Parish of Penrith (St Andrew's & Christ Church)Bell ringers
St. Andrew's band of bell ringers is affiliated to the Carlisle Diocesan Guild of Bell Ringers and further information can be found on its website.
St. Andrew's Bell Ringers
Practices each Tuesday evening in the ringing chamber, St. Andrew's Tower from 7.15 - 9 p.m. Contact Ken Twentyman (President), Tel. 865979 or Duncan Walker (Tower Captain), Tel. 07879430534.
Ken Twentyman (President) and Duncan Walker (Tower Captain)
History of the bells
The earliest record of bell in the tower is the record of a bell recast in 1639 in Penrith. The bell which was recast is believed to have been per-reformation. In 1661, there was 3 bells, and this was increased to five by 1703, although one was damaged, and could not be rung until 1739. In 1763 a new set of six bells were installed by Lester & Pack of White chapel for £332, and then in 1887, two more bells were added, and one of the old ones recast at a total cost of £220.
Each bell in the tower is named, Bell 1. Squilla, Bell 2. Nola, Bell 3. Nota (fire), Bell 4. Signum (service), Bell 5. Nundaie (market), Bell 6. Noctula (curfew), Bell 7. Morta (death), and Bell 8. Andreas (Presumably after Saint Andrew, the apostle and patron of Penrith Parish Church).
The tower also contains a carillon, which was installed in 1915 by Messrs. Taylor of Loughborough, but sadly is rarely if ever rung nowadays.