John Watson, the smith of Winterseeds, tinkered the bells in 1807; and three years after, when the little bell had arrived from London, the two others were also down, for he was paid £3 14s. 8d. for repairing them, and John Hartley received the considerable sum of £11 14s. 6d. for hanging them. In 1764 bell-wheels and clappers were repaired. The head-stocking of the great bell and two bell-clappers, in 1767, cost £3 7s. 9d. Again, in 1773, 1774, and 1775, head-stocks, clappers, and repairs to ringing-loft cost about £1. The ropes in 1769 cost 7s. 4-1/2d. [Illustration: Great Bell Hammer] It is clear that Sabbath bell-ringing was for long one of those boon services which the Grasmere parishioner gave willingly to his church. Ringing on Gunpowder Plot day, and some occasions of national rejoicing and sorrow were paid for; but until 1692 nothing is put down in the accounts for ringing, only a small item for grease for the bells. In that year, however, the Eighteen entered into a contract with the clerk, who was to procure men to ring on Sundays and Holy Days, and to furnish the necessary grease, at the rate of 10s. a year. Next year, on its renewal with Thomas Knott, the sum was dropped to 8s. 6d. "and what more as the Eighteen shall think fit." However, the new clerk, Robert Harrison, in 1695 secured 10s., and at this figure it remained for some fifty years. After a gap of eight years in the accounts, the item reappears in 1751 at £1, and from that time onwards it fluctuates between the sums of 10s., 13s. 4d., £1, even once in 1759 touching £1 10s., as the Eighteen were parsimoniously or liberally inclined. Finally, after a halt at 15s., it rose in 1794 to £1 1s., and from that slowly mounted until by 1814 it had reached £2 15s. 6d., at which it remained for eleven years. From 1826 it rose again, and between 1831 and 1858 it stood at £3 6s. £1 was then added. The tower was an irregular source of expense, as the following items show:-- 1665 the makeing of ye steple door 3s 6d 1694 For mending the Garret: Flags 6d 1697 Lime for church and steeple £1 17s 1d; this item includes "charge for Bargaining." "For sand" 3s 0d. "For Rough-Casting the steeple" £4 0s 0d 1717 For repairing the Steeple loft and two Doors 02: 14: 00 1718 Edwin Green, one of the Eighteen, is paid 4s 0d "for attending when the steeple was repaired." 1734 For a lock to ye Steeple door 8d