Chichester, St Peter the Less
About the Bells
3 Bells
St Peters the Less had a ring of 3 bells, hung in a south-west facing tower.
The church was built around the 13th C, and the structure of the roof beams suggests there was an early bellcote at the west end.
It has been known by a few names: St Peter le more, St Peter juxta Guildhall, and most recently St Peter the Less.
St Peters the Less had a ring of 3 bells, hung in a south-west facing tower.
The church was built around the 13th C, and the structure of the roof beams suggests there was an early bellcote at the west end.
It has been known by a few names: St Peter le more, St Peter juxta Guildhall, and most recently St Peter the Less.
The tower was added around the 14th C, and originally had embattlements. However, these were removed by 1942.
The earliest reference to bells dates c1360 when a member of the Rufford family, likely John, cast a bell.
It bore the inscription
+ ☘ A V E M A R I A ☘
As this bell was sold in 1861, I've made a representation of its inscriptions using data from other sources.
The earliest reference to bells dates c1360 when a member of the Rufford family, likely John, cast a bell.
It bore the inscription
+ ☘ A V E M A R I A ☘
As this bell was sold in 1861, I've made a representation of its inscriptions using data from other sources.
Like most mediaeval bells, the inscription was probably spaced equally around the inscription band.
According to the churchwardens' accounts, the bell weighed 4-1-0cwt.
The next reference dates 1545 when a bequest of 8d was given towards the bells in Peter Palmer's will.
1545, Dec. 1 "To the Belles viijd"
Just 35 years later, Salisbury founder John Wallis cast a bell which is still in existence today, now some 31miles away from its original home.
It bore an inscription reading
# PRAYSED BY THY NAME O LORD 1580
around the inscription band, and
WR I # C HC I#N IW
on the waist. # = Fig. XXIV,k
The figures were made with cut-out wax parchment and then stuck onto the mould.
It was cast with a conventional canon, and measures 28.38" in diameter. Though it hasn't been recorded, it probably weighs around 5cwt.
A third, uninscribed bell weighing 2-3-20cwt was added at an unknown date.
This became the treble.
The 1602 commission report gives us a good understanding on the condition of the tower. It states:
"The frame of the bells is very much decayed & the steeple also"
I assume the frame was rebuilt around this time as George Elphicks gives:
"The heads probably dated from the 16th century with much later end-frames."
It had O trusses with curved braces; the centre posts and heads were reduced, and it had brace ties.
According to the churchwardens' accounts, the bell weighed 4-1-0cwt.
The next reference dates 1545 when a bequest of 8d was given towards the bells in Peter Palmer's will.
1545, Dec. 1 "To the Belles viijd"
Just 35 years later, Salisbury founder John Wallis cast a bell which is still in existence today, now some 31miles away from its original home.
It bore an inscription reading
# PRAYSED BY THY NAME O LORD 1580
around the inscription band, and
WR I # C HC I#N IW
on the waist. # = Fig. XXIV,k
The figures were made with cut-out wax parchment and then stuck onto the mould.
It was cast with a conventional canon, and measures 28.38" in diameter. Though it hasn't been recorded, it probably weighs around 5cwt.
A third, uninscribed bell weighing 2-3-20cwt was added at an unknown date.
This became the treble.
The 1602 commission report gives us a good understanding on the condition of the tower. It states:
"The frame of the bells is very much decayed & the steeple also"
I assume the frame was rebuilt around this time as George Elphicks gives:
"The heads probably dated from the 16th century with much later end-frames."
It had O trusses with curved braces; the centre posts and heads were reduced, and it had brace ties.
Between 1684 - 1714, many entries towards ringers are found.
Churchwardens' Accounts - Ringing Entries
1684
The ringers were given 9s when James II became a naval commander.
1684 "Paid to the Ringers when the Duke of Yorke was made General of Sea & Land . . . . 0 9 0"
King Charles II birthday.
1684 May. 29"Paid for Ringing at the King's Berthday . . . . 0 1 6"
A group of men planned to assassinate the King but failed. Also known as the Rye House Plot
"Pd to the Ringers at Gunpowder Plot . . . . 0 2 1"
1685
1685 Feb. 4 "Pd to the Ringers the 4th of ffeb . . . . 0 1 0"
His Majesty James II was proclaimed
1685 Feb. 7 "Pd for Ringing when his Matie was proclaimed . . . . 0 2 0"
"ffor Candles at the Ringing . . . . 0 0 4"
On April 23rd 1685, James II was crowned
1685 Apr. 23 "Paid for Ringing on Crownation Day . . . . 0 3 0"
The King's birthday
1685 May. 29 "Paid to the Ringers the 29th of May, 1685 . . . . 0 2 1"
The First Earl of Tankerville was taken to prison after being found guilty of treason
1685 "Paid the Ringers when the Lord Gray was taken . . . . 0 1 0"
James II chose July 26th, 1685 as a thanksgiving day for his victory over the Duke of Monmouth.
