St Mary Magdalene, Richmond, currently has a ring of eight bells dating from 1680 to 1740, with a heavy tenor (18½ cwt) by Lester & Pack dated 1760, which are clearly fairly horrible to ring. In Re St Mary Magdalene, Richmond [2025] Ecc Swk 4, the churchwardens and tower captain petitioned for a faculty for the following works:

“The remodelling of the church’s bells by the retention, tuning and re-hanging of the three Bartlett bells, and the introduction of five new bells, to create a ring of eight bells (using the existing bell-frame); melting down the Lester & Pack bell (the metal of which will be used for the casting of the new bells); and the storage and display of the four Catlin bells within the church building (of which one will be in the clock room of the bell-tower, one in the Lady Chapel, and two in the South aisle)” [1].

The church is listed Grade II*, though the listing does not mention the bells [4].

There were no objectors; however, Petchey Ch decided to give a written judgment because the case raised questions about how the guidance in Re St Alkmund Duffield [2012] Court of Arches was appropriately applied to bells and the practical application of the Code of Practice on Conservation and Repair of Bells and Bellframes [3]. Continue reading →