Beddingham, St Andrew
Bell |
Weight |
Diameter |
Nominal |
Note |
Founder |
Cast |
Canon |
Hanging |
1 |
4¾ cwt |
29.63" |
1068 Hz |
C# |
Bryan II Eldridge |
1639 |
Full Circle |
|
2 |
6¼ cwt |
32.38" |
975.5 Hz |
B |
Bryan II Eldridge |
1639 |
Full Circle |
|
3 |
8¼ cwt |
35.88" |
849.5 Hz |
A |
John Tonne |
1530 |
Full Circle |
|
4 |
10 cwt |
39.13" |
775 Hz |
G |
Bryan II Eldridge |
1639 |
Full Circle |
About the Bells
4 Bells, 10cwt in G ( Tuning 2-5 of 8)
Beddingham has a ground floor ring of 4 hung anticlockwise. The bells are hung in a West facing tower with a long guided draft.
The tower dates back to the 16th century as 5 wills between 1540 - 1558 show:
1540, Oct. 1. "“I bequeth to thuse of the said church of Bedingham, when the parishoners shall go about to buyld the Steple, xxs" Thomas Goodwyn
1557 - 1558, Feb. 11. “I bequethe to the bildyng of the steple of bedyng ham vs” Roland Faurer, priest.
1558, Dec. 17. “I bequethe towardes ye reperacons of the steple of beddyngham ijs'' Christofer Hew.
1558—9, Jan. 15. “I beqweth ijs towardes the byldynge of the steple of Bedingham'' Thomas Hyve.
1558—9, March 3. “I bequethe vj* viijd towardes the buylding of the Styple of bedyngham'* Joone Hyve.
It has three chambers: the ground floor, intermediate, and belfry. Access to the latter two are by a spiral staircase in the SW corner.
During my visit, more than 2 dozen bird skeletons were in the chamber. There were also large steel pipes and old ropes. The floor in there has been noted as very weak and should be walked on with care. On the South West side of the chamber is a ladder that take you up into the belfry.
The earliest reference to bells dates 1530, when John Tonne cast an 8cwt bell that features a gothic, Latin inscription.
Between each word is decorative stop, with one of them being the figure of a knight. It was cast with a conventional canon.
Like his other Sussex examples, its rather well in tune!
In 1639, Bryan II Eldridge cast a tenor and two trebles, making a ring of 4.
Each were inscribed the same using his favoured motto
GLORIA DEO IN EXCELSIS
in parchment letters.
Between each word is a fleur de list stop.
All the bells were hung in a wooden V frame, originally arranged in the 4.1 layout.
Eldridge's bells were cast with conventional canons, and strapped to wooden headstocks for full circle ringing.
They each have the traditional old style tuning with sharp hums and flat primes.
By their nominals, the bells are tuned to approximate key of G, with the third being half a semitone flat, and the treble half a semitone sharp.
The next references comes from the Chichester Diocesan Surveys.
In 1686, it states that "The steeple is a little out of repaire.", and by 1724, "4 bells all in good order"
A few years earlier, the bells underwent a restoration which involved rearranging the frame to its current layout, and possibly rehanging them on new fittings.
The frame is now a form of the 4.2 layout, to reduce stress on the tower walls. In the middle of the frame is a space known as a well hole. Each of the frame heads inside this has an inscription:
Today, the bells are not in the best condition. All metal fittings have rusted; the bells are on plain bearings; the 2nd isn't attached to the headstock very well, and moves a lot when you jolt the wheel!
Banging noises can be heard when rung, and the 3rd has a tree branch for a stay (not a issue but fun feature to include here).
The clapper on the treble had the flight lengthened to make it heavier in the past. The tenor is probably in the best state but has a very short rope!
Visited: 16/06/2021 also with Ollie E P Watson and Michael Royalton-Kisch.
Beddingham has a ground floor ring of 4 hung anticlockwise. The bells are hung in a West facing tower with a long guided draft.
The tower dates back to the 16th century as 5 wills between 1540 - 1558 show:
1540, Oct. 1. "“I bequeth to thuse of the said church of Bedingham, when the parishoners shall go about to buyld the Steple, xxs" Thomas Goodwyn
1557 - 1558, Feb. 11. “I bequethe to the bildyng of the steple of bedyng ham vs” Roland Faurer, priest.
1558, Dec. 17. “I bequethe towardes ye reperacons of the steple of beddyngham ijs'' Christofer Hew.
1558—9, Jan. 15. “I beqweth ijs towardes the byldynge of the steple of Bedingham'' Thomas Hyve.
1558—9, March 3. “I bequethe vj* viijd towardes the buylding of the Styple of bedyngham'* Joone Hyve.
It has three chambers: the ground floor, intermediate, and belfry. Access to the latter two are by a spiral staircase in the SW corner.
During my visit, more than 2 dozen bird skeletons were in the chamber. There were also large steel pipes and old ropes. The floor in there has been noted as very weak and should be walked on with care. On the South West side of the chamber is a ladder that take you up into the belfry.
The earliest reference to bells dates 1530, when John Tonne cast an 8cwt bell that features a gothic, Latin inscription.
Between each word is decorative stop, with one of them being the figure of a knight. It was cast with a conventional canon.
Like his other Sussex examples, its rather well in tune!
