In 1785, following an auction of pews in the newly completed southwest extension to the church, the churchwardens found themselves with a surplus of £600. They decided that they wanted to spend this money on the erection of a steeple 25 feet square and 82 feet high to hold six bells
In a petition read out in church on the 23rd April 1786 it stated that the church had one bell "a very bad one" being an Old Ship Bell and that the Parish was "wide and extensive" and that much the greater part of the Parish are at such a distance that the present bell cannot be heard".
The petition ended by stating that a steeple would be "highly ornamental" and that it would cost £500 to erect the steeple and £283 for the six bells. The extra £183 would be raised, they reasoned, through the auctioning of the pews which would be placed in the gallery on the first floor of the new steeple
On hearing the petition a number of influential parishioners presented a list of objections stating that, amongst other things, part of the £600 profit had been promised to the Vicar as an increase to his stipend, that the proposed tower had been designed by unskilled people, that one large bell in an arch or cupola would be equally well heard throughout the parish and that the money would be better spent on the education of poor children in the town and neighbourhood. The objections were rejected and a Faculty was granted.
In the early Victorian church records the vestry clerk wrote that his friend and parishioner, Mr. John Armstrong, was a sixteen-year-old apprentice on the sailing ship 'Happy Return' which transported the bells from the foundry of W & T Mears in London to North Shields. Mr. Armstrong apparently took pleasure in telling the story that the first peal of bells was lost at sea and that their replacements were given by a wealthy ship owner and churchwarden James Storey. The bells were rung for the first time on 18th January 1788 in honour of Queen Charlotte's official birthday.
In 1807 the tenor bell cracked and had to be recast.
In 1874 the ring was increased to eight with a new treble given by Col. John Joicey of Newton Hall, Northumberland and a new tenor given by John Straker of Tynemouth. The 'old' bells were re-hung and a new clock chiming mechanism to ring out 'The Cambridge Chimes' was fitted. On Sunday 12th July the new octave was rung for the first time.
On Christmas 1878 the tower became the first in the diocese to have a ring of ten bells when two more were donated by Maria Wheatley, in memory of her parents William and Margery.
In 1877 the first meeting of the Durham Diocesan Association of Ringers was held at Christ Church. In 1977 and in 2002 celebrations to mark the centenary and the 125th anniversary of the association, now called Durham and Newcastle Diocesan Association of Church Bell Ringers, were held in the tower.
In 1937-8 the bells were removed to Whitechapel Bell Foundry in London to be cleaned, retuned and fitted with new headstocks and ball bearings. They were re-hung in their original wooden frame and rededicated on July 23rd 1938.
In 1997 advantage was taken during restoration work on the tower to have adjustable sound control fitted to the new louvered openings on all four sides of the bell chamber. The large openings were closed up with concrete blocks leaving spaces for wooden hoppers with lids which could be closed during practices and peal attempts. The results were very successful enabling practice times to be increased and more visiting bands accommodated during the day.
Christ Church continues to be a popular venue for weddings and the demand for bells remains at a high level during the summer months. The ringers meet most Tuesday evenings throughout the year to practise and Sunday ringing takes place morning and evening. Visitors are advised to telephone before travelling to join us, as ringing times are occasionally varied.