All Saints Church in Darfield - Part 10

The descent from the belfry to the bell ringing chamber

When deciding to visit All Saints church in Darfield, during the 2019 Heritage Open Days festival, part of the reason was that there would be a demonstration of bell ringing and I had hoped that I would be also able to get to the top of the tower, as at Aston and Barnby Dun parish churches. 

The ascent to the bell ringing chamber

Unfortunately, on this occasion, there was no access to the top of the tower but I am always interested in going up a spiral staircase to see parts of a mediaeval church that are not generally accessible to the public. 

A slit window in the spiral staircase

I was interested to see the method diagrams at Barnby Dun, but I don’t know the first thing about campanology and I therefore appreciated this opportunity to learn something about the ring of eight bells, which date from 1500 to 1979. 

A variation in masonry in the bell ringing chamber

During the introduction, I cast my eyes around the bell ringing chamber and noticed that the change in the masonry from the C12 to the C15 is quite clearly seen – with coursed and squared rubble changing to ashlar – along with the tracery in the Perpendicular Gothic north window. 

Ringing the bells

Having seen the bell ringers at work, I was invited to go up into the belfry, while the bells were being rung. On the occasions that I have been up to a belfry, I have always been impressed by the way that a large modern iron/steel frame, which is often necessary to provide structural stability, has been lifted and fitted into such a confined space. 

In the belfry

With my fingers in my ears, it was quite an experience to feel the vibrations and to see the movement of several large bells, which generates enormous stresses in the tower. Coming back down to watch the ringing demonstration, there was a constant sense of movement around me as I sat firmly on my chair. 

Ringing the bells

I had intended to visit the Darfield Quarries to take a good look at the Mexborough Rock but, being the only visitor to attend the last demonstration of the day, I felt obliged to stay to the end and therefore didn’t have the time on this occasion.

The descent from the bell ringing chamber