Faculty Jurisdiction Rules #

Leonard Stanley, Gloucestershire

This chapter refers to activities carried out in churches within the jurisdiction of the Church of England. Ringers must remember that the Rules are set out in law, with possible penalties if they are not followed. Meeting the Rules is the responsibility of the Churchwardens and the Parochial Church Council, and ringers must use their specialist knowledge to assist the Church authorities in any application. Guidance should be sought from the Diocesan Secretary, The Diocesan Bell Advisor, and the local Guild or Association.

Ringers are probably aware that a Faculty may be required prior to work being done in a Church of England Church. The faculty process exempts churches from listed building consent and conservation area consent that could apply elsewhere. When alterations are proposed, the parish must present the proposals to the archdeacon. For minor alterations, the archdeacon may authorise the work but more major projects will be judged by the Chancellor of the diocese, taking advice from specialists in the Diocesan Advisory Committee. The faculty is the legal authorisation of the work by the Chancellor.

The faculty system is a judicial system, so these notes reflect this style. Parishes and ringers intending do any work in their tower or on their bells must consider the full implications of the Rules.

Background #

The Faculty Jurisdiction Rules 2015 were introduced with the intention of simplifying the faculty process and reducing the burden of administration, in particular for churchwardens and others in parishes with responsibility for church buildings. The major innovation of the 2015 Rules was the introduction of Lists A and B for items that could be undertaken without a faculty, subject to some general conditions stipulated in the Schedule.

A useful guide to the application of Lists A and B contains the following advice:

The works in List A may be undertaken without faculty and without informing your archdeacon. They are to allow for the routine maintenance and inspection of bells that are in regular use and where there is a tower captain, or other person, who has sufficient skills and knowledge to ensure that the work is done with due regard to health and safety and the protection of historically significant parts of the installation. List A does not permit work requiring a bell to be lifted from its bearings or making alterations to an installation.

Works in List B require the Archdeacon to be consulted to confirm that a faculty is not needed. The Archdeacon will take advice from the DAC and its bells adviser before giving notice that the proposals may be undertaken without a faculty, or advising that they require a full faculty application.

As with List A, these works should only be carried out by persons with sufficient skills and knowledge to complete the work to a satisfactory standard, with due regard to Health and Safety and the protection of historically significant parts of the installation. This may require a bellhanger to carry out or oversee the works.

Although a series of relatively minor works may be all that is necessary to bring an installation back into use, the provisions of List B are principally for bells in regular use. If an installation is being brought back into use after a period of over 5 years a professional bell hanger must be consulted to see that all aspects of the ring are fit for use.

List B cannot be used for works that require the removal of the bell from the belfry or for works that involve drilling, tuning, or other work that would make a lasting change to the bell.

The text of the Faculty Jurisdiction Rules 2015, as amended, is available online. This includes all the amendments that have been made, the most recent being in 2023.

Items Most Likely to be of Relevance for Ringers #

The extracts given below are from the (very long) document referenced above and are relevant to bells and associated fittings, and also to clocks. Church clocks are included here because they are typically housed in the church tower and in many cases use the ringing bells as clock bells. Selected items from the Church building section which may be relevant to a Steeple Keeper are also included.

Please note that, if you need to be involved in preparing a Faculty, the extracts below are not a substitute for the full document.

List A #

As stated above, items in List A may simply be undertaken (within the specified conditions) by a parish without a faculty and without the need for any form of consultation. The Steeple Keeper will work closely with the parish in discussions on these.

