Give Hallett Silbermann a ring

October 2009

The oldest circle of church bells in the world are ringing out over the town of Ipswich, Suffolk for the first time in over two decades, thanks in part to Hallett Silbermann.

The 5 bells of St Lawrence Church, the oldest of which was cast in the 1440’s, have been cleaned and restored by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry. The bells are known locally as ‘Wolsey’s Bells’ after Cardinal Wolsey, Henry VIII’s most influential adviser, who grew up in the area and who would have heard them as a boy.

The bells fell silent in the 1980’s when the bell tower was declared too unstable for the bells to be rung but more recently a project was undertaken to ensure that once again the sound of the bells could be heard from this 15th century church.

Having transported the large bells into London for their refurbishment, Hallett Silbermann more recently transported the bells back up to Ipswich. On the return leg Hallett Silbermann provided a specialist crane lorry so that when the bells were re-installed they could be re-hung eight metres lower down the bell tower on a new steel and cast iron frame in a sturdier part of the church.

Regular viewers of BBC Television News will have seen the report and footage showing the Hallett Silbermann vehicle carrying out this installation.

It is certainly worth giving Hallett Silbermann a ring if you want the job done properly !