A popularity for Bellringing is evident, ringing being one of the few occupations of mind and interest in those days almost everybody was a ringer on the hillside, their time being pretty equally divided between ringing, drinking and trail hunting.
1781, a faculty was obtained to place six bells in the tower. The request that the present ring of bells (only 3) are so small as to be insufficient to the purpose of giving notice to distant parts of the chapelry, causing irregular attendance and lateness of inhabitants. That the new tower is substantial and in the opinion of able and experienced workmen strong and capacious enough to admit larger and heavier bells.
Radcliffe 1891, Bells 3 to 8 were hung in 1781, and cast by Thomas Rudhall, Gloucester ; 1 and 2 in 1883/1884 cast by Mears & Stainbank, London.
Howcroft 1915, indicates differently, that bells 1 to 6 are Pack & Chapman of London fecit 1781 and 7 to 8 Mears & Stainbank, Founders London 1884. Stating that the tenor weighs 11 cwt. What we do know is that Pack & Chapman went out of business in 1781.
In 1781 another bell, a Sanctus bell, was cast by Thomas Rudhall we have no idea where that went (or where it is now!). It may have been melted down in 1884 to provide bell metal for the two new bells cast that year.
In 1884 Mears & Stainbank almost certainly provided a new frame to hold the 8 bells as they would not fit into the 1871 frame which only held 6 bells.
In 1931 a totally new cast iron frame sitting on a steel grillage was installed by John Taylor & Sons of Loughborough with the 8 bells quarter turned, cannons removed and new bell fittings provided.
The inauguration was 5th November 1781 and on the 11th Oldham ringers rang a peal of 720 changes in 27 minutes, a remarked feat, The members had been a team for 82 years. The Ashton ringers took the first prize on the 14th having matched the changes in 25 ½ minutes. Mr Giles Shaw, of Southport (editor of ‘Annals of Oldham’) stated to Howcroft, that his father learned from the people of his day that the three old bells were known as ’Tib, Sis and Nel’ due to the sound that they made.
1862 Mr Samuel Buckley Brierley is said to have unfortunately fallen through the trapdoor of the belfry to the bottom of the tower, which caused his death.
There is a gravestone at the North-west corner of the Churchyard to the memory of John Holden, an old ringer who died in 1847 aged 84. The following verse is inscribed on it.
This extract identifies the gravestone of James Wood. His interest in ringing though not a ringer himself. Tells the story of his son, James Godfrey Wood. James Platt, another ringer and gifted musician is buried on the North Side of the Church. His gravestone depicts a broken flute and a hung bell with broken rope, along with a few bars of music
Historic Saddleworth Church 