A1. Church building, etc #

Matter	Specified conditions
(4) The repair or like for like replacement of wire mesh window guards	Only non-corroding fixings are used and, where practicable, are fixed in mortar joints
(5) The treatment of timber against beetle or fungal activity where the church is not a listed building	The works do not involve the replacement of timber
(17) The installation of bat boxes as part of a bat management programme
(19) The installation of bird netting to tower windows

A3. Bells etc #

Matter	Specified conditions
(1) The inspection and routine maintenance of bells, bell fittings and bell frames	No tonal alterations are made to any bell No bell is lifted from its bearings
(2) The repair and maintenance of clappers, crown staples (including re-bushing) and bell wheels	Works do not include the re-soling or re-rimming of a bell wheel No bell is lifted from its bearings
(3) The repair or replacement of bell stays, pulleys, bell ropes (including in Ellacombe apparatus), rope bosses, sliders or slider gear	No bell is lifted from its bearings
(4) The repainting of metal bell frames and metal bell fittings	No bell is lifted from its bearings
(5) The like for like replacement of a wrought iron clapper shaft

A4. Clocks #

Matter	Specified conditions
(1) The inspection and routine maintenance of clocks and clock dials	Works do not include re-painting or re-gilding of clock dials or repainting clock movements
(2) Maintenance and like-for-like repairs, without removing the clock from the church, of: (a) ratchets, clicks and click springs on flies (b)locking levers (c)pulleys (d)broken hands (e)clock hammers and their springs
(3) Replacement of: (a)weight lines (b)suspension springs (c)fixings of clock dials
(4) The reinstallation of disconnected hands and numerals	Works do not include re-painting or re-gilding of clock dials or repainting clock movements
(5) Repairs to bell cranks and clock bell hammers
(6) The upgrading of electrical control devices and programmers	Any work to an electrical installation is carried out by a person whose work is subject to an accredited certification scheme (as defined in rule 3.1(6))

List B #

This table prescribes items which may, subject to any specified conditions, be undertaken without a faculty if the archdeacon has been consulted on the proposal to undertake the matter and has given notice in writing that the matter may be undertaken without a faculty. The archdeacon may impose additional conditions in the written notice. The Steeple Keeper will provide technical assistance in preparation of the proposal to the archdeacon.

B1. Church building, etc #

Matter	Specified conditions
(4) The treatment of timber against beetle or fungal activity where the church is not a listed building	The works do not involve the replacement of timber
(19) The introduction of bird boxes

B2. Bells etc #

Matter	Specified conditions
(1) The lifting of a bell to allow the cleaning of bearings and housings	Regard is had to any guidance issued by the Church Buildings Council No modification is made to the manner in which any bell may be sounded No historic material is modified or removed
(2) The like for like replacement of— (a)bearings and their housings (b)gudgeons (c)crown staple assembly (d)steel or cast iron headstocks (e)wheels	Regard is had to any guidance issued by the Church Buildings Council The works do not involve the drilling or turning of the bell No modification is made to the manner in which any bell may be sounded No historic material is modified or removed
(3) The replacement of— (a)bell bolts (b)a wrought iron clapper shaft with a wooden-shafted clapper	Regard is had to any guidance issued by the Church Buildings Council No modification is made to the manner in which any bell may be sounded No historic material is modified or removed
(4) The treatment of timber bell frames with preservative or insecticide materials
(5) The re-pinning or re-facing of hammers in Ellacombe apparatus	Regard is had to any guidance issued by the Church Buildings Council No modification is made to the manner in which any bell may be sounded No historic material is modified or removed
(6) The installation of an electric silent ringing device for the training of ringers	Any work to an electrical installation or electrical equipment is carried out by a person whose work is subject to an accredited certification scheme (as defined in rule 3.1(6)) The device is installed in a location not normally visible to the public No alteration is made to the fittings of the bells other than the installation of electric contacts and wires The device does not adversely affect the church’s protection against lightning
(7) The installation of louvres in a belfry as a sound control measure	Any fixings are made into mortar
(8) The introduction of peal boards in a location not normally visible to the public

B3. Clocks #

Matter	Specified conditions
(1) Alterations to striking trains to prevent striking at night	No part of the clock movement is affected
(2) The repair or replacement of electrical or electronic clocks manufactured after 1950

Image Credits #

Figure	Details
Title Picture	St Swithun, Leonard Stanley, Gloucestershire. A Church of England building on a beautiful day - just to brighten up what might be a rather dry chapter. (Photo: Robin Shipp)

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Disclaimer #

Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this information, neither contributors nor the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers can accept responsibility for any inaccuracies or for any activities undertaken based on the information provided.

Version 1.2.3, July 2024