Barlavington, St MaryBarlavington has a single bell, hung in a west facing bellcote.
The church is said to date around 1200, and though planed, the north aisle wasn't built. In 1874, a restoration saw a new stone A Frame at the west end. Prior to this, it has a small wooden bellcote. |
|
The Bell
Bell |
Weight |
Diameter |
Nominal |
Note |
Founder |
Cast |
Canon |
Hanging |
1 |
27.38" |
1325 Hz |
E |
Bryan II Eldridge |
1651 |
Dead |
1 Bell, in E
The present bell was cast at the Chertsey foundry by Bryan II Eldridge in 1651, and is the survivor of a chime of 2.
It was cast with cut out wax letters to form a Latin inscription, and a piece moulded canon. Structurally, the bell is sound, but has a fairly chipped rim.
Sometime between May 1938 and the present day, the bell was rehung stationary, as Elphick gives:
"Now chimed by an iron lever."
Today, it is strapped to a wooden headstock that's bolted to brackets on either side of the bellcote walls. During this restoration, the bell was quarter turned; the crown staple drilled out, and a carillon-like clapper fitted.
The earliest reference to bells dates back to 1602, where the Archdeacon's survey states "there lacketh a brasse for their bells"
A few years later in 1610, we see that the wooden bellcote was out of repair: "The steple like to fall"
The present bell was cast at the Chertsey foundry by Bryan II Eldridge in 1651, and is the survivor of a chime of 2.
It was cast with cut out wax letters to form a Latin inscription, and a piece moulded canon. Structurally, the bell is sound, but has a fairly chipped rim.
Sometime between May 1938 and the present day, the bell was rehung stationary, as Elphick gives:
"Now chimed by an iron lever."
Today, it is strapped to a wooden headstock that's bolted to brackets on either side of the bellcote walls. During this restoration, the bell was quarter turned; the crown staple drilled out, and a carillon-like clapper fitted.
The earliest reference to bells dates back to 1602, where the Archdeacon's survey states "there lacketh a brasse for their bells"
A few years later in 1610, we see that the wooden bellcote was out of repair: "The steple like to fall"
The entry for the 1724 survey shows there were "2 Bells, one cracked". I assume the cracked bell was sold as there was only bell by the time of Tyssen's survey.
They were presumably hung in a wooden B frame like that at Tortington, and chimed by levers.
The tower was taken down in 1874, and replaced by the present bellcote.
1 bell in good condition, though the metal work has rusted over.
Visited: 21/06/2024
They were presumably hung in a wooden B frame like that at Tortington, and chimed by levers.
The tower was taken down in 1874, and replaced by the present bellcote.
1 bell in good condition, though the metal work has rusted over.
Visited: 21/06/2024
Recording of the bell:
How the bell is tuned in relation to the nominal.
-99 ~ -90 -89 ~ -80 -79 ~ -70 -69 ~ -60 -59 ~ -50 -49 ~ -40 -39 ~ -30 -29 ~ -20 -19 ~ -10 -9 ~ -0
0 ~ 9 10 ~ 19 20 ~ 29 30 ~ 39 40 ~ 49 50 ~ 59 60 ~ 69 70 ~ 79 80 ~ 89 90 ~ 99+
0 ~ 9 10 ~ 19 20 ~ 29 30 ~ 39 40 ~ 49 50 ~ 59 60 ~ 69 70 ~ 79 80 ~ 89 90 ~ 99+
Hum - 345.5Hz - F-18
Prime - 610.5Hz - Eb-32
Tierce - 805.5Hz - G+47 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 982Hz - B-9
Nominal - 1325Hz - E+9
Prime - 610.5Hz - Eb-32
Tierce - 805.5Hz - G+47 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 982Hz - B-9
Nominal - 1325Hz - E+9
| barlavington.mp3 |
Inscriptions:
*Underlined text is around the inscription band*
1 |
BRYANVS ELDRIDGE ME FECIT 1651 |
Photographs:
*Click on the images to enlarge them*
Sources:
- ELPHICK, George. P (1970): Sussex Bells & Belfries
- TYSSEN, Amhurst. D (1864): The Church Bells of Sussex
- FORD, Wyn. K (1994): Chichester Diocesan Surveys 1686 and 1724
- FORSTER, Andrew & BARHAM, Joan (2017): Church Surveys of Chichester Archdeaconry 1602, 1610 & 1636
- https://sussexparishchurches.org/church/barlavington-st-mary/
