Rodmell, St Peter
2021 - Present
Bell |
Weight |
Diameter |
Nominal |
Note |
Founder |
Cast |
Canon |
Hanging |
1 |
1-3-21 cwt |
20.50" |
1608.3 Hz |
G |
1909 |
Full Circle |
||
2 |
2-0-9 cwt |
21.75" |
1434.8 Hz |
F |
1909 |
Full Circle |
||
3 |
2-1-11 cwt |
23.50" |
1280.5 Hz |
E♭ |
1909 |
Full Circle |
||
4 |
2-3-3 cwt |
25.00" |
1201.7 Hz |
D |
William I Eldridge? |
c1686 |
Removed |
Full Circle |
5 |
3-2-12 cwt |
27.13" |
1073.6 Hz |
C |
William I Eldridge |
1664 |
Removed |
Full Circle |
6 |
5-2-24 cwt |
31.25" |
958.2 Hz |
B♭ |
Bryan II Eldridge |
1641 |
Removed |
Full Circle |
1909 - 2021
Bell |
Weight |
Diameter |
Nominal |
Note |
Founder |
Date |
Canon |
Hanging |
1 |
2-0-26 cwt |
22.00" |
1643.5 Hz |
G# |
1909 |
Full Circle |
||
2 |
2-1-22 cwt |
23.00" |
1481.8 Hz |
F# |
1909 |
Full Circle |
||
3 |
2-2-18 cwt |
24.00" |
1342.6 Hz |
E |
1909 |
Full Circle |
||
4 |
2-3-14 cwt |
25.00" |
1231.8 Hz |
D# |
William I Eldridge? |
c1686 |
Full Circle |
|
5 |
4-0-11 cwt |
28.50" |
1101.4 Hz |
C# |
William I Eldridge |
1664 |
Full Circle |
|
6 |
6-0-27 cwt |
33.00" |
943.1 Hz |
Bb |
Bryan II Eldridge |
1641 |
Full Circle |
About the Bells
6 Bells, 5-2-24 in Bb
Rodmell has a delightful ring of six, hung in a west facing tower.
The church was recorded in the Doomsday Book on the land of William of Warenne. Sadly, nothing remains of this church, nor the bells .
The un-buttressed tower was erected towards the end of the 12th C, and likely had a bell.
The earliest reference we have regarding bells is 1641 when Bryan II Eldridge cast a bell.
This now serves as the tenor and weighs 5cwt.
It was inscribed using the parchment wax method, and has a inscription reading:
BRYAN ELDRIDGE MADE MEE 1641
with a fleur de lis between each word.
It was cast with a conventional canon, and is overall a clean casting.
A few years later, his successor, William Eldridge, cast a bell in 1664 with a very simple inscription featuring his initials and the date only.
In the 1686 Chichester Diocesan Survey, its states that there is "A bell cracked", which suggests there could have been three bells at the time, for the previously mentioned Eldridge bells have survived.
Today, there is an uninscribed bell, also mentioned in Tyssen's book. It is most likely the result of recasting the cracked one.
Since there is no recording of them from the 17th C, or before Warners augmented in 1909, we can only go by assumptions. Assuming that these three bells sounded the same before the 2021 restoration as they did many years ago, they were tuned to the old standard of tuning where bells were tuned to minor keys. Another example of the same tuning as these can be found at Coldwaltham, St Giles, where the tenor is a semitone too flat.
In 1724, Bishop Bower carried out his County survey and reported:
".... in good order. Three bells and steeple the same, except the shingles on the east side and part of the north, which are promised to be repaired."
The rest of the report, though not related to the bells, is very positive, and shows the church in great condition! This is complete contrast to the 1686 report which shows an almost ruinous church.
There aren't any references I can find regarding the bells until 1864, were Tyssen lists 3 in the tower.
The uninscribed bell was the treble; the 1664 one was the second; and Bryan's was the tenor.
In 1909, the church decided to augment their peal of 3 to a six by adding 3 trebles which were apparently stock bells.
The two trebles are inscribed:
J WARNER & SONS LONDON 1909x
Whereas the 3rd has the addition of
CAST BY JOHN
instead of a J.
All of them have an additional inscription engraved on the waist. This further suggests they were stock bells.
They were cast with conventional, angular canons, and moulding wires of 2-2-2-3-2.
Warners supplied the bells so that they'd match with the 4th and 5th, but they didn't alter the tuning to affect the tenor.
Below is a recording of what they sound like. - Credit to Ollie E. P. Watson
Rodmell has a delightful ring of six, hung in a west facing tower.
The church was recorded in the Doomsday Book on the land of William of Warenne. Sadly, nothing remains of this church, nor the bells .
The un-buttressed tower was erected towards the end of the 12th C, and likely had a bell.
The earliest reference we have regarding bells is 1641 when Bryan II Eldridge cast a bell.
This now serves as the tenor and weighs 5cwt.
It was inscribed using the parchment wax method, and has a inscription reading:
BRYAN ELDRIDGE MADE MEE 1641
with a fleur de lis between each word.
It was cast with a conventional canon, and is overall a clean casting.
A few years later, his successor, William Eldridge, cast a bell in 1664 with a very simple inscription featuring his initials and the date only.
In the 1686 Chichester Diocesan Survey, its states that there is "A bell cracked", which suggests there could have been three bells at the time, for the previously mentioned Eldridge bells have survived.
Today, there is an uninscribed bell, also mentioned in Tyssen's book. It is most likely the result of recasting the cracked one.
Since there is no recording of them from the 17th C, or before Warners augmented in 1909, we can only go by assumptions. Assuming that these three bells sounded the same before the 2021 restoration as they did many years ago, they were tuned to the old standard of tuning where bells were tuned to minor keys. Another example of the same tuning as these can be found at Coldwaltham, St Giles, where the tenor is a semitone too flat.
In 1724, Bishop Bower carried out his County survey and reported:
".... in good order. Three bells and steeple the same, except the shingles on the east side and part of the north, which are promised to be repaired."
The rest of the report, though not related to the bells, is very positive, and shows the church in great condition! This is complete contrast to the 1686 report which shows an almost ruinous church.
There aren't any references I can find regarding the bells until 1864, were Tyssen lists 3 in the tower.
The uninscribed bell was the treble; the 1664 one was the second; and Bryan's was the tenor.
In 1909, the church decided to augment their peal of 3 to a six by adding 3 trebles which were apparently stock bells.
The two trebles are inscribed:
J WARNER & SONS LONDON 1909x
Whereas the 3rd has the addition of
CAST BY JOHN
instead of a J.
All of them have an additional inscription engraved on the waist. This further suggests they were stock bells.
They were cast with conventional, angular canons, and moulding wires of 2-2-2-3-2.
Warners supplied the bells so that they'd match with the 4th and 5th, but they didn't alter the tuning to affect the tenor.
Below is a recording of what they sound like. - Credit to Ollie E. P. Watson
On December 5th, 1909, the first peal was rung on the bells. A 5040 of Grandsire Doubles that included a first pealer, and first peal as conductor.
Through the generosity of Michael Royalton-Kisch, the 6 bells were rehung on new fittings by Blyth & Co. The original frame for bells 4-6 was strengthened, and new steel braces with wooden heads were added to the lower frame. The bottom timbers of the lower frame were originally train track sleepers.
A new rope guide was made along with 6 new ropes by Avon Ropes, and the bells were retuned by Benjamin Kipling at Mathew Higby Church Bell Hangers. I give my thanks to Benjamin for providing me with the old tuning figures and measurement!!
When the headstocks were removed, it was discovered that the canons on bells 4 & 6 were broken, and were subsequently removed. Though the canons on the 5th were intact, it was also removed.
All the bells except the 4th were externally tuned to flatten the hum and raise the prime.
The 4th already being close to Simpson tuned had some metal taken out of the crown to flatten the prime, and towards the lip to flatten the nominal. Flattening the nominal also brings down the tierce.
