Upwaltham, St Mary the VirginUpwaltham has a single bell, hung in a small, west facing belfry.
The church dates back to the 12th century, of which the nave and chancel are original. At the west end of the church, the wall is much thicker than the rest, and could suggest it supported a stone belfry? Although, the route of access into the belfry probably reveals why it's about 2' thicker. |
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The Bell
Bell |
Weight |
Diameter |
Nominal |
Note |
Founder |
Cast |
Canon |
Hanging |
1 |
18.43" |
1616.5 Hz |
Ab |
William le Potter? |
c1275 |
Swing |
1 Bell, in Ab
The bell itself is without a doubt coeval with the church, making it one of the oldest bells in the county!
Bells of this age, like this one, were usually uninscribed, leaving no immediate indication of who cast it.
On these occasions, we are to rely on other features like the canons, profile, wires, and proportions to help us identify them.
For its age, the bell is a very clean casting with its slightly ornamented canons on a flat head mould, and its fairly lengthy profile. On the crown you have two sets of moulding wires, 3 above two. At both the inscription band and bottom of the waist level, you have a pair of wires 2 above 2.
At the lip, you've got a single wire above a flat fillet which indicates a London founder.
The bell itself is without a doubt coeval with the church, making it one of the oldest bells in the county!
Bells of this age, like this one, were usually uninscribed, leaving no immediate indication of who cast it.
On these occasions, we are to rely on other features like the canons, profile, wires, and proportions to help us identify them.
For its age, the bell is a very clean casting with its slightly ornamented canons on a flat head mould, and its fairly lengthy profile. On the crown you have two sets of moulding wires, 3 above two. At both the inscription band and bottom of the waist level, you have a pair of wires 2 above 2.
At the lip, you've got a single wire above a flat fillet which indicates a London founder.
Fillet at the lip
The canons are of the 6-looped conventional type, and were made from a wooden piece moulded model. They are slightly ornate, having a concave strip running along them. They are identical in style and shape to those at Thorley, St Swithins, but slightly smaller.
The bells at Thorley are a datable pair of bells due to their inscriptions bearing their doners.
Each of the bells are inscribed
+ J O H A N N E S R E C T O R E C C L E S I AE E T W A L L E R A N D U S T R E N C H A R D
around the inscription band using Lombardic capitals, some of which appear on the single bell at Aldbourne which has similar features to the bells mentioned above.
Thorley church was said to have been built soon after 1260 by Amicia de Clare, the same year Wallerandus Trenchard appears in a deed along with his wife Alice. Johannes became rector at Shalfleet in 1272, who had connections to Thorley Church.
The Aldbourne bell has a gothic inscription reading
+ A A M M E F E C I T B E A T E M A R I A
This reveals the possible name Adam, and there was infact an Adam le Potter from 1282 - 1287 featured in the Hustings Court rolls.
The Upwaltham bell, and Thorley pair appear to be of an earlier date to that of Adam, and may have been cast by Walter le Potter who features from 1260 - 1279, and was also a sheriff in 1273.
From my own examination, it would appear that the Upwaltham bell may have been cast later than the Thorley bells as the Upwaltham soundbow internally is a more traditional, continuous curve, whereas the Thorley bells have an angle to them. There is also a bell at Hunston I've seen that probably predates both the Thorley and Upwaltham bells owing to the moulding wire design, and the internal soundbow structure which is a little sharper than Thorley. These bells are of the same shape and design, including the design of their moulding wires. Each of them have a fillet at the lip, including the Aldbourne bell.
Due to these facts, we can place the Upwaltham bell to around 1275.
The bells at Thorley are a datable pair of bells due to their inscriptions bearing their doners.
Each of the bells are inscribed
+ J O H A N N E S R E C T O R E C C L E S I AE E T W A L L E R A N D U S T R E N C H A R D
around the inscription band using Lombardic capitals, some of which appear on the single bell at Aldbourne which has similar features to the bells mentioned above.
Thorley church was said to have been built soon after 1260 by Amicia de Clare, the same year Wallerandus Trenchard appears in a deed along with his wife Alice. Johannes became rector at Shalfleet in 1272, who had connections to Thorley Church.
