Freak accident hits Horsham bellringers' coronation plans to 'Ring for the King'

The bell was damaged at St Mary’s Church belfry while a ringer was being taught for the royal ringing project.

Bellringer Mike Cattell said: “Part of the 4th bell mechanism jammed against the bell frame bringing the bell to a shuddering stop with the result that the crown of the bell broke away.

“Bellringing was stopped and all the other bells rung down to make them safe. Professional bell hangers were called in to lower the broken bell onto the belfry floor and prepare an estimate for a replacement bell to be cast and fitted.”

The catastrophe now means that the Horsham bellringers will have to change their royal schedule. “The plans for ringing for the coronation have been sadly disrupted as we can now only ring on the six heaviest bells," said Mike.

"We will ring the bells on Coronation Day but the special Coronation peal of 5040 changes planned for the Bank holiday Monday may have to be delayed until the new bell has been rehung in the belfry.”

Bells have been recorded at Horsham parish church since 1594 and the records show that in 1752 the existing six bells were recast and increased to eight bells by Thos. Lester of London and two of these bells still ring out over Horsham to this day.

Unfortunately, two of the 1752 bells were damaged in the storm of 1814 and recast by T. Mears of London in 1815 and this included the now-damaged 4th bell. In 1973 two new bells were added to increase the number of bells to the 10 bells St Mary’s has today.

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The broken bell – which weighs 347Kg – will be lowered through two sets of trap doors down to the ground floor of the church and taken away to be recast by John Taylor & Co of Loughborough. They are famous English bell founders who still use the centuries old casting process that has made many of the church bells in this country.

The new bell will then go to Whites of Appleton in Oxfordshire for fine tuning so that the note and tone correctly match the other nine bells.

Mike said: “Unfortunately, this is expected to take some six months and cost a considerable sum of money.”

He said they hoped to be able to continue training new ringers in time for the Coronation ringing.

“The ringers are sad to see their old bell broken to bits and cast into the fiery furnace but we will have a new bell ‘fit for a King’ and the suggestion is that it will be inscribed: Coronation Bell King Charles III 2023,” said Mike.