Upminster, St Lawrence
Bell |
Weight |
Diameter |
Nominal |
Note |
Founder |
Cast |
Canon |
Hanging |
1 |
4¾ cwt |
29.63" |
1068 Hz |
C# |
John Kebyll |
1639 |
Full Circle |
|
2 |
6¼ cwt |
32.38" |
975.5 Hz |
B |
1973 |
Full Circle |
||
3 |
8¼ cwt |
35.88" |
849.5 Hz |
A |
Robert Mor |
1583 |
Full Circle |
|
4 |
10 cwt |
39.13" |
775 Hz |
G |
Richard Oldfield |
1602 |
Full Circle |
About the Bells
4 Bells, 10cwt in G ( Tuning 2-5 of 8)
Beddingham has a ground floor ring of 4 rung anticlockwise. The bells are hung in a West facing tower with a long draft, fortunately guided by individual guides from each corner of the tower. The ringing room is completely open to the main body of the church so the bells have to be down to prevent non ringers from an unexpected flight up the tower.
Like most towers, Beddingham has an intermediate chamber. Access to this and the belfry is by a spiral staircase on the southwest side of the tower. During my visit on the June 16th 2021, more than 2 dozen bird skeletons were in the chamber. There were also large steel pipes and old ropes. The floor in there has been listed as very weak and should be walked on with care.
On the South West side of the chamber is a ladder that take you up into the belfry.
The bells are not in the best condition for ringing at all. All the metal has rusted, clappers and all; the bells are all on plain bearings.
The 2nd isn't attached to the headstock that well, so being very loose makes it deep-set and also moves a lot when you jolt the wheel too!!
When the 3rd is rung, very loud bangs can be heard from the ringing room. The 3rd also has a tree branch for a stay.
The treble rings well enough but feels like it's going to break off.
The clapper on the treble had the flight lengthened to make it heavier in the past. The tenor is probably the best of them but has a faily short rope!
Between 1540 and 1559, there were 5 bequest towards building the tower:
1540, Oct. 1. "“I bequeth to thuse of the said church of Bedingham, when the parishoners shall go about to buyld the Steple, xxs" Thomas Goodwyn
1557 - 1558, Feb. 11. “I bequethe to the bildyng of the steple of bedyng ham vs” Roland Faurer, priest.
1558, Dec. 17. “I bequethe towardes ye reperacons of the steple of beddyngham ijs'' Christofer Hew.
1558—9, Jan. 15. “I beqweth ijs towardes the byldynge of the steple of Bedingham'' Thomas Hyve.
1558—9, March 3. “I bequethe vj* viijd towardes the buylding of the Styple of bedyngham'* Joone Hyve.
The most interesting bit about Beddingham is the frame The bells are hung in a 4.2V frame layout with V Trusses.
From 1639, the tower originally had a frame for 4 bells where they all swung the same way, stressing the tower. The frame was then redesigned in 1709 with a square pit known as a "Well Hole" in the middle to allow the bells to swing in a different direction.
The frame at Beddingham has a total of 9 clearance grooves .
Inside the well hole, there are inscriptions on each side.
On the East side in raised letters: EDWARD CLEMENT
On the South side: THOMAS CHEPMAN
On the West side: CHVRCHWARDENS
On the North side: 1709
The commission report from 1724 stated that there were 4 bells in "all in good order". It is a great shame that can't be said about them today. In 1686, the commission report states: "The steeple is a little out of repaire."
Visited:
.16/06/2021 also with Ollie E P Watson and Michael Royalton-Kisch.
Beddingham has a ground floor ring of 4 rung anticlockwise. The bells are hung in a West facing tower with a long draft, fortunately guided by individual guides from each corner of the tower. The ringing room is completely open to the main body of the church so the bells have to be down to prevent non ringers from an unexpected flight up the tower.
Like most towers, Beddingham has an intermediate chamber. Access to this and the belfry is by a spiral staircase on the southwest side of the tower. During my visit on the June 16th 2021, more than 2 dozen bird skeletons were in the chamber. There were also large steel pipes and old ropes. The floor in there has been listed as very weak and should be walked on with care.
On the South West side of the chamber is a ladder that take you up into the belfry.
The bells are not in the best condition for ringing at all. All the metal has rusted, clappers and all; the bells are all on plain bearings.
The 2nd isn't attached to the headstock that well, so being very loose makes it deep-set and also moves a lot when you jolt the wheel too!!
When the 3rd is rung, very loud bangs can be heard from the ringing room. The 3rd also has a tree branch for a stay.
The treble rings well enough but feels like it's going to break off.
The clapper on the treble had the flight lengthened to make it heavier in the past. The tenor is probably the best of them but has a faily short rope!
Between 1540 and 1559, there were 5 bequest towards building the tower:
1540, Oct. 1. "“I bequeth to thuse of the said church of Bedingham, when the parishoners shall go about to buyld the Steple, xxs" Thomas Goodwyn
1557 - 1558, Feb. 11. “I bequethe to the bildyng of the steple of bedyng ham vs” Roland Faurer, priest.
