Cradley Church, An Historical Tour

The church bells

The original six bells were cast at the Gloucester foundry of Abraham Rudhall in 1724. They were overhauled and re-hung in 1884 by Taylor’s of Loughborough. They were hung in a solid oak frame, part of which dates back to the seventeenth century and incorporates early beams thought to be mediaeval. The bells were augmented to eight at the turn of the millennium with two new bells cast by Taylor’s and re-hung in a new metal frame which sits below the original oak frame.

The inscriptions on the original 6 bells are:

Treble: Peace and good neighbourhood
2nd. Let us ring for Church and King
3rd. Prosperity for the Church of England
4th. Abraham Rudhall cast us all
5th. William Kent, the Heath House, churchwarden
Tenor: Thomas Bisse, D.D. Rector

A bell inscribed with a name usually indicates it was paid for by that person. It is likely that Thomas Bisse commissioned the whole ring of six bells.

The church bells

The church bells map