LUNENBURG : CANADA - NS

*Location:

   St.John's Anglican Church
   Cumberland & Duke Streets
   Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada
   LL: N 44.37808, W 64.31151

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*Player:

   Peter Allen
   PO Box 98
   Lunenburg, NS  B0J 2C0
   E: npallen8295@ns.sympatico.ca

*Contact:

   St.John's Church
   *parcel:
     81 Cumberland Street
     Lunenburg, NS  B0J 2C0
   *postal:
     PO Box 238
     Lunenburg, NS  B0J 2C0
   T: (902)634-4994   F: (902)634-4231
   E: stjohnslunenburg@eastlink.ca
      iletto@bwr.eastlink.ca

*Schedule:

   For Sunday services & special events;
   also 1400-1430 daily in Jul-Oct.

*Remarks:

   The church was largely destroyed by
   fire (arson) on 1 November 2001; the
   largest bell fell and was cracked; two
   others were slightly cracked by the
   fire; the chimestand was destroyed.
   All 10, plus the 1813 service bell by
   Mears of London, were removed for
   repair and refurbishing.  The church
   was rebuilt, using recovered materials
   to the maximum extent.
   Nov.2003: bells re-installed (three
   recast, tenor by Whitechapel and the
   others by MW&Co to Meneely profiles).
   Jan.2004: new chimestand by Peter Allen
   is done; reconstruction continues.
   Jul.2005: rededicated.
   One further bell later cracked as a
   result of undiscovered fire damage, and
   a replacement was cast by M&W.

*Technical data:

   Traditional chime (chimestand) of 10 bells
   Pitch of heaviest bell is F# in the middle octave
   Transposition is up  1 semitone(s)
   Keyboard range:     F G   /    NONE  
   There is one added semitone
   1 bells were recast or replaced in 2005
     by Meeks,Watson
   Prior history:
     In 2003,  3 bells were recast or replaced
       with bells made by Meeks,Watson
       (3 bells were added in and/or remain from that work.)
     In 1902, the complete instrument was installed
       with bells made by Meneely/Wvlt
       (7 bells remain from that work.)
   Year of latest technical information source is 2007

Additional information on the technical history of this instrument can be found in a database printout.

*Links:

The church Website has a photo of the building on the home page, plus an extensive illustrated section on the restoration of the chime.

Post-fire photos by Daniel Hopkins:

• preparing to hoist out large frame segment with bells
• hoisting out large frame segment with bells
• lowering small frame segment with two bells
• four bells and a wheel after removal

Detailed chronology of the post-fire recovery process, with many photos.  It starts from today and works backwards, so if you want to read about it in order, go to the bottom of the page on the oldest "Archived News Updates" and scroll upwards.

A page of Lunenburg photographs by Robert R. Williams (all clickable for enlarged versions) includes two which show the top of the rebuilt tower.

Where the initial phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Meneely (Watervliet) bellfoundry.
Where the second phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Meeks & Watson bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.
Where the final phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Meeks & Watson bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.

Ranking among all North American chimes by size (number of bells).
Ranking among all North American chimes by weight (pitch).
Ranking among all North American chimes by year of completion.

Index to all tower bell instruments in NS.

*Status:

   This page was built from the database on 24-Nov-07
   based on textual data last updated on 2007/11/23
   and on technical data last updated on 2007/11/01

Explanations of page format and keyboard range are available.

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