Sullington, St MarySullington has a single bell hung for full circle in a West facing tower. Dating to approximately 1175, the tower retains several notable Saxon features, including windows that have since been blocked. It was likely rebuilt during the 12th century, coinciding with the installation of the west door. In 2009, the roof underwent restoration due to significant deterioration..
The commission report of 1602 states: "The walles of the steeple are overgrown with ivie which hurteth them." A 1300-year-old yew tree is present in the church yard. The tree would have been c.426 years old at the time the church was built. |
|
The Bell
Bell |
Weight |
Diameter |
Nominal |
Note |
Founder |
Cast |
Canon |
Hanging |
1 |
24.88" |
1255 Hz |
Eb |
John Tonne |
1529 |
Full Circle |
1 Bell, in Eb
The present day bell is the earliest record of bells we've got for Sullington.
John Tonne cast a bell in 1529 with an ornamental border around the shoulder; a medallion on the waist showing The Annunciation; and an inscription made using cast wax letters. Tonne retained the wax grounds which were formed after the wax overflowed the letter moulds.
This bell doesn't bear the founders date, but has the same ornamental band on the 3rd & 4th bell at Twineham, and the bells at Botolphs.
It was cast with a piece-moulded conventional canon, and its orientation shows its hasn't been quarter turned during a restoration. Its relationship with the cast in crown staple inside proves this too.
Tonne was very knowledgeable in bell design, for his bell at Sullington is harmonically tuned, having an octave hum and prime.
John Mason, was the vicar from 1521 who likely contributed towards the cost of the bell.
The tower contains an ancient frame for 3 bells with curved braces which is similar to the one at Botolphs. This suggests that Tonne may have supplied the church with 3 bells, though 2 were sold between 1724 and 1860. Deeper research would need to be carried out, but could these missing bells be those at Twineham?
The Chichester Diocesan Survey for 1724 records that there were "3 small bells".
Clearance grooves and bash marks on the frame show they were hung for full circle. There is still an ancient pully in the bells' pit, and holes for those that once existed in the other pits. The location of the rope holes shows that each of the 3 wheels were on the east side of the pit.
Observing the fittings, it appears it was last rehung locally in 1954. The wooden headstock has REBUILT / 14 July 1954 / F DUKE pencilled on it. The carpenter began cutting a slot for a wheel, but stopped and did it on the other side instead. The bell is suspended from iron straps that are nailed to the headstock.
The crown staple broke, and a false one has been tightly wired to it for the clapper bauldrick to hang from.
The present day bell is the earliest record of bells we've got for Sullington.
John Tonne cast a bell in 1529 with an ornamental border around the shoulder; a medallion on the waist showing The Annunciation; and an inscription made using cast wax letters. Tonne retained the wax grounds which were formed after the wax overflowed the letter moulds.
This bell doesn't bear the founders date, but has the same ornamental band on the 3rd & 4th bell at Twineham, and the bells at Botolphs.
It was cast with a piece-moulded conventional canon, and its orientation shows its hasn't been quarter turned during a restoration. Its relationship with the cast in crown staple inside proves this too.
Tonne was very knowledgeable in bell design, for his bell at Sullington is harmonically tuned, having an octave hum and prime.
John Mason, was the vicar from 1521 who likely contributed towards the cost of the bell.
The tower contains an ancient frame for 3 bells with curved braces which is similar to the one at Botolphs. This suggests that Tonne may have supplied the church with 3 bells, though 2 were sold between 1724 and 1860. Deeper research would need to be carried out, but could these missing bells be those at Twineham?
The Chichester Diocesan Survey for 1724 records that there were "3 small bells".
Clearance grooves and bash marks on the frame show they were hung for full circle. There is still an ancient pully in the bells' pit, and holes for those that once existed in the other pits. The location of the rope holes shows that each of the 3 wheels were on the east side of the pit.
Observing the fittings, it appears it was last rehung locally in 1954. The wooden headstock has REBUILT / 14 July 1954 / F DUKE pencilled on it. The carpenter began cutting a slot for a wheel, but stopped and did it on the other side instead. The bell is suspended from iron straps that are nailed to the headstock.
The crown staple broke, and a false one has been tightly wired to it for the clapper bauldrick to hang from.
It is hung on plain bearings that no longer have their bearings cover boards. The gudgeons on either side of the headstock are greatly worn
The belfry is accessed by a 20-rung ladder to a hatch in the South West corner.
Visited with Heather Leaver 4/10/2022
The belfry is accessed by a 20-rung ladder to a hatch in the South West corner.
Visited with Heather Leaver 4/10/2022
The Clapper
Recording of the bell:
How the bell is tuned in relation to the 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+
Hum - 309Hz - Eb-11
Prime - 635.5Hz - Eb+36
Tierce - 754.5Hz - F#+34 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 911Hz - Bb-39
Nominal - 1255Hz - Eb+15
Prime - 635.5Hz - Eb+36
Tierce - 754.5Hz - F#+34 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 911Hz - Bb-39
Nominal - 1255Hz - Eb+15
| cut_sullington.mp3 |
Inscriptions:
*Underlined text is inscriptions within the inscription band*
1 |
ↂↂↂↂↂↂↂↂↂↂↂↂ ☨ pulsemus ⫶ gratis ⫶ omnes ⫶ laudes ⫶ trinitati ⫶ a° ⫶ d𝖓̅i ⫶ m°ccccc° ⫶ xxix° ◍ |
Latin Translation:
1: pulsemus gratis omnes laudes trinitati a dni mccccc xxix - Let everyone ring freely to praise the Holy Trinity. In the year of the lord 1529.
◍ = Fig. XVIII, h
☨ = Fig. XIX,c
ↂ = Fig. XIX,h
1: pulsemus gratis omnes laudes trinitati a dni mccccc xxix - Let everyone ring freely to praise the Holy Trinity. In the year of the lord 1529.
◍ = Fig. XVIII, h
☨ = Fig. XIX,c
ↂ = Fig. XIX,h
Photographs:
*Click on the images to enlarge them*
Sources:
- FORD, Wyn. K (1994): Chichester Diocesan Surveys 1686 & 1724
- BARHAM, Joan & FOSTER, Andrew (2018): Church Surveys of Chichester Archdeaconry 1602, 1610 & 1636