1558, Dec. 17. “I bequethe towardes ye reperacons of the steple of beddyngham ijs'' Christofer Hew.
1558—9, Jan. 15. “I beqweth ijs towardes the byldynge of the steple of Bedingham'' Thomas Hyve.
1558—9, March 3. “I bequethe vj* viijd towardes the buylding of the Styple of bedyngham'* Joone Hyve.
The most interesting bit about Beddingham is the frame The bells are hung in a 4.2V frame layout with V Trusses.
From 1639, the tower originally had a frame for 4 bells where they all swung the same way, stressing the tower. The frame was then redesigned in 1709 with a square pit known as a "Well Hole" in the middle to allow the bells to swing in a different direction.
The frame at Beddingham has a total of 9 clearance grooves .
Inside the well hole, there are inscriptions on each side.
On the East side in raised letters: EDWARD CLEMENT
On the South side: THOMAS CHEPMAN
On the West side: CHVRCHWARDENS
On the North side: 1709
The commission report from 1724 stated that there were 4 bells in "all in good order". It is a great shame that can't be said about them today. In 1686, the commission report states: "The steeple is a little out of repaire."
Visited:
.16/06/2021 also with Ollie E P Watson and Michael Royalton-Kisch.
Recordings of the bells:
How the bells are tuned in relation to their nominal.
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+
How the bells are in tune with each other.
Taking a look at the bells collectively, the treble is fairly sharp except the Prime which is very flat. The 3rd, by John Tonne, does not fit in with the other bells being, more or less harmonically in tune. Taking the 3rd away, we can see that the bells are tuned to a particular pattern.
Bell 1
Hum - 258Hz - D+2
Prime - 511.5Hz - B+30
Tierce - 611Hz - E-19 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 762.5Hz - Ab-22
Nominal - 1011Hz - C+37
Prime - 511.5Hz - B+30
Tierce - 611Hz - E-19 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 762.5Hz - Ab-22
Nominal - 1011Hz - C+37
| upminsterone.wav |
Bell 2
Hum - 250Hz - B+21
Prime - 477.5Hz - Bb+42
Tierce - 585.5Hz - D-4 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 727Hz - F# -30
Nominal - 958Hz - Bb+47
Prime - 477.5Hz - Bb+42
Tierce - 585.5Hz - D-4 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 727Hz - F# -30
Nominal - 958Hz - Bb+47
| upminstertwo.wav |
Bell 3
Hum - 229Hz - Bb-30
Prime - 382Hz - G-44
Tierce - 516.5Hz - C-21 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 662.5Hz - E+9
Nominal - 860Hz - A-39
Prime - 382Hz - G-44
Tierce - 516.5Hz - C-21 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 662.5Hz - E+9
Nominal - 860Hz - A-39
| upminsterthree.wav |
Bell 4
Hum - 199.5Hz - G+31
Prime - 401.5Hz - G+41
Tierce - 468.5Hz - Bb+9 (minor 3rd +56 cents)
Quint - 552.5Hz - Db-5
Nominal - 758Hz - F#+42
Prime - 401.5Hz - G+41
Tierce - 468.5Hz - Bb+9 (minor 3rd +56 cents)
Quint - 552.5Hz - Db-5
Nominal - 758Hz - F#+42
| upminsterfour.wav |
Inscriptions:
*Underlined text is inscriptions within the inscription band*
1 |
Sancte Gabrile Ora Pro Nobis * * * |
2 |
IN MEMORY OF AMELIA EMILY BOWMAN THE GIFT OF HER FAMILY 1973 * WHITECHAPEL |
3 |
Robert * mot * made * me * 1583 * * |
4 |
+ GOD SAVE OVR NOBEL QVEENE ELIS[A\/]BETH * |
Latin Translation:
1,2,4: GLORIA DEO IN EXELSIS - Glory to God in the highest
3: in multis annis nomen baptiste iohanihs - for many years the name of the baptist was John
1,2,4: GLORIA DEO IN EXELSIS - Glory to God in the highest
3: in multis annis nomen baptiste iohanihs - for many years the name of the baptist was John
† = Fig. XXX,b (Bells 1,2,4)
♣ = Fig. XVIII, b (Bell 3)
♠ = Fig. XVIII,c (Bell 3)
◉ = Fig. XVIII, i (Bell 3)
*Click on images to enlarge them*
♣ = Fig. XVIII, b (Bell 3)
♠ = Fig. XVIII,c (Bell 3)
◉ = Fig. XVIII, i (Bell 3)
*Click on images to enlarge them*
Photographs:
Photos and Bell sound files: Credit to Oliver E P Watson.
Ringing
Ringing Currently Not Permitted
A26, Lewes, BN8 6JY
