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LyndenleaBristol Rural Branch
Stoke Gifford (St Michael)
Name or Dedication: St Michael
Location: Stoke Gifford, Gloucestershire
Grid Reference: ST622797
Unringable; derelict. A new frame and fittings would be necessary before the bells could be rung again. They are tuned 1, 3, 4 of four in Ab and the ropes fall anticlockwise. Originally a complete ring of four, the second bell was removed long ago. It probably weighed 6¼ cwt with a diameter of 33 inches, and was tuned to C.
The frame is medieval in parts, but was altered when the tenor was added in 1620. Much of the frame was cut away and replaced with timber props in the 19th Century, possibly when the missing second bell was removed. The entire installation, including the bells, is listed for preservation.
Bells hung for full-circle ringing
| Bell | Weight | Diameter | Note | Founder | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 cwt | 30 in | Db | Bristol Foundry | c.1420 |
| 2 | 8 cwt | 36½ in | Bb | Thomas Gefferies | c.1520 |
| 3 | 10 cwt | 39¼ in | Ab | Roger Purdue I | 1620 |
Source: Taken from an article by Ros Broomhead, published on the websites of St Michael's Church, Stoke Gifford and Stoke Gifford Parish Council.
Where the exact weight of a bell is known, it is given in the traditional way using the British imperial units of Hundredweight, Quarters and Pounds (cwt-qtr-lb) in which there are 28 pounds in a quarter, four quarters in a hundredweight, and 20 hundredweight in a ton (one hundredweight is equal to approximately 50.8 kilograms). However, if only an approximate or calculated weight is known, it is given to the nearest quarter of a hundredweight.
A bell's diameter is measured across its mouth (open end) at the widest point and is given in inches (to the nearest quarter of an inch), one inch being equal to approximately 2.54 centimetres.