The Aldbourne bell has a gothic inscription reading
+ A A M M E F E C I T B E A T E M A R I A
This reveals the possible name Adam, and there was infact an Adam le Potter from 1282 - 1287 featured in the Hustings Court rolls.
The Upwaltham bell, and Thorley pair appear to be of an earlier date to that of Adam, and may have been cast by Walter le Potter who features from 1260 - 1279, and was also a sheriff in 1273.
From my own examination, it would appear that the Upwaltham bell may have been cast later than the Thorley bells as the Upwaltham soundbow internally is a more traditional, continuous curve, whereas the Thorley bells have an angle to them. There is also a bell at Hunston I've seen that probably predates both the Thorley and Upwaltham bells owing to the moulding wire design, and the internal soundbow structure which is a little sharper than Thorley. These bells are of the same shape and design, including the design of their moulding wires. Each of them have a fillet at the lip, including the Aldbourne bell.
Due to these facts, we can place the Upwaltham bell to around 1275.
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Since this bell is historically important, the shoulder circumference and shoulder to lip tangent were recorded to show how this bell is in proportional to other bells. In addition, the soundbow thickness was also recorded.
🔴Upwaltham 🔵Hunston treble |
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Around 1853, Sir Stephen Glynne visited the church and records in his notes that it had been "lately repaired & put into good condition". Surveys from 1602, 1610, and 1636, shows that the church was in a fairly ruinous condition. Tyssen doesn't have an entry for Upwaltham, and the following entry from an old church guide may explain why.
"In the belfry is a single bell, currently inaccessible."
Prior to the c1853 restoration, which appears to have seen the replacement of the belfry. In Sharpe's watercolour painting, it shows the church with a similar belfry with a taller spire.
"In the belfry is a single bell, currently inaccessible."
Prior to the c1853 restoration, which appears to have seen the replacement of the belfry. In Sharpe's watercolour painting, it shows the church with a similar belfry with a taller spire.
The bell hangs in a wooden B frame of 19thC construction. A dendrochronology analysis taken from our visit places this frame to c1850. A perpendicular brace extends from the belfry floor to the middle of the southern frame head.
The bell is chimed by a half wheel, attached to an ancient headstock. As opposed to threads and nuts, the straps for the canons and wheel are nailed to the headstock, and the strap for the argent is fixed by washers and wedges.
The plain bearings have rusted. This is interesting as they're usually made of brass!
The original crown staple has broken off, leaving just small stumps behind. The bell now has a bent iron bar acting as a false crown staple. The clapper is made of iron and is surely the work of a local handyman.
Visited, also with Bill Hibbert 03/03/2024
The bell is chimed by a half wheel, attached to an ancient headstock. As opposed to threads and nuts, the straps for the canons and wheel are nailed to the headstock, and the strap for the argent is fixed by washers and wedges.
The plain bearings have rusted. This is interesting as they're usually made of brass!
The original crown staple has broken off, leaving just small stumps behind. The bell now has a bent iron bar acting as a false crown staple. The clapper is made of iron and is surely the work of a local handyman.
Visited, also with Bill Hibbert 03/03/2024
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 - 422Hz - Ab+28
Prime - 747Hz - F#+16
Tierce - 958.5Hz - Bb+48 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 1173.5Hz - D-1
Nominal - 1616.5Hz - Ab-46
Prime - 747Hz - F#+16
Tierce - 958.5Hz - Bb+48 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 1173.5Hz - D-1
Nominal - 1616.5Hz - Ab-46
| upwaltham.mp3 |
Inscriptions:
1 |
(Uninscribed) Moulding wires: 3.2.2.2.2.2.1.[ |
Photographs:
*Click on the images to enlarge them*
Sources:
- BARHAM, Joan & FOSTER, Andrew (2018): Church Surveys of Chichester Archdeaconry 1602, 1610 & 1636 (Sussex Record Society publication Vol* 98)
- COLCHESTER. William. E (1920): Hampshire Church Bells p.116
- ELPHICK, George P (1970): Sussex Bells & Belfries p.24-28
- PARSONS, David (2021): Sir Stephen Glynne's Sussex Church Notes (Sussex Record Society publication Vol* 101)
- TYSSEN, Amhurst. D (1864): The Church Bells of Sussex
- Church Guide