Each headstock was given a small brass plaque engraved:
BLYTH & Co. Ltd. / Nottinghamshire / The Church Bell specialists
The tenor has an additional one reading:
We Ring for Marcus Brown / 1951 - 2020 / Beloved Vicar of Rodmell / Cantate Domino
[Sing to the lord]
The large wall separating the ringing room from the body of the church was knocked down; the old wheels and clappers were preserved and hung on the tower walls; and the bells were rededicated on August 1st 2021 - which I also attended.
The bells are rung from the ground floor. Access to the belfry is by a 22-rung ladder in the NW corner. Bells 1,2,3 are hung below in a double composite Z frame. The back three are hung in the spire in an old M frame. Both are in the 3.1 layout. Initially, the treble went up wrong, and was subsequently fitted with a counterweighted clapper soon after.
6 bells in fantastic conditon.
Visited: 22/09/2023 with Michael Royalton-Kisch.
A new rope guide was made along with 6 new ropes by Avon Ropes, and the bells were retuned by Benjamin Kipling at Mathew Higby Church Bell Hangers. I give my thanks to Benjamin for providing me with the old tuning figures and measurement!!
When the headstocks were removed, it was discovered that the canons on bells 4 & 6 were broken, and were subsequently removed. Though the canons on the 5th were intact, it was also removed.
All the bells except the 4th were externally tuned to flatten the hum and raise the prime.
The 4th already being close to Simpson tuned had some metal taken out of the crown to flatten the prime, and towards the lip to flatten the nominal. Flattening the nominal also brings down the tierce.
Each headstock was given a small brass plaque engraved:
BLYTH & Co. Ltd. / Nottinghamshire / The Church Bell specialists
The tenor has an additional one reading:
We Ring for Marcus Brown / 1951 - 2020 / Beloved Vicar of Rodmell / Cantate Domino
[Sing to the lord]
The large wall separating the ringing room from the body of the church was knocked down; the old wheels and clappers were preserved and hung on the tower walls; and the bells were rededicated on August 1st 2021 - which I also attended.
The bells are rung from the ground floor. Access to the belfry is by a 22-rung ladder in the NW corner. Bells 1,2,3 are hung below in a double composite Z frame. The back three are hung in the spire in an old M frame. Both are in the 3.1 layout. Initially, the treble went up wrong, and was subsequently fitted with a counterweighted clapper soon after.
6 bells in fantastic conditon.
Visited: 22/09/2023 with Michael Royalton-Kisch.
The 2021 restoration
Photo credits to Oliver Watson, Michael Royalton-Kisch, and Blyth & Co
The Rodmell Bell Folklore
Local folklore says that when the village blacksmith fashioned a new bell for the church tower it not only disturbed the slumbers of the windmiller but drove him to distraction. He cursed the church, the bell and the blacksmith, and finally in desperation sought the help of the village witch to end the clangour. She told him he could only stop the noise by tying a hair from the tail of the Devil to the bell’s clapper. Not an easy item to come by, and the miller resigned himself to living with the racket.
Many years later the miller lost his way in a sea fog which enveloped the flooded flatlands of the Ouse below Rodmell. Only by following the sound of the church bell was he able to find the ford which led to the village and avoid a watery grave. Filled with gratitude and contrition, he promptly presented the village with a new chime of bells.
Many years later the miller lost his way in a sea fog which enveloped the flooded flatlands of the Ouse below Rodmell. Only by following the sound of the church bell was he able to find the ford which led to the village and avoid a watery grave. Filled with gratitude and contrition, he promptly presented the village with a new chime of bells.
