Warminghurst, Holy SepulchreWarminghurst has a single bell hung in a west-facing turret. The church is said to date back to the 11th century, and could be the second church mentioned in the Doomsday book under Steyning, due to its early connectioned with the daughter manor house there to the Norman abbey of Féchamp. The belfry is tiled and has a shingled spire, with timbers dating shortly after 1150.
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The Bell
Bell |
Weight |
Diameter |
Nominal |
Note |
Founder |
Cast |
Canon |
Hanging |
1 |
c1cwt |
18.13" |
1959 Hz |
B |
Unidentified |
c1200 |
Swing |
1 Bell, in B
Hung in the belfry is a single, uninscribed bell of very archaic shape, making it one of the oldest bells in the county. Without an inscription naming a founder, donor, or even a date, we must rely on the limited evidence available to estimate its age.
Dendrochronology
To begin, let's analyse the features of the tower itself. The bell frame provides the most useful evidence: its tree rings span the period 1104–1151, although the absence of a waney edge indicates that the timber was felled at a later date.
The lever, however, presents more of a challenge. Owing to its shape, only the rings up to 1152 can be measured reliably. Beyond this, there are an additional eleven rings, along with a further twenty sapwood rings, suggesting a felling date of around 1183. The bell has not been turned, and the lever retains its medieval iron straps, giving confidence that it is original to the bell. As noted earlier, c.1150 provides the latest date for one of the timbers in the church spire.
The bell's features
To help date this bell through its profile and features, we must turn to other examples with the same characteristics. Datable examples of bells from this period are rare, but the now-disused bell at Caversfield, St Laurence shares several features with that at Warminghurst.
Hung in the belfry is a single, uninscribed bell of very archaic shape, making it one of the oldest bells in the county. Without an inscription naming a founder, donor, or even a date, we must rely on the limited evidence available to estimate its age.
Dendrochronology
To begin, let's analyse the features of the tower itself. The bell frame provides the most useful evidence: its tree rings span the period 1104–1151, although the absence of a waney edge indicates that the timber was felled at a later date.
The lever, however, presents more of a challenge. Owing to its shape, only the rings up to 1152 can be measured reliably. Beyond this, there are an additional eleven rings, along with a further twenty sapwood rings, suggesting a felling date of around 1183. The bell has not been turned, and the lever retains its medieval iron straps, giving confidence that it is original to the bell. As noted earlier, c.1150 provides the latest date for one of the timbers in the church spire.
The bell's features
To help date this bell through its profile and features, we must turn to other examples with the same characteristics. Datable examples of bells from this period are rare, but the now-disused bell at Caversfield, St Laurence shares several features with that at Warminghurst.
Caversfield, St Lawrence
The Caversfield bell was cast with inscriptions formed in two different ways. The inscription around the shoulder was made by placing wax letters onto the false bell, whereas the inscription around the lower part of the waist was added after the moulds had been separated, being scratched directly into the outer mould.
However, this lower inscription is entirely in reverse, indicating that the person who incised it was unaware that it would be cast backwards. The upper inscription, “In honour of God and Saint Laurence”, offers little assistance in dating the bell, but the lower inscription, which reads:
Hvqqarqat Sibilla Q Vxor Eivshtimppana Fecerunt Ecponi
does.
Words we recognise instantly are:
However, this lower inscription is entirely in reverse, indicating that the person who incised it was unaware that it would be cast backwards. The upper inscription, “In honour of God and Saint Laurence”, offers little assistance in dating the bell, but the lower inscription, which reads:
Hvqqarqat Sibilla Q Vxor Eivshtimppana Fecerunt Ecponi
does.
Words we recognise instantly are:
- Ecponi/Exponi - Set up
- Eivs - His (Eius)
- Fecerunt - Made them/these (Plural of Fecit showing there was at least 2 bells)
- H - these (Possible abbreviation of Haec)
- Q - And (Abbreviation of Que)
- Sibilla - A girl's name
- Timppana - Drums (In this case, bells)
- Vxor - Wife (Uxor)
+ I N H O N O R E · D E I · E T S A N T I · L A V R E N C I · INOPCE · TNVRECEF · ANAPPMITHSVIE · ROXV · Q · ALLIBIS · TAQRAