Chichester, St WilfridSt Wilfrid's has a single bell, hung in a wooden frame on the south wall. The church was opened in the former St Bartholomew's hall in 1959 as a chapel of ease for Chichester, St Paul. In 1973, the hall was largely modified by Wells Thorpe & Partners into what it is today. The wooden structure to house the bell was constructed in 2001.
|
|
Bell |
Weight |
Diameter |
Nominal |
Note |
Founder |
Cast |
Canon |
Hanging |
1 |
2 cwt |
22.00" |
1489 Hz |
F# |
John Sturdy |
c1450 |
Dead |
About the bell
1 Bell, in F#
This fantastic bell, dating from the mid-15th century, was cast by the London founder John Sturdy. It did not start life here, and in fact, had two previous homes before coming to St Wilfrid’s. Though the bell is somewhat of a porous casting, its tonal qualities show Sturdy’s supreme knowledge of bell design, as it's harmonically tuned.
The inscription is evenly spaced around the inscription band, displaying his initials separated by a half-groat coin, with a pair of crosses on either side. The letters have a weathered appearance and were formed from wax poured into moulds that were stuck on to the false bell before casting. It was cast with a conventional canon and features both moulding wires and fillets.
This fantastic bell, dating from the mid-15th century, was cast by the London founder John Sturdy. It did not start life here, and in fact, had two previous homes before coming to St Wilfrid’s. Though the bell is somewhat of a porous casting, its tonal qualities show Sturdy’s supreme knowledge of bell design, as it's harmonically tuned.
The inscription is evenly spaced around the inscription band, displaying his initials separated by a half-groat coin, with a pair of crosses on either side. The letters have a weathered appearance and were formed from wax poured into moulds that were stuck on to the false bell before casting. It was cast with a conventional canon and features both moulding wires and fillets.
Origin of the bell
As shown in Tyssen's The Church Bells of Sussex, this bell's earliest known home was St Martin’s, Chichester.
After the church was demolished in 1906, the bell was transferred to St Mary’s, Rumboldswyke, where it rang out until the church became redundant in the mid-1970s.
Members of St Wilfrid’s parish council later sought listed building consent to have the bell lowered and transferred to St Wilfrid’s Church. Permission was granted in 1999, rescuing the bell from silence and decay.
Two years later, Nicholson Engineering was given the go-ahead to carry out the work, rehanging the bell on brand-new fittings for stationary chiming, in a new wooden structure on the south wall of the church. It now has an internal levered clapper.
Previously, it had been fixed to a timber headstock with nailed straps and was chimed using an iron quarter wheel.
Access
Access to the bell is gained by climbing through a small square doorway in the south wall, which leads out onto the roof of the vestry, where it is chimed from inside by rope.
Visited: 30/06/2024
As shown in Tyssen's The Church Bells of Sussex, this bell's earliest known home was St Martin’s, Chichester.
After the church was demolished in 1906, the bell was transferred to St Mary’s, Rumboldswyke, where it rang out until the church became redundant in the mid-1970s.
Members of St Wilfrid’s parish council later sought listed building consent to have the bell lowered and transferred to St Wilfrid’s Church. Permission was granted in 1999, rescuing the bell from silence and decay.
Two years later, Nicholson Engineering was given the go-ahead to carry out the work, rehanging the bell on brand-new fittings for stationary chiming, in a new wooden structure on the south wall of the church. It now has an internal levered clapper.
Previously, it had been fixed to a timber headstock with nailed straps and was chimed using an iron quarter wheel.
Access
Access to the bell is gained by climbing through a small square doorway in the south wall, which leads out onto the roof of the vestry, where it is chimed from inside by rope.
Visited: 30/06/2024
Recording of the bell:
How the bell is tuned in relation to the 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 - 376Hz - F#+28
Prime - 737.5Hz - F# -5
Tierce - 901Hz - A+41 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 1108Hz - C#+0
Nominal - 1489Hz - F#+11
Prime - 737.5Hz - F# -5
Tierce - 901Hz - A+41 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 1108Hz - C#+0
Nominal - 1489Hz - F#+11
| chichesterstwilfred.mp3 |
Inscriptions:
*Underlined text is around the inscription band*
Bell |
Inscription |
1 |
+ I ◉ S + |
Photographs:
*Click on the images to enlarge them*
Sources:
© Kye L Leaver 2025. All rights reserved.
- ELPHICK, George. P (1970): Sussex Bells & Belfries
- TYSSEN, Amhurst. D (1864): The Church Bells of Sussex
- https://sussexparishchurches.org/church/chichester-st-wilfrid-parklands/
- Church archives (Photos & Newspapers)
© Kye L Leaver 2025. All rights reserved.
