Bolney, St Mary Magdalene
Bell |
Weight |
Diameter |
Nominal |
Note |
Founder |
Cast |
Canon |
Hanging |
1 |
4-1-7 cwt |
26.25" |
1417 Hz |
F |
Robert Catlin |
1740 |
Removed |
Full Circle |
2 |
4-0-15 cwt |
26.50" |
1330 Hz |
E |
Robert Catlin |
1740 |
Removed |
Full Circle |
3 |
4-0-13 cwt |
28.25" |
1187 Hz |
D |
c1450 |
Removed |
Full Circle |
|
4 |
4-3-20 cwt |
30.25" |
1065 Hz |
C |
1660 |
Full Circle |
||
5 |
6-3-10 cwt |
32.88" |
951 Hz |
B♭ |
1949 |
Full Circle |
||
6 |
8-1-12 cwt |
36.00" |
878 Hz |
A |
Robert Mot |
1592 |
Full Circle |
|
7 |
10-1-24 cwt |
39.13" |
797 Hz |
G |
Samuel Knight |
1724 |
Removed |
Full Circle |
8 |
13-0-8 cwt |
42.25" |
706 Hz |
F |
Robert Catlin |
1740 |
Removed |
Full Circle |
About the Bells
8 Bells, 13-0-8 In F
Bolney has a peal of 8 bells hung in a west facing tower. The tower was built between 1536 - 1538 and the wardens accounts have many references towards the building. [see below]
In the north east corner, a door leads to a spiral staircase taking you to the chambers above.
It first leads to a clock room were a few of the bells are drawn. The clock was made by William Potts & Son in 1879. It was once wound manually but converted to automatic winding in 1970 by Smith of Derby.
Further up the tower you reach the belfry. As you enter, bell 3 is to you right and 5 is in front of you.
All the bells are hung in a black cast iron frame made by John Taylor & Co in 1962. The frame is made of Z.1 trusses and arranged in the 8.3 layout.
Bolney are also the first ever ring of 8 bells in the country! Not to get confused with the first complete set of 8 cast by the same founder, but for just having the oldest ring of 8 in general. Sussex also have the first complete and oldest peal of 3 too! See Clapham, St Mary the Virgin.
The bells were most likely turned by Mears & Stainbank when the new 5th was hung.
The canons on bells 4 and 6 have not been removed and instead have canon retained headstocks.
The canons were taken off the treble by Gillett & Johnston; the 3rd had its canons removed in 1905 when Mears & Stainbank quarter turned the bells.
The inscription on the 6th was a wax casting featuring black-letters. Robert Mot used wax casting at Bolney in 1592 and piece moulded canons at Sedlescombe in 1595, showing a change of techniques.
There isn't all that much head room once you are on the frame. I was 5' 8" and there was about 6" of space left between my head and the ceiling. The bells are raised off the floor by about 14' similar to Washington, to allow room for work under the bells. In 1724, it was reported that:
"There is a very good ring of eight bells."
The Tower:
The tower is in the style of a castle with a circular pyramid on each corner. There does not appear to have been a tower before 1536 as James Bolney put £40 in his will for the tower as long as it had certain qualities.
"If all the children of Testator should die under age and unmarried one half of his bequests to them were to go to his wife Joan, "and I will that the other halfe . . . therof shalbe distributed by the discretions of myn executours or their executors in forme following that is to saye xl" therof towardes the buylding and making of the Steple of the parrishe churche of Bolney"
According to G P Elphick, the church wardens have very interesting information from 1536 - 8:
.They mention digging for stone and providing hurdles to bind the road over which to carry it and state that the masons received 18/- for every foot in height of the walls as well as their board and lodging. It cost 11d for hewing timber for the headstocks of the bells. Roger Frogbank seems to have been in charge of the woodwork such as floors, roof and probably the bellframe. The account book contains a rough sketch showing 4 bells in the tower and the ringers. The old frame make by Robert Catlin was replaced by an iron side frame by Taylor's in 1962.
The following is taken from the Sussex Archaeological Collections:
Visited:
.19/05/2022
Bolney has a peal of 8 bells hung in a west facing tower. The tower was built between 1536 - 1538 and the wardens accounts have many references towards the building. [see below]
In the north east corner, a door leads to a spiral staircase taking you to the chambers above.
It first leads to a clock room were a few of the bells are drawn. The clock was made by William Potts & Son in 1879. It was once wound manually but converted to automatic winding in 1970 by Smith of Derby.
Further up the tower you reach the belfry. As you enter, bell 3 is to you right and 5 is in front of you.
All the bells are hung in a black cast iron frame made by John Taylor & Co in 1962. The frame is made of Z.1 trusses and arranged in the 8.3 layout.
