We met up with our 'guide' for the visit, Mr Ted Crampton, at around 11am and he walked us to the town centre where we were met with the first views of the carillon.
Our visit was on a very dull, wet day so the photograph from the outside has not turned out very well and doesn't show the full attractiveness of the carillon.
This carillon has a fascinating history and started life in the 1920s as one of three memorials commemorating local dead killed in World War 1. Owing to various disputes, it wasn't until the early 1930s that the bells were ever played, however, and then it was only via an amateur built device that proved unsatisfactory in the end. When The Corn Exchange was demolished and and the South Holland Centre opened (1974) the carillon was restored to a playing condition and was operated via a keyboard or music roll. Eventually, however, the music rolls wore out and were difficult to replace so the carillon fell silent yet again.
In 1989 the South Holland Centre was opened (again) after complete reconstruction which incorporated the current bell tower. The carillon can now be seen and heard across the town. Hoorah!
It was a very civilised climb up two floors to get to the bells. The 23 carillon bells are hung on a a bell-tree arrangement, different from any of the other bells we've seen AND they are fully visible through a handsome glass casing on the outside of the South Holland Centre.
What was noticeable was that the larger bells hang at the top of the 'tree' and the smaller ones at the bottom which, again, differs from other arrangements we've seen.
This carillon is played electro-mechanically via a keyboard, which activates solenoid-operated bell hammers, and, for that reason, it is not considered by the British Carillon Society to be a 'true carillon'. A 'true carillon' is played by means of a clavier which gives the carillonneur control over volume, speed and expression which the keyboard mechanism doesn't.
Caroline tried out her first piece with the door to the bells open - we have stood in many bell towers with the bells being played but this one was exceptionally deafening - I presume the glass casing causes a different kind of reverberation so we were relieved to close the door for the next few pieces!
It was quite a useful mechanism in as much as Caroline was able to practice on it like an organ before switching the bells on to play. Playing such a small keyboard is quite tricky and the music has to be carefully picked.
We were pleased to meet the current carillonneur, Jayne Wilds (pictured with Caroline above), she mainly plays on a Saturday and her recitals are advertised well by both the local press and the South Holland Centre.
We'd like to thank Ted Crampton for arranging to meet with us and for showing us around the carillon. Ted has done a lot of research on the history of the carillon so any of the information above is all thanks to the paper he wrote detailing its varied history; he is also instrumental in arranging all the carillon recitals on behalf of the South Holland Centre.
Ted took us to a fabulous pub - The Mermaid Inn, Surfleet - where we enjoyed a lovely lunch together in the restaurant. Caroline can highly recommend the Lincolnshire sausage and herby mash dish!
Just as a point of interest - opposite the pub in Surfleet is St Lawrence's Church - I don't know if you can tell from the photograph but the whole tower leans forward considerably. It's quite a sight! Apparently there are quite a few leaning towers in the area due to the silty ground.
And finally ...we'd also like to thank Margaret Crampton for laying on coffee at their home afterwards - it was much appreciated and was SUPERB coffee. We all feel a little guilty that any conversation got side-tracked by the opening ceremony of the Olympics which was on the TV - we were all mesmerised by it, Ted and Margaret included - we were also beginning to feel the post-lunch-doze upon us so we thought we'd better get on the road and wake ourselves up pronto!
Thanks both for a lovely time in Spalding.
Next Saltley ...
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