Chichester, St PancrasChichester, St Pancras has a single bell, hung in a west facing tower.
The present day church was built between 1749 - 1750, to William Ride's design. This succeeds an ancient church dating back to the 13th C. The earliest mention of it is 1291. In April 1749, the foundations for the church were laid. Most of the money towards the build came from Mary, Dowager Countess of Derby, who gave £400. The 2nd Duke of Richmond gave £100, and Elizabeth Pawlett gave £100. The rest came from donations and gifts. In 1868, the church was enlarged and made to look victorian. In the process, the south wall of the tower was bricked up and no longer used as the entrance. A small porch was added, which replaces a window that was fitted to the west wall of the tower. The Bell |
|
Bell |
Weight |
Diameter |
Nominal |
Note |
Founder |
Cast |
Canon |
Hanging |
1 |
21.25" |
1774 Hz |
A |
1750 |
Swing Chime |
1 Bell in A
In 1558, we find a bequest made towards the "bells", suggesting there may have been more than one.
1558, Oct. 31. "To the maynetaynaunce of the bells vjd"
Sadly, neither of these bells have survived for the church was demolished in 1642.
In 1558, we find a bequest made towards the "bells", suggesting there may have been more than one.
1558, Oct. 31. "To the maynetaynaunce of the bells vjd"
Sadly, neither of these bells have survived for the church was demolished in 1642.
St Pancras and the Siege of Chichester
In 1642, the First English Civil War broke out, and the Parliamentarians headed for Chichester. The siege lasted for 5 days, and ended with surrender by the royalists.
St Pancras church was positioned outside the city walls (illustrated with an S on the map below), and the tower was used to fire cannons to knock them down. The townspeople decided that the best option was to demolish the church to prevent further damage. Though the royalists surrendered, the troops still proceeded to sack and desecrate the cathedral.
From the map, it appears that the previous church looked similar to the present day one.
St Pancras church was positioned outside the city walls (illustrated with an S on the map below), and the tower was used to fire cannons to knock them down. The townspeople decided that the best option was to demolish the church to prevent further damage. Though the royalists surrendered, the troops still proceeded to sack and desecrate the cathedral.
From the map, it appears that the previous church looked similar to the present day one.
Prior to the demolition, the Chichester Diocesan Surveys between 1602 - 1636 show that church was decaying quite badly, including the surrounding fence. Unfortunately, there are no records of how many bells there were, nor their condition.
A New Church and Bell
When the present church was built, Thomas Lester of Whitechapel supplied a single bell, weighing around 2cwt.
The bell carries a short inscription around the inscription band, featuring the county's earliest surviving example of Fig. TLE,1.
The surface shows it's suffered from corrosion.
It is strapped to a wooden headstock by the means of a conventional canon. It hasn't been turned, and probably hasn't been overhauled for some time, if ever.
It sits on old plain bearing brasses, along with hoop type gudgeons. The clapper is hung from a cast in crown staple by an iron baldrick. It has a full wheel, though the shrouding and rim have fallen off, leaving the spokes only.
The rope is attached to the meeting spoke and transom. It then goes around a pulley to the NW corner of the tower.
The surface of the bell has suffered from corrosion, and all metal fittings have rusted over.
The Frame
The bell is hung in a timber B frame fit for 1, which is mortice and tenoned to the the sides of the spire.
The belfry is accessed by an 18-rung ladder - formally a wooden vertical one. From here, a small set of steps takes you to the level of the bell, and the former clock platform.
Visited 02/10/2023 with thanks to Tim Morgan
A New Church and Bell
When the present church was built, Thomas Lester of Whitechapel supplied a single bell, weighing around 2cwt.
The bell carries a short inscription around the inscription band, featuring the county's earliest surviving example of Fig. TLE,1.
The surface shows it's suffered from corrosion.
It is strapped to a wooden headstock by the means of a conventional canon. It hasn't been turned, and probably hasn't been overhauled for some time, if ever.
It sits on old plain bearing brasses, along with hoop type gudgeons. The clapper is hung from a cast in crown staple by an iron baldrick. It has a full wheel, though the shrouding and rim have fallen off, leaving the spokes only.
The rope is attached to the meeting spoke and transom. It then goes around a pulley to the NW corner of the tower.
The surface of the bell has suffered from corrosion, and all metal fittings have rusted over.
The Frame
The bell is hung in a timber B frame fit for 1, which is mortice and tenoned to the the sides of the spire.
The belfry is accessed by an 18-rung ladder - formally a wooden vertical one. From here, a small set of steps takes you to the level of the bell, and the former clock platform.
Visited 02/10/2023 with thanks to Tim Morgan
Recording of the bell:
How the bell is tuned in relation to its nominal, using Simpson's theory.
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+
Hum - 455Hz - Bb-41
Prime - 779.5Hz - G-9
Tierce - 1053Hz - C+11 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 1265.5Hz - Eb+29
Nominal - 1774Hz - A+14
Prime - 779.5Hz - G-9
Tierce - 1053Hz - C+11 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 1265.5Hz - Eb+29
Nominal - 1774Hz - A+14
| chistpancras.mp3 |
Inscriptions:
*Underlined text is around the inscription band*
1 |
≎≎≎≎≎ J750 ≎≎≎≎≎ |
≎ = Fig. TLE,1
Photographs:
Sources:
- ELPHICK, George. P (1970): Sussex Bells & Belfries p.133, 282
- TYSSEN, Amhurst. D (1864): The Church Bells of Sussex p.68
- Church history leaflet
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Chichester
- https://sussexparishchurches.org/church/chichester-st-pancras/
- https://www.sussexrecordsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/Digital_editions/SRS-Vol-41.pdf