Bolney are also the first ever ring of 8 bells in the country! Not to get confused with the first complete set of 8 cast by the same founder, but for just having the oldest ring of 8 in general. Sussex also have the first complete and oldest peal of 3 too! See Clapham, St Mary the Virgin.
The bells were most likely turned by Mears & Stainbank when the new 5th was hung.
The canons on bells 4 and 6 have not been removed and instead have canon retained headstocks.
The canons were taken off the treble by Gillett & Johnston; the 3rd had its canons removed in 1905 when Mears & Stainbank quarter turned the bells.
The inscription on the 6th was a wax casting featuring black-letters. Robert Mot used wax casting at Bolney in 1592 and piece moulded canons at Sedlescombe in 1595, showing a change of techniques.
There isn't all that much head room once you are on the frame. I was 5' 8" and there was about 6" of space left between my head and the ceiling. The bells are raised off the floor by about 14' similar to Washington, to allow room for work under the bells. In 1724, it was reported that:
"There is a very good ring of eight bells."
The Tower:
The tower is in the style of a castle with a circular pyramid on each corner. There does not appear to have been a tower before 1536 as James Bolney put £40 in his will for the tower as long as it had certain qualities.
"If all the children of Testator should die under age and unmarried one half of his bequests to them were to go to his wife Joan, "and I will that the other halfe . . . therof shalbe distributed by the discretions of myn executours or their executors in forme following that is to saye xl" therof towardes the buylding and making of the Steple of the parrishe churche of Bolney"
According to G P Elphick, the church wardens have very interesting information from 1536 - 8:
.They mention digging for stone and providing hurdles to bind the road over which to carry it and state that the masons received 18/- for every foot in height of the walls as well as their board and lodging. It cost 11d for hewing timber for the headstocks of the bells. Roger Frogbank seems to have been in charge of the woodwork such as floors, roof and probably the bellframe. The account book contains a rough sketch showing 4 bells in the tower and the ringers. The old frame make by Robert Catlin was replaced by an iron side frame by Taylor's in 1962.
The following is taken from the Sussex Archaeological Collections:
- "Payd to John Gaston for v days work for dyggyn of ston for the stepyll, vd. the day iis id"
- "payd to John Harper the carpenter for iii days labor for making of a trobyll and watylls, xviiid."
- "payd to Edward Smeth for v days labor for makyn of the way to care [carry] ston and making of watyl, iiis. id"
- "payd on Marcmaudelyn day to pokyll and Gills yn the xxviii yere of Kyng Henry VIII for bargenyng to make the stepyll of Bolney be the fot. for xviiis. the fot in ernest payd xxs"
- "Payd to Garland for rops for the bels xxd"
- "payd for the mendyng of the great bell to Harper, meet and drenk iiid"
- "payd to Chesman for pollyng down and hangyng up the bells iiis iiiid"
- "payd foe hewyng of a pes [piece] of tymber for stocks for the bels iid"
Visited:
.19/05/2022
Inscriptions:
*Underlined text is inscriptions within the inscription band*
1 |
MICHAEL HARMES GAVE ME ⁘ R ⁘ C ⁘ 1740 |
2 |
MICHL̥ HARMES R ⁘ C FECIT 1740 |
3 |
(Uninscribed) |
4 |
WILLIAM ⋙ ELDRIDGE ⋙ MADE ⋙ MEE 1660 ⋙ |
5 |
MICHAEL HARMES THOMAS DIVALL CHURCH WARDEnS ROBERT CATLIn FECIT 1740 |
6 |
𝕽𝖔𝖇𝖊𝖗𝖙𝖚𝖘 ⊕ 𝖒𝖔𝖙 ◈ 𝖒𝖊 ⊕ 𝖋𝖊𝖈𝖎𝖙 ◈ 1592 ◉ |
7 |
RALPH HAIR BY DONERS PRAIS ILE - SING & MIC - HARMES T/Y PD̥ FOR MY CAST - 1724 |
8 |
MICHAEL HARMES GAVE ME R ⁘ CATLIN FECIT 1740 ⁘ UNTO THE CHURCH I DOE YOU CALL DEATH TO THE GRAUE WILL SUMON ALL. |
Latin Translation:
2,3,6: Fecit - made
2,3,6: Fecit - made
⋙ = Fig. XXX,c (Bell 4)
⊕ = Fig. XLIV,d (Bell 6)
◈ = Fig. XLIV,g (Bell 6)
◉ = Fig. XLIV,c (Bell 6)
*Click on images to enlarge them*
⊕ = Fig. XLIV,d (Bell 6)
◈ = Fig. XLIV,g (Bell 6)
◉ = Fig. XLIV,c (Bell 6)
*Click on images to enlarge them*
Photographs:
*Click on the images to enlarge them*
References:
110: George P Elphick
Data on the bells: Dove's Guide for Church Bell Ringers
110: George P Elphick
Data on the bells: Dove's Guide for Church Bell Ringers
