St Swithun, Worcester - One of the oldest rings of six bells

less than two minutes walk from Old St Martins (Old St Martins bells can be heard in the distance at 1:11 ) is St Swithuns, which is now a redundant church which still retains a set of six bells. They are not easy to get good ringing on, partly because of some rather bad oddstruckness (including the tenor). However in capable hands they can be rung to a high standard.
Individually a few of the bells leave something to be desired, but as a whole they are a superb old sound. They were obviously a minor ring of three cast some time around 1420, which were augmented by John Martin, another Worcester founder in 1654 by adding a tenor and two trebles to make a major six.
These are thus bells that were all cast in Worcester, still ringing across Worcester after nearly 600 and more than 350 years respectively.
1. John Martin 1654
2. John Martin 1654
3 Worcester Foundry 1420 approx
4. Worcester foundry 1420 approx
5. Worcester foundry 1420 approx
6. John Martin 1654
(13-0-21 (670 kg) in F)
They were rehung in a new frame and retuned in 1973 by Taylors. The clock chimes the quarters.
The external shots are of ringing during the Open Day in Worcester on the 28th of January 2012. The interior shots are from a tour in Worcester in 2010.
See freespace.virgi... for more information on these bells, and on other bells in Worcester

[@simonbellringer]

Nice 6, sound very good for their age, and good to see they still retain their character despite being retuned as recently as 1973.

[@timmeh1507]

Lovely bells! For some reason I had it in my head they are anti-clockwise which caused some confusion when I got into the tower.

[@glockengambe]

Oh,wonderful gothic and baroque bells! They sound as if they had a sixth-profile...

[@irkibby]

@thatsitithink There's oddstruckness somewhere in most sets of bells

[@irkibby]

@timmeh1507 I wish i'd have come up for a ring come to think of it!!

[@Ben-uj6qk]

Wow. Still working perfectly, well apart from the tenor but brilliant.

[@timmeh1507]

@thatsitithink I must have rung here before then then!!

[@thatsitithink]

@irkibby I've never heard any here.

[@thatsitithink]

Why on earth do you think they are odd struck.? That's the first time I've heard them accused of that.

[@irkibby]

@thatsitithink You can hear the tenor is quite badly so.

[@nikospodas6201]

2 rings of 12 are the cathedral+all saints only the 10 at st martin the 6 here. st andrews used to house 5 bells today it houses a single bell

[@thatsitithink]

@irkibby Nonsence, it must be the ringer.