East Lavant, St MaryEast Lavant has a single bell, hung in a south-facing tower.
The tower was probably built in 1671, for a brass inscription dedicated towards William Westbrooke on the inner west wall reads: hoc fecit anno dni 1671 Although, there must have been a tower here before, as one is mentioned in the 1603 Diocesan Survey: "also the steeple wanteth a buttresse for the stay thereof" |
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The Bell
1980 - Present
Bell |
Weight |
Diameter |
Nominal |
Note |
Founder |
Cast |
Canon |
Hanging |
1 |
8-0-0 cwt |
34.50" |
941 Hz |
B♭ |
John Taylor & Co |
1980 |
Swing |
1863 - 1980
Bell |
Weight |
Diameter |
Nominal |
Note |
Founder |
Cast |
Canon |
Hanging |
1 |
10-0-12 cwt |
37.50" |
George Mears & Co |
1863 |
1 Bell, in B♭
The earliest reference towards bells dates 1532, in John Standen's will.
1532 Mar. 26 "Item I bequethe to John Smythe and to Rychard Plasted, Robert, Skyrle and toWilliam Tayler, to every one of them, xxd, to bere me to churche and to ryng to placebo and dyryge every nyght untyll my monethes daye."
Another bequest toward ringing occurs 3 years later in Alice Standen's will.
1535 Oct. 11 "and I wyll that Thomas Browne, John Marchant, and Robert Schirlye do rynge to placebo and dyryge every nyght, during the monythe."
In 1548, it appears that the bell required some attention.
1548, Mar. 7. “To ye Belles iiijd” Richard Cooper
2 years after the erection of the tower in 1671, William I Eldridge supplied a single bell that we know of, though he may have cast more.
Around this time, a frame with 6.B trusses was constructed. Today, there are only 2 pits but there may have been 3.
If there weren't three, the eastern pit housed the treble, and the western pit the tenor. The clearance grooves in the pits show us that the treble was around 22" in diameter, and 27" high, and the tenor was around 37" in diameter by 34" high.
The two pits form a 2.X1 layout.
In 1863, the tower was rebuilt to G Mills' design. It was built of brick, and the first few feet of the old stone tower were reused in the construction.
The old Eldridge bell was replaced with a new one by George Mears & Co, though Elphick does not show it was inscribed with a date.
It weighed 10cwt, and measured 37.50" in diameter.
This bell became cracked in the crown and was recast by John Taylor & Co in 1980. The metal was reused, and the new bell was cast as the tenor of a future ring.
It is hung on a cast iron headstock with a full wheel, and no stay or slider.
The bell was cast with a flat top and is inscribed in two sets of block roman capitals, 1" and 0.75".
Crown circumference: 59.75"
Shoulder to Lip Tangent: 25.38"
Access to the intermediate chamber requires a 23-rung ladder through a hatch. Below the bells is a interesting wooden structure supporting their weight. From here, a short ladder takes you to the belfry. The frame is in the SW corner.
In the belfry, an old wheel lays in two halves, possibly dating to 1863. The SCACR BRF report for 1977 shows that a new wheel was made for the G. Mears bell.
A ground pulley which appears to have guided a rope to the tenor's clapper is in the NW corner, meaning there could have been an Ellacombe hammer?
1 bell in good condition on inspection.
Visited: 21/10/2023
The earliest reference towards bells dates 1532, in John Standen's will.
1532 Mar. 26 "Item I bequethe to John Smythe and to Rychard Plasted, Robert, Skyrle and toWilliam Tayler, to every one of them, xxd, to bere me to churche and to ryng to placebo and dyryge every nyght untyll my monethes daye."
Another bequest toward ringing occurs 3 years later in Alice Standen's will.
1535 Oct. 11 "and I wyll that Thomas Browne, John Marchant, and Robert Schirlye do rynge to placebo and dyryge every nyght, during the monythe."
In 1548, it appears that the bell required some attention.
1548, Mar. 7. “To ye Belles iiijd” Richard Cooper
2 years after the erection of the tower in 1671, William I Eldridge supplied a single bell that we know of, though he may have cast more.
Around this time, a frame with 6.B trusses was constructed. Today, there are only 2 pits but there may have been 3.
If there weren't three, the eastern pit housed the treble, and the western pit the tenor. The clearance grooves in the pits show us that the treble was around 22" in diameter, and 27" high, and the tenor was around 37" in diameter by 34" high.
The two pits form a 2.X1 layout.
In 1863, the tower was rebuilt to G Mills' design. It was built of brick, and the first few feet of the old stone tower were reused in the construction.
The old Eldridge bell was replaced with a new one by George Mears & Co, though Elphick does not show it was inscribed with a date.
It weighed 10cwt, and measured 37.50" in diameter.
This bell became cracked in the crown and was recast by John Taylor & Co in 1980. The metal was reused, and the new bell was cast as the tenor of a future ring.
It is hung on a cast iron headstock with a full wheel, and no stay or slider.
The bell was cast with a flat top and is inscribed in two sets of block roman capitals, 1" and 0.75".
Crown circumference: 59.75"
Shoulder to Lip Tangent: 25.38"
Access to the intermediate chamber requires a 23-rung ladder through a hatch. Below the bells is a interesting wooden structure supporting their weight. From here, a short ladder takes you to the belfry. The frame is in the SW corner.
In the belfry, an old wheel lays in two halves, possibly dating to 1863. The SCACR BRF report for 1977 shows that a new wheel was made for the G. Mears bell.
A ground pulley which appears to have guided a rope to the tenor's clapper is in the NW corner, meaning there could have been an Ellacombe hammer?
1 bell in good condition on inspection.
Visited: 21/10/2023
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 - 234.5Hz - B♭+11
Prime - 466.5Hz - B♭+1
Tierce - 560.5Hz - D♭+19 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 696.5Hz - F-4
Nominal - 941.5Hz - B♭+17
Prime - 466.5Hz - B♭+1
Tierce - 560.5Hz - D♭+19 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 696.5Hz - F-4
Nominal - 941.5Hz - B♭+17
| eastlavant_1_.wav |
Inscriptions:
*Underlined text is around the inscription band*
*Text in blue is on the opposite side*
*Text in blue is on the opposite side*
1980 - Present
1 |
SIR JAMES TURING 9TH BARONET OF FOVERAN 1862 ~ 1928 Ⓣ RECAST 1980 |
1863 - 1980
1 |
G MEARS & CO FOUNDERS LONDON + LET THEM PRAISE THE NAME OF THE LORD |
Prior to 1863
1 |
GVILIELMVS ELDRIDGE ME FECIT 1673 |
Photographs:
Sources:
- Sussex Record Society Vol* 43
- BARHAM, Joan; FOSTER, Andrew (2017): Church Surveys of Chichester Archdeaconry 1602, 1610 & 1636
- ELPHICK, George. P (1970): Sussex Bells & Belfries
- TYSSEN, Amhurst. D (1864): The Church Bells of Sussex
- https://sussexparishchurches.org/church/east-lavant-st-mary/
