Design for a Detached Belfry Tower

NATIONAL SILVER MEDAL DESIGN FOR A DETACHED BELFRY TOWER - The desire to design a large campanile was created by seeing Mr Bidlake’s beautiful tower to St Agatha's Church, Birmingham, which dominates the surrounding district. This tower is part of an intended scheme of ecclesiastical buildings in a town or flat country, and would be at the entrance to a quadrangle. The church, scholastic or other accompanying buildings would surround the quad, which might be intersected by arcades. Stone is intended as the building material, a steep wooden staircase being provided from the first floor to the ringers' loft, which is separated from the bells by a sound deadening chamber. The bell cage would rest on a concrete floor, which would be constructed independently of the walls, with the object of minimising vibration. A vertical ladder would connect the ringers' chamber with the roof. This design was awarded a National Silver Medal at South Kensington. Its author is Mr H B Laycock, of Bury Lancashire.    [Building News 1 February 1907 page 167]