Tortington, St Mary Magdalene
Bell |
Weight |
Diameter |
Nominal |
Note |
Founder |
Cast |
Canon |
Hanging |
1 |
22.00" |
1811.5 Hz |
A |
1873 |
Swing Chime |
|||
2 |
20.88" |
1465 Hz |
F# |
John Saunders & William Welles |
c1550 |
Yes |
Swing Chime |
About the Bells
2 Bells, in F# (Tuning 1,3 of 4)
Tortington has 2 bells hung for swing chime in a West facing bell cote.
The church is now owned by the conservation trust and it was founded at about c1150 and since 1380 it belonged to the priory. At the time, the church was dedicated to St Thomas the Apostle and was then rededicated to St Mary Magdalene at a later date. There are very little services held here and the bells have not been rung for at least a decade. The church was decommissioned in 1978.
The bell cote is white painted and weather boarded. It was built in 1904 by the previous tower was similar in design. The bell cote was painted white to help with navigation many years ago.
The 2 bells are rung from the ground floor using 2 very old ropes with 4 stranded sallies of red, white, red & blue and on the Saunders bell - red, blue, white & blue on the Stainbank bell.
Access to the belfry is first by a 20 rung ladder to a main beam and then up a smaller 12 rung ladder. This is bolted to the hatch at the top and just slotted into the gap between the wall and main beam at the bottom. The hatch is then opened by swinging it across.
Just before the ropes go through the ceiling, the ropes change from rope to wire and then back to rope to tie onto the levers.
The bells are hung for swing chime using wooden levers in a wooden B frame in the 2.X1 layout. The ropes of course fall in straight line and the bells swing from North to South.
In 1724, there were "Two bells, one of them cracked." When Daniel Tyssen visited later, there was just 1, suggesting that it was sold off.
Elphick visited in 1936 and there where 2 bells which are the same bells as today.
The treble, cast by Mears & Stainbank was added in 1873 and was hung in memory of Thomas. It is hung in the Eastern pit and has not been turned. The clapper is similar to that at Lowfield Heath and is hung on a cast in crown staple.
The tenor cast around 1560 was made by John Saunders and possibly his successor William Welles. Saunders does not appear to have cast bells in Reading. He apparently has many strong convictions, and being a defender of the old style of worship, he fell foul of the authorities rather than being cautious. He was a Burgess in Reading from 1546 to 1553. In May of his last year, he fell from public favour and he was pilloried with a sign reading "For lewde and sediscious woordes touching the King's Majestie and the State." His ears were then cut off and he returned to prison being released by September. The inscription along inscription band reads S thomas treherne and looks like S tlioiiias trelieriie in appearance. The inscription could either mean Thomas Treherne who was either the doner of the bell or the vicar at the time with the S meaning "Saunders".
Or, S thomas could be a dedication to St Thomas the Apostle and treherne was the doner. The letters were stamped into the cope with stamps cast in John Saunders' letter moulds. A few letters of the inscription are higher which cut into and obliterate the moulding wires. The clapper is of medieval design and on cast in crown staples. The smoothing cloths marks on the inside and outside can be shown.
Both bells are strapped to wooden headstocks with a conventional canon.
Visited by Kye L Leaver, Lucas J Bent & Emily L Willson 24/08/2022
Tortington has 2 bells hung for swing chime in a West facing bell cote.
The church is now owned by the conservation trust and it was founded at about c1150 and since 1380 it belonged to the priory. At the time, the church was dedicated to St Thomas the Apostle and was then rededicated to St Mary Magdalene at a later date. There are very little services held here and the bells have not been rung for at least a decade. The church was decommissioned in 1978.
The bell cote is white painted and weather boarded. It was built in 1904 by the previous tower was similar in design. The bell cote was painted white to help with navigation many years ago.
The 2 bells are rung from the ground floor using 2 very old ropes with 4 stranded sallies of red, white, red & blue and on the Saunders bell - red, blue, white & blue on the Stainbank bell.
Access to the belfry is first by a 20 rung ladder to a main beam and then up a smaller 12 rung ladder. This is bolted to the hatch at the top and just slotted into the gap between the wall and main beam at the bottom. The hatch is then opened by swinging it across.
Just before the ropes go through the ceiling, the ropes change from rope to wire and then back to rope to tie onto the levers.
The bells are hung for swing chime using wooden levers in a wooden B frame in the 2.X1 layout. The ropes of course fall in straight line and the bells swing from North to South.
In 1724, there were "Two bells, one of them cracked." When Daniel Tyssen visited later, there was just 1, suggesting that it was sold off.
Elphick visited in 1936 and there where 2 bells which are the same bells as today.
The treble, cast by Mears & Stainbank was added in 1873 and was hung in memory of Thomas. It is hung in the Eastern pit and has not been turned. The clapper is similar to that at Lowfield Heath and is hung on a cast in crown staple.
The tenor cast around 1560 was made by John Saunders and possibly his successor William Welles. Saunders does not appear to have cast bells in Reading. He apparently has many strong convictions, and being a defender of the old style of worship, he fell foul of the authorities rather than being cautious. He was a Burgess in Reading from 1546 to 1553. In May of his last year, he fell from public favour and he was pilloried with a sign reading "For lewde and sediscious woordes touching the King's Majestie and the State." His ears were then cut off and he returned to prison being released by September. The inscription along inscription band reads S thomas treherne and looks like S tlioiiias trelieriie in appearance. The inscription could either mean Thomas Treherne who was either the doner of the bell or the vicar at the time with the S meaning "Saunders".
Or, S thomas could be a dedication to St Thomas the Apostle and treherne was the doner. The letters were stamped into the cope with stamps cast in John Saunders' letter moulds. A few letters of the inscription are higher which cut into and obliterate the moulding wires. The clapper is of medieval design and on cast in crown staples. The smoothing cloths marks on the inside and outside can be shown.
Both bells are strapped to wooden headstocks with a conventional canon.
Visited by Kye L Leaver, Lucas J Bent & Emily L Willson 24/08/2022
Recording of the bells:
Bell 1
Hum - 465.5Hz - Bb-1
Prime - 818Hz - Ab-25
Tierce - 1073.5Hz - C+44 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 1400Hz - F+4
Nominal - 1811.5Hz - A+50
Prime - 818Hz - Ab-25
Tierce - 1073.5Hz - C+44 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 1400Hz - F+4
Nominal - 1811.5Hz - A+50
| cut_tortingtonmears.mp3 |
Bell 2
Hum - 364Hz - F#-27
Prime - 678Hz - E+49
Tierce - 866Hz - A-27 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 1009.5Hz - B+38
Nominal - 1465Hz - F#-17
Prime - 678Hz - E+49
Tierce - 866Hz - A-27 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 1009.5Hz - B+38
Nominal - 1465Hz - F#-17
| cut_tortington_js.mp3 |
Inscriptions:
*Underlined text is inscriptions within the inscription band*
1 |
MEARS & STAINBANK, FOUNDERS LONDON, 1873. "AD TRINITATIS GLORIAM IN THOMÆ MEMORIAM." |
2 |
S thomas treherne |
Latin Translation:
1: AD TRINITATIS GLORIAM IN THOMAE MEMORIAM - To honor the trinity in memory of Thomas.
1: AD TRINITATIS GLORIAM IN THOMAE MEMORIAM - To honor the trinity in memory of Thomas.
Inscription on the Saunders bell:
Photographs:
