A Tour of the Bell Tower of Christ and St. Luke's Church, Norfolk, VA

A Tour of the Bell Tower of Christ & St. Luke's Church, Norfolk, VA
with Kevin Kwan, Director of Music
www.christandstlukes.org
The Bell Tower of Christ & St. Luke's Church rises 134 feet tall and can be seen for miles around. A four-stage crenellated tower, adorned with pinnacles and crockets, the Tower is a local landmark featured on many pictorial designs of Norfolk. Construction began in 1908 in the English Perpendicular Gothic style designed by Watson and Huckle Architects of Philadelphia. The Tower houses a bell cast by the Meneely Bell Foundry of West Troy, NY from 1860. The bell was located at the original Christ Church building in downtown Norfolk and moved to the present church building in 1910. The bell, believed to be the oldest bell in Norfolk, weights 1,218 pounds and is 42 inches in diameter. It is still heard each Sunday for services and for special occasions like weddings and funerals. The Tower also houses the walk-in wind chest of the original 1915 Austin organ op. 619, emptied of pipes in 1963.

[@Justusosaa]

Hello. Wow. I do love this video. . In my country most beautiful bell towers are on countryside and are made of wood. This also means, that old wooden churches are individual and beautiful. Thank you. Have good day. Matti

[@Wildlifesupernannyfan]

Wonderful church ⛪ 🙏.

[@PeterRapley-gv5vt]

You're a braver man than I am, my friend, climbing those vertical ladders. That aside, it was very interesting. Many thanks.

[@francois7]

Very interesting presentation !

[@mtnjr]

Excellent tour.

[@kevinsims2254]

That’s quite a large belfry, and looks like a strong tower. Im sure it could accommodate a large carillon of at least 47 bells.

[@Alco16-251F]

Agreed.

[@rtsseas]

Thanks for the interesting tour.

[@elton1981]

All the bell needs is 5 more friends ;)

[@sipock97]

I always wondered what the tower looked like. Thanks!

[@therailcat9790]

The bell at our church sounds exactly like this bell

[@pearli5771]

St lukes kinda like my old school… I miss it so much….

[@bw4t]

Depending on the foundry, the head of the tolling clapper wold be hollow, and there were be a burl of hardwood inserted to give the bell a slightly muffled sound when tolled. Sometimes the burl would have several layers of thick canvas attached to it to soften the sound. The bell in my church growing up had this, and it made for a very mournful sound when tolled for funerals as well as when it was tolled to announce the death of a member of the congregation.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

Christ & St. Luke's We still have an organ, they relocated the Antiphonal pipes.

[@InstrumentFan2510]

Can you make a video of playing the organ in this church

[@adamm2693]

5:56 he could also pull the wheel instead, would get it swinging higher and quicker

[@zvonazgnadbiskupije1094]

40 meters, that's ok. But it seems not enough bells. I'd like to put maximally additional 5 bells inside and one appropriate carillon/Glockenspiel. And better equipment for bells, too

[@InstrumentFan2510]

Where’s do you play the Austin Organ

[@Kenskis]

Is the bell moved here from what old church is it called?

[@ChristandStLukes]

The bell was moved here from the Christ Church building originally located in downtown Norfolk.

[@Kenskis]

@@ChristandStLukes Ohh

[@sanctus100]

What a pity! Only one small bell.......

[@vintagesimplexfirealarmsof6440]

Does it ring every hour

[@ChristandStLukes]

No, it is not on any automated system, so it only rings when someone pulls the ropes

[@vintagesimplexfirealarmsof6440]

@@ChristandStLukes i thought like a clock tower mechanism did it

[@evanmcconnell3389]

What size is that bell?

[@ChristandStLukes]

That's a great question, Evan. We don't actually have the answer to that right now. We'll post a response if we can get that for you in the future.

[@immortalgamingyt6182]

I one day want to visit Norfolk, VA and have a church service, greetings from Connecticut

[@engelbertschoormans]

The diameter of the bell must be around 85-90 cm, the weight of it probably 600 kg.

[@SWENNoa]

Noaverjaardag25JaarJa

[@brianhill109]

It's just too loud to be next to the bell🤧