhood  William Coulson Tregarthen
2nd	5-2-13	30"	D	Prosperity to this Borough  George Poole, Howell Malbott Aldermen and  Members of the Committee 1930
3rd	6-3-21	33"	C	To the Glory of God  The Gift of Philip Hedgeland M.A. Vicar  James Aldridge Devenish Asst. Curate  Walter Edmunds Junr. Churchwarden  Samuel York Sidesman AD 1865  Canon Frederick Robert Carr M.A. Vicar 1930
4th	7-3-21	35"	B flat	Prosperity to the Church of England  Walter Howard Frere Bishop of Truro 1930
5th	10-1-16	38"	A flat	The Gift of Caroline and  Elizabeth Catherine Thomas Carne AD 1865
6th	12-1-23	41"	G	Fear God Honour the King  John Symons Ringing Master  Truro Diocesan Guild of Ringers 1930
7th	16-0-2	45"	F	The Gift of the Corporation  Francis Boase Mayor 1865  William Gage Goodfellow Mayor 1930
Tenor	23-3-23	51"	E flat	God Save the King  Bolitho 1865  Richard Foster Bolitho 1930  This octave recast in 1930
J. Taylor and Sons Founders Loughborough is inscribed on each bell

This photograph shows the arrival of the present bells with Fr. Carr and Arthur Williams who at the time was Curate but who later returned to St Mary's as Vicar and Archdeacon of Cornwall in the 1960s.

The bells are hung on two levels, with five bells in the lower frame, and three in the upper.

The Penzance Band of Scientific Change-ringers on October 17th rang on the bells of St Mary's Church a quarter peal of Grandsire Triples containing 1260 changes, with 30 bobs, which was accomplished in 59 mins. This musical touch, taken from Hubbard's selection, is in three parts with 4, 6 and 7 at home at the part ends, comprising the twelve 7-4's and 6-7's together with the Queen's and Tittum changes, and is regarded as a composition of much merit. The band was stationed thus: W. Mitchell treble; J. Wallis 2nd; E. Jenkin 3rd; J. Richards 4th; H. Boase 5th; F. Boase 6th; H.R. Trelawney 7th; W. Jenkin tenor. The Conductor was Mr H.R. Trelawney. The weight of the tenor is 20 1/4 cwt in E."

This could well have been the first quarter peal to be rung in Cornwall.

The `musical touch' has been identified as the well-known three-part calling with bobs at 1.3.3.1.5.4.3.1.5.4. First published in 1788 in "Clavis Campanalogia", it has retained its popularity to this day.[RWW]

The band continued to progress and in 1883 rang the first peal in Cornwall. This late 19th century band at St Mary's was affiliated to the Guild of Devonshire Ringers and practised on Mondays and Thursdays.[FMB]

The 1883 peal was the only one on the original bells, but ringing at St Mary's continued to flourish and, in the 1904 Truro Diocesan Guild Report, it was recorded that in "the first seven months, an aggregate of 34,560 changes in completed touches were rung, comprising seven quarter-peals of Grandsire Triples, two of which were accomplished at the Annual Festival at St Austell on Whit-Monday."

In August of that year the bells were condemned and, as the 1908 Report stated, "no Ringing has been accomplished by our Band in either our own or any other tower since, beyond assisting in the Dedication of the restored ring at Lelant in 1905".

The next peal at St Mary's, rung on the new bells, was rung to commemorate the Jubilee of the first peal in the tower. Including this one, the number of peals rung at St Mary's on the 1930 bells was as follows:

1930-1939 - 3
1940-1949 - 2
1950-1959 - 0
1960-1969 - 1
1970-1979 - 9
1980-1989 - 1
1990-1999 - 14
2000-2009 - 28