1685 July. 26 "Paid more to the Ringers the Thanksgiving day . . . . 0 2 3"
James II's birthday
1685 Oct. 14 "Paid to the Ringers King James Berth day . . . . 0 2 1"
1686
"Paid to Rich. Lee for new Bell Ropes . . . . 0 15 0"
1691
"Paid the Clark of the Parish for minding the Church & washing the Surplice & ringing the bells . . . . 0 9 1"
1693
"For 3 new bell roopes . . . . 0 6 6"
1695
This entry is interesting as his birthday was on November 4th. However, his coronation took place on April 11 1689.
"April 11. for Ringing the Kings Birthday . . . . 0 2 0"
1700:
"Paid for 3 bell ropes . . . 0 9 0"
1702
Queen Anne's proclamation
1702 Mar. 8"March the 8th for Bellringing for Queen Anns Proclamation Day . . . . 0 2 6"
Queen Anne's coronation
1702 Apr. 22 "ffor Ringing of the Bells on the Queen's Crownation Day . . . . 0 3 0"
1704
Battle of Blenheim
1704 Jul. 15"July the 15th for Ringing of the Bells for Molborows Victory over the French . . . . 0 3 0"
1704 "for three new Bell ropes . . . . 0 1 0"
Bells rung in memory of the Gunpowder plot
1704 Nov. 5 "November the 5th for Ringing of the Bells . . . . 0 3 0"
1705
Queen Anne's Birthday
1705 Feb. 6 "February the 6th for Bellringing for Queen Anns Birth Day . . . . 0 2 6"
1705 "Paid ffor Nayles, Staples, & Iron worke about the Bells . . . . 0 7 6"
1714
Queen Anne dies, and King George I succeeds her
1714 Aug. 3 "Aug. 3 Paid for Bell Ringing for the proclaming of King George . . . . 0 2 0"
King George I coronation
1714 Oct. 20 "ye 20 paid for bellringing for the Crown Nashun Day . . . . 0 2 6
In the late 1840s, the clergy decided to enlarge the church, but nothing came of this until the 60s. As an attempt to raise funds, they decided to sell of two of their bells, the treble and tenor. Their weights are also given.
Aug 1861:
"... to enlarge the said Church by pulling down the chancel thereof and extending the same fourteen feet five inches further eastward into the Glebe Land belonging to the said church and also take down the whole of the galleries and generally re-pew and repair the said Church. . . there are three Bells belonging to the said Church and that two of such to wit one of estimated weight of four hundredweight and one quarter and the other two of hundred three quarters and twenty pounds are not required . . . and should be sold
For the inscriptions of these 2 bells, we are indebted to the late Amhurst Tyseen, whom without they'd be lost.
George Elphick visited in 1936 and states that 2 10-rung ladder were required to access the belfry. At this time, only the tenor remained.
In 1958, the new church of Crawley - Southgate, St Mary was being built, and the tenor was transferred there, making it the oldest bell in Crawley. It is now hung dead and the electrics to the chiming apparatus were cut to provide lighting to the roof.
St Peter the Less was demolished 2 years later in 1960
Churchwardens' Accounts - Ringing Entries
1684
The ringers were given 9s when James II became a naval commander.
1684 "Paid to the Ringers when the Duke of Yorke was made General of Sea & Land . . . . 0 9 0"
King Charles II birthday.
1684 May. 29"Paid for Ringing at the King's Berthday . . . . 0 1 6"
A group of men planned to assassinate the King but failed. Also known as the Rye House Plot
"Pd to the Ringers at Gunpowder Plot . . . . 0 2 1"
1685
1685 Feb. 4 "Pd to the Ringers the 4th of ffeb . . . . 0 1 0"
His Majesty James II was proclaimed
1685 Feb. 7 "Pd for Ringing when his Matie was proclaimed . . . . 0 2 0"
"ffor Candles at the Ringing . . . . 0 0 4"
On April 23rd 1685, James II was crowned
1685 Apr. 23 "Paid for Ringing on Crownation Day . . . . 0 3 0"
The King's birthday
1685 May. 29 "Paid to the Ringers the 29th of May, 1685 . . . . 0 2 1"
The First Earl of Tankerville was taken to prison after being found guilty of treason
1685 "Paid the Ringers when the Lord Gray was taken . . . . 0 1 0"
James II chose July 26th, 1685 as a thanksgiving day for his victory over the Duke of Monmouth.
