The church burnt down in 1998, resulting in a multi-million
pound project to restore the church and the bells. Pictures of the
damage due to the fire can be seen on the church website. DUSCR's long awaited return
home finally came on the 22nd January 2005 following the recasting
of three of the bells.
Following the reconsecration on the 23rd October 2005 the first
peal on the restored bells was rung on the 23rd October 2005 (see BellBoard entry).
More information about the fire and appeal can be found in the
Ringing World article written by Daniel Sandham viewable below.
Ringing World Article
The following article about Brancepeth and DUSCR appeared in the 'Ringing World' of 14 March 2003.
Brancepeth
On visiting Durham for the first time one cannot fail to be astounded by its sheer beauty and magnificence.
The Norman cathedral, Britain's finest, and the ancient castle, both built in the late eleventh century,
crown the peninsula that rises from the meandering Wear. The tenth century monks of Lindisfarne could not
have been drawn to a more dramatic place to rest the bones of Saint Cuthbert, around whose shrine they built
a chapel made of boughs on the present site of the cathedral. It was their nineteenth century successors,
Bishop William Van Mildert and the Dean and Chapter of the Cathedral, who founded what is England's third
oldest university. The Castle was given as the first college for the new students and soon more colleges were built.
Today the University of Durham is widely recognised as one of Britain's premier academic institutions.
St Brandon's, Brancepeth
Four miles to the west of Durham lie a less well-known church and castle, thought to pre-date those at Durham.
A church was on this site probably as early as the ninth century although the Norman tower, built in the late twelfth
century, was until recently recognised as the oldest part of the present building; however, restoration works have
revealed Saxon stonework at the base of the tower. The church was dedicated to Saint Brandon, an Irish abbot born
in the fifth century. Little is known about Brandon (more commonly referred to as Brendan) except that he was a great
traveller. As well as travelling all over Ireland it is suggested that he founded a monastery in Scotland and became
abbot of Llancarven in Wales, and possibly went as far as Brittany with Saint Malo. Brancepeth literally means
‘Brandon’s path’ and this would suggest that the village was perhaps near a well associated with
Brandon and, if these nomadic legends of the saint are true, it is quite probable that he would have passed through
County Durham on his travels.
St Brandon's has not been without its colourful clergy; three were chaplains to the kings, and one a cabinet minister.
The most notable of these figures was John Cosin was appointed Rector in 1622. He was a Laudian and sought to restore
some of the ceremony and ritual of the pre-reformation church. As chaplain to Charles I he was largely responsible
for the ceremonial at the King's coronation and, accused of popery, fled to France during the Commonwealth. Cosin came
out of exile at the Restoration and was appointed to the bishopric of Durham and was a key figure in the publication of
the Prayer Book of 1662. It is Cosin who was responsible for the exceptional woodwork for which St Brandon's was highly
renowned; he bejewelled the church with beautiful oak carvings, an oak altar and reredos, chancel screen and stalls, and
a magnificent roof.
The current ring of eight bells were cast in 1888 by Taylors of Loughborough with a tenor weighing 13 cwt 2 qts and 16 lbs
in F#. These bells, given to the church by the Eighth Viscount Boyne, replaced six bells recorded in a series of guides
to churches in County Durham by Conyers Surtees. Surtees states that these six bells were a complete peal, the second,
third and fourth of which were cast in 1632, being recast in that year to replace an older set of bells, which according
to a case in the Durham Consistory Court on 22nd November 1595 were 'broken'. The other three bells were cast in 1859 by
John Warner and Sons and were presented to the church by Emma, Viscountess Boyne. Boyle, in 'The County of Durham', reveals
that the three Warner bells 'replaced three others which are said to have been sold to provide refreshment for the gentlemen
of the four and twenty, as the magnates of the parish of a former day were designated'. This story is also recorded by the
nineteenth century antiquarian Canon Fowler who, in 'A Visit to Brancepeth Church in 1863', tells us that the Warner three
replaced bells that had 'mysteriously disappeared'. The mystery is somewhat solved when Fowler goes on to say that the
'four and twenty helped to 'open drink' three out of the six bells'.
Durham University Society of Change Ringers
DUSCR was formed in 1959 and in 1960 the Society started to practise regularly at Brancepeth. The Society progressed
rapidly through the 1960s and 70s; by the late 70s peals of eight-spliced and Yorkshire Surprise Maximus had been achieved.
