*Location:

   St.Mark's Anglican Church
   Byron Street, opposite Simcoe Park
   Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada
   LL: N 43.25559, W 79.06809

Site locator map

*Player:

   Ruth Boulton
   - and-
   Jim Smith
   E: c/o jsmith108/@/cogeco DOTca

*Contact:

   St.Mark's Anglican Church
   *parcel:
     47 Byron Street
     Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON
   *postal:
     PO Box 582
     Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON  L0S 1J0
   T: 905-468-3123   F: 905-468-0073
   E: stmarks@cogeco.net
   - or -
   Rev.Canon R.S.G.Wright, Rector
   E: rwright50@cogeco.ca
   - or -
   Allan Magnacca, Chairman,
     Bells of St.Mark's
   T: 905-468-7574
   E: bmagnacca@hotmail.com

*Schedule:

   (unknown)

*Remarks:

   First 6 bells dated 1877 (also from
   Meneely/Wvlt); they replaced the
   original bell from 1828 (founder
   unknown), and became the basses of the
   1917 chime (added semitone was flat
   7th).  Expansion in 2006 included
   replacing chimestand with keyboard from
   OOLTEWAH,  USA - TN
   (see under Carillons);
   keys and pedals present for missing
   bass semitones.
   On the parish house nearby is a
   1913 bell from Meneely/Watervliet.
   The oldest Anglican church (1809) in
   continuous use in Ontario.

*Technical data:

   Traditional chime (baton keyboard) of 19 bells
   Pitch of heaviest bell is G# in the middle octave
   Keyboard range:     C G 20/    C A 12
   Transposition is up  8 semitone(s), i.e., from C to G#
   There are two missing bass semitones
   The presence or absence of a practice console is unknown
   The instrument was enlarged in 2012
     with  1 bell made by Meeks,Watson
   Prior history:
     In 2006, the instrument was enlarged to 18 bells
       by Meeks,Watson
       (9 bells were added in and/or remain from that work.)
     In 1917, the instrument was begun with  9 bells
       by Meneely/Wvlt (except for 6)
       Keyboard range was:     A A   /    ----  
       Transposition was down 1 semitone(s), i.e., from C to B 
       There was one added semitone
   No auxiliary mechanisms known
   Tower details not available
   Year of latest technical information source is 2012

The church Website has a photo of the building, and the bells are mentioned in the History page.  The Special Projects page describes (briefly, with photos) the restoration and expansion of this chime.  The Photo Album includes more pictures of the tower. 
A Bells Restoration Photographs page has several pictures of the removal of the bells (though some of the thumbnails don't lead to larger versions).  Note especially the configuration of the neck of the larger bells - the recesses are for uniquely-shaped bolts that are part of a rotary suspension system patented by Meneely.

News article about the new M&W bell being added, with photo of Mr. Watson tuning it.

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 ON.

   This page was built from the database on 14-Oct-24
   based on textual data last updated on 2012/11/02
   and on technical data last updated on 2012/11/02