In 1639, Bryan II Eldridge cast a tenor and two trebles, making a ring of 4.
Each were inscribed the same using his favoured motto
GLORIA DEO IN EXCELSIS
in parchment letters.
Between each word is a fleur de list stop.
All the bells were hung in a wooden V frame, originally arranged in the 4.1 layout.
Eldridge's bells were cast with conventional canons, and strapped to wooden headstocks for full circle ringing.
They each have the traditional old style tuning with sharp hums and flat primes.
By their nominals, the bells are tuned to approximate key of G, with the third being half a semitone flat, and the treble half a semitone sharp.
The next references comes from the Chichester Diocesan Surveys.
In 1686, it states that "The steeple is a little out of repaire.", and by 1724, "4 bells all in good order"
A few years earlier, the bells underwent a restoration which involved rearranging the frame to its current layout, and possibly rehanging them on new fittings.
The frame is now a form of the 4.2 layout, to reduce stress on the tower walls. In the middle of the frame is a space known as a well hole. Each of the frame heads inside this has an inscription:
- On the East side in raised letters: EDWARD CLEMENT
- On the South side: THOMAS CHEPMAN
- On the West side: CHVRCHWARDENS
- On the North side: 1709
Today, the bells are not in the best condition. All metal fittings have rusted; the bells are on plain bearings; the 2nd isn't attached to the headstock very well, and moves a lot when you jolt the wheel!
Banging noises can be heard when rung, and the 3rd has a tree branch for a stay (not a issue but fun feature to include here).
The clapper on the treble had the flight lengthened to make it heavier in the past. The tenor is probably in the best state but has a very short rope!
Visited: 16/06/2021 also with Ollie E P Watson and Michael Royalton-Kisch.
Recordings of the bells:
How the bells are tuned in relation to their nominal.
Key [measured in cents]:
-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+
-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+
Bell 1
Hum - 294Hz - D+2
Prime - 502.5Hz - B+30
Tierce - 651.5Hz - E-19 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 819.5Hz - Ab-22
Nominal - 1069Hz - C+37
Prime - 502.5Hz - B+30
Tierce - 651.5Hz - E-19 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 819.5Hz - Ab-22
Nominal - 1069Hz - C+37
| beddinghamtreble.wav |
Bell 2
Hum - 255.5Hz - C-40
Prime - 457Hz - Bb-33
Tierce - 592Hz - D+14 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 719.5Hz - F# -48
Nominal - 976.5Hz - B-19
Prime - 457Hz - Bb-33
Tierce - 592Hz - D+14 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 719.5Hz - F# -48
Nominal - 976.5Hz - B-19
| beddinghamsecond.wav |
Bell 3
Hum - 214Hz - A-47
Prime - 435.5Hz - A-17
Tierce - 512.5Hz - C-35 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 649Hz - E-29
Nominal - 849.5Hz - Ab+39
Prime - 435.5Hz - A-17
Tierce - 512.5Hz - C-35 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 649Hz - E-29
Nominal - 849.5Hz - Ab+39
| beddinghamthird.wav |
Bell 4
Hum - 208.5Hz - Ab+7
Prime - 373.5Hz - F#+16
Tierce - 476Hz - Bb+36 (minor 3rd +56 cents)
Quint - 597.5Hz - D-22
Nominal - 774.5Hz - G-20
Prime - 373.5Hz - F#+16
Tierce - 476Hz - Bb+36 (minor 3rd +56 cents)
Quint - 597.5Hz - D-22
Nominal - 774.5Hz - G-20
| beddinghamfourth.wav |
Inscriptions:
*Underlined text is inscriptions within the inscription band*
1 |
GLORIA † DEO † IN † EXCELSIS 1639 B † E |
2 |
GLORIA † DEO † IN † EXCELSIS 1639 B † E |
3 |
+ 𝖎𝖓 ♣ 𝖒𝖚𝖑𝖙𝖎𝖘 ♠ 𝖆𝖓𝖓𝖎𝖘 ♣ 𝖓𝖔𝖒𝖊𝖓 ♣ 𝖇𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖊 ♠ 𝖎𝖔𝖍𝖆𝖓𝖎𝖍𝖘 ◉ |
4 |
GLORIA † DEO † IN † EXCELSIS 1639 B † E |
Latin Translation:
1,2,4: GLORIA DEO IN EXELSIS - Glory to God in the highest
3: in multis annis nomen baptiste iohanihs - for many years the name of the baptist was John
1,2,4: GLORIA DEO IN EXELSIS - Glory to God in the highest
3: in multis annis nomen baptiste iohanihs - for many years the name of the baptist was John
† = Fig. XXX,b (Bells 1,2,4)
♣ = Fig. XVIII, b (Bell 3)
♠ = Fig. XVIII,c (Bell 3)
◉ = Fig. XVIII, i (Bell 3)
*Click on images to enlarge them*
♣ = Fig. XVIII, b (Bell 3)
♠ = Fig. XVIII,c (Bell 3)
◉ = Fig. XVIII, i (Bell 3)
*Click on images to enlarge them*
Photographs:
*Click on the images to enlarge them*
Photos and Bell sound files: Credit to Oliver E P Watson.
Ringing
Ringing Currently Not Permitted
A26, Lewes, BN8 6JY