1685 July. 26 "Paid more to the Ringers the Thanksgiving day . . . . 0 2 3"
James II's birthday
1685 Oct. 14 "Paid to the Ringers King James Berth day . . . . 0 2 1"
1686
"Paid to Rich. Lee for new Bell Ropes . . . . 0 15 0"
1691
"Paid the Clark of the Parish for minding the Church & washing the Surplice & ringing the bells . . . . 0 9 1"
1693
"For 3 new bell roopes . . . . 0 6 6"
1695
This entry is interesting as his birthday was on November 4th. However, his coronation took place on April 11 1689.
"April 11. for Ringing the Kings Birthday . . . . 0 2 0"
1700:
"Paid for 3 bell ropes . . . 0 9 0"
1702
Queen Anne's proclamation
1702 Mar. 8"March the 8th for Bellringing for Queen Anns Proclamation Day . . . . 0 2 6"
Queen Anne's coronation
1702 Apr. 22 "ffor Ringing of the Bells on the Queen's Crownation Day . . . . 0 3 0"
1704
Battle of Blenheim
1704 Jul. 15"July the 15th for Ringing of the Bells for Molborows Victory over the French . . . . 0 3 0"
1704 "for three new Bell ropes . . . . 0 1 0"
Bells rung in memory of the Gunpowder plot
1704 Nov. 5 "November the 5th for Ringing of the Bells . . . . 0 3 0"
1705
Queen Anne's Birthday
1705 Feb. 6 "February the 6th for Bellringing for Queen Anns Birth Day . . . . 0 2 6"
1705 "Paid ffor Nayles, Staples, & Iron worke about the Bells . . . . 0 7 6"
1714
Queen Anne dies, and King George I succeeds her
1714 Aug. 3 "Aug. 3 Paid for Bell Ringing for the proclaming of King George . . . . 0 2 0"
King George I coronation
1714 Oct. 20 "ye 20 paid for bellringing for the Crown Nashun Day . . . . 0 2 6
In the late 1840s, the clergy decided to enlarge the church, but nothing came of this until the 60s. As an attempt to raise funds, they decided to sell of two of their bells, the treble and tenor. Their weights are also given.
Aug 1861:
"... to enlarge the said Church by pulling down the chancel thereof and extending the same fourteen feet five inches further eastward into the Glebe Land belonging to the said church and also take down the whole of the galleries and generally re-pew and repair the said Church. . . there are three Bells belonging to the said Church and that two of such to wit one of estimated weight of four hundredweight and one quarter and the other two of hundred three quarters and twenty pounds are not required . . . and should be sold
For the inscriptions of these 2 bells, we are indebted to the late Amhurst Tyseen, whom without they'd be lost.
George Elphick visited in 1936 and states that 2 10-rung ladder were required to access the belfry. At this time, only the tenor remained.
In 1958, the new church of Crawley - Southgate, St Mary was being built, and the tenor was transferred there, making it the oldest bell in Crawley. It is now hung dead and the electrics to the chiming apparatus were cut to provide lighting to the roof.
St Peter the Less was demolished 2 years later in 1960
Inscriptions:
*Underlined text is inscriptions within the inscription band*
1 |
(Uninscribed) |
2 |
+ ⚜ AVE MARIA ☘ |
3 |
◈ PRAYSED BY THY NAME O LORD 1580 WR I ◈ C HC I ◈ N I W |
Latin Translations:
3: AVE MARIA - Hail Mary
+ = PLATE. VI,a (Bell 2)
⚜ = PLATE. VI,c (Bell 2)
☘ = PLATE. VI,d (Bell 2)
◈ = PLATE. XXIV,k (Bell 3)
3: AVE MARIA - Hail Mary
+ = PLATE. VI,a (Bell 2)
⚜ = PLATE. VI,c (Bell 2)
☘ = PLATE. VI,d (Bell 2)
◈ = PLATE. XXIV,k (Bell 3)
Photographs:
Sources:
.Front cover: West Sussex Record Office
.Sussex Archaeological Collections Vol*44
.Sussex Record Society Vol* 41
.https://www.historytoday.com/archive/commemorating-charles-i-king-and-martyr#
.Church Bells of Sussex by Amhurst D. Tyssen
.Sussex Bells & Belfries by George P. Elphick
.The Five Little Churches of Chichester by Alan. H. J. Green
.Front cover: West Sussex Record Office
.Sussex Archaeological Collections Vol*44
.Sussex Record Society Vol* 41
.https://www.historytoday.com/archive/commemorating-charles-i-king-and-martyr#
.Church Bells of Sussex by Amhurst D. Tyssen
.Sussex Bells & Belfries by George P. Elphick
.The Five Little Churches of Chichester by Alan. H. J. Green