Since its foundation the Society has witnessed the re-hanging and augmentation of the Cathedral bells, the previous rings
at Shincliffe and St Oswald replaced with new rings of six and eight respectively and the resumption of ringing at
St Nicholas in the last two years. The Society supports the bands at all these towers while these bands support the Society
by allowing it to use their bells for practice nights, quarter peals and peals. The relationship between the local ringers
and those of DUSCR could not be more amiable and there cannot be many other places the size of Durham in which bells are
rung for seven services in four churches on a Sunday, a tradition in which the Society plays an enormous part.
Today the Society is as active as it ever was. As well as helping out at the local towers on Sunday, DUSCR members are
present at most practices in the city and some members also attend the practice at Newcastle Cathedral on Tuesday evenings.
This is all in addition to their own practice on Wednesday evenings at which Surprise methods are sometimes rung. This
academic year has seen a dramatic increase in the number of quarter peals scored and one member rang his first peal last
term. Members also attend the practice at Newcastle Cathedral on Tuesday evenings. DUSCR is active socially too. Every
December life members join resident members for the Annual Dinner, an occasion of unprecedented revelry! Termly outings
are arranged throughout the year and culminate in the Master's Summer Tour which takes place over several days at the end
of the Easter Term. Serious business is done at the Termly General Meeting as well as the termly bar crawl. However, since
1998 when tragedy struck Brancepeth, the Society has been without a home tower.
The Fire
In the early morning of Wednesday 16th September 1998 a police patrol car spotted a red glow in the distance. By the time
fire-fighters reached the scene the flames, fanned by strong winds, had reached temperatures of 1200°C. Lead melted,
stone turned to dust, marble shattered and the exquisite Cosin woodwork was reduced to ashes. The bell frame buckled under
the heat and the bells, red hot, came away from their fittings; the lower framework caught most of the bells although the
tenor plunged to the ground. Arguably the most exquisite parish church in County Durham had been reduced to a smouldering
shell. As the sun rose and the flames were extinguished parishioners gathered at the ruin, numbed and shocked, to mourn the
loss of their parish church.
Restoring the bells
Services will hopefully resume at St Brandon's towards the end of 2003 and it is hoped that the bells will be rung for this
special occasion. This is a mammoth project. Three of the bells were damaged by the fire to such an extent that they are
beyond repair; these bells will have to be recast. Discussions continue over the remaining five bells as, although still
in one piece, their tone has been dulled as a result of the fire. Sufficient donations received in the early stages of the
appeal may allow the Church to recast all eight bells. In addition to this the ringing chamber needs to be furnished.
Universities are perhaps the premier breeding grounds for the Exercise and if university bands are to be successful a ring
of bells that they can call their own is essential; the stability of having a weekly practice in the same tower is a
privilege that most bands take for granted. Once a term DUSCR members attend a service at Brancepeth Church Hall to maintain
the link with the church under whose name DUSCR members still appear in the Durham and Newcastle Annual Report, although
none of the present membership have ever rung there. The total cost of refurbishing the bells will exceed £50,000,
an enormous amount to be raised by a group of students and a church which has been fundraising for five years.
The Appeal
Brancepeth Church and DUSCR have joined forces to raise the necessary funds to restore the bells of Brancepeth.
Brochures are soon to be published detailing exactly what needs to be bought and exactly how much everything will cost.
Fundraising events are planned starting with a local media launch on March 13th at which the Lord Lieutenant will ring a
dumb bell setting off a train of ringing in the locality. Appeal mugs with a picture of St Brandon's by a local artist
are soon to be produced and it is hoped that a watercolour will be raffled and etchings sold. DUSCR also plans to hold a
weekend of sponsored ringing along with a variety of local fundraising events. We are also inviting individuals to sponsor
perhaps a pulley or a headstock, a rope or a clapper, or even a whole bell. We are not only looking for donations from
individuals, but also from towers who can afford to send us a donation from their tower funds. This is not a normal
appeal from a normal tower; a donation made to Brancepeth is an investment in the Exercise, and together Brancepeth
and DUSCR will be constantly recruiting and teaching young ringers as it has been doing for the last 45 years.
DANIEL SANDHAM
St. Chad's College, Durham
Secretary, DUSCR