Recordings of the bells:
How the bells are tuned in relation to their 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+
Bell 1
Hum - 401Hz - G+39
Prime - 805.5Hz - G+47
Tierce - 953Hz - Bb+38
Quint - 1265Hz - Eb+28
Nominal - 1609.5Hz - G+45
Prime - 805.5Hz - G+47
Tierce - 953Hz - Bb+38
Quint - 1265Hz - Eb+28
Nominal - 1609.5Hz - G+45
| rodmellone.wav |
Bell 2
Hum - 357Hz - F+38
Prime - 715Hz - F+41
Tierce - 856Hz - A-47 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 1084.5Hz - Db-37
Nominal - 1435.5Hz - F+47
Prime - 715Hz - F+41
Tierce - 856Hz - A-47 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 1084.5Hz - Db-37
Nominal - 1435.5Hz - F+47
| rodmelltwo.wav |
Bell 3
Hum - 319.5Hz - Eb+46
Prime - 642Hz - E-45
Tierce - 762.5Hz - G-47 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 958.5Hz - Bb+48
Nominal - 1282Hz - E-48
Prime - 642Hz - E-45
Tierce - 762.5Hz - G-47 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 958.5Hz - Bb+48
Nominal - 1282Hz - E-48
| rodmellthree.wav |
Bell 4
Hum - 300Hz - D+37
Prime - 600Hz - D+37
Tierce - 724Hz - F# -37 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 878Hz - A-3
Nominal - 1200.5Hz - D-38
Prime - 600Hz - D+37
Tierce - 724Hz - F# -37 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 878Hz - A-3
Nominal - 1200.5Hz - D-38
| rodmellfour.wav |
Bell 5
Hum - 268.5Hz - C+45
Prime - 534.5Hz - C+37
Tierce - 650.5Hz - E-22 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 754.5Hz - F#+34
Nominal - 1074Hz - C+45
Prime - 534.5Hz - C+37
Tierce - 650.5Hz - E-22 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 754.5Hz - F#+34
Nominal - 1074Hz - C+45
| rodmellfive.wav |
Bell 6
Hum - 240Hz - B-48
Prime - 478.5Hz - Bb+45
Tierce - 585Hz - D-6 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 704Hz - F+14
Nominal - 959.5Hz - Bb+50
Prime - 478.5Hz - Bb+45
Tierce - 585Hz - D-6 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 704Hz - F+14
Nominal - 959.5Hz - Bb+50
| rodmellsix.wav |
Old 1
| rodmellold1.mp3 |
Old 2
| rodmellold2.mp3 |
Old 3
| rodmellold3.mp3 |
Old 4
| rodmellold4.mp3 |
Old 5
| rodmellold5.mp3 |
Old 6
| rodmellold6.mp3 |
Inscriptions:
*Underlined text is around the inscription band*
*Text in red is engraved*
*Text in red is engraved*
1 |
J WARNER & SONS LONDON 1909x AD : DEI : GLORIAM J . B . HAWKESFORD RECTOR 1909 |
2 |
J WARNER & SONS LONDON 1909x JESU : ORA : PRO : NOBIS : 1909. |
3 |
CAST BY JOHN WARNER & SONS LONDON 1909x D. SMITH. WARDEN 1909 |
4 |
(Uninscribed) |
5 |
W E 1664 |
6 |
BRYAИ ♣ ELDRIDGE ♣ MADE ♣ MEE 1641 |
Latin Translations:
1: AD DEI GLORIAM - To the glory of God
2: JESU ORA PRO NOBIS - Jesus pray for us
1: AD DEI GLORIAM - To the glory of God
2: JESU ORA PRO NOBIS - Jesus pray for us
♣ = Fig. BEL,1 (Bell 6)
Photographs:
Sources:
.Sussex Bell & Belfries by George P. Elphick
.The Church Bells of Sussex by Amhurst D. Tyssen
.https://sussexvillages.co.uk/rodmell/
.Chichester Diocesan Survey of 1686 & 1724 by Wyn K. Ford
.Many thanks to both Michael Royalton-Kisch and Benjamin Kipling
.https://sussexparishchurches.org/church/rodmell-st-peter/
.Sussex Bell & Belfries by George P. Elphick
.The Church Bells of Sussex by Amhurst D. Tyssen
.https://sussexvillages.co.uk/rodmell/
.Chichester Diocesan Survey of 1686 & 1724 by Wyn K. Ford
.Many thanks to both Michael Royalton-Kisch and Benjamin Kipling
.https://sussexparishchurches.org/church/rodmell-st-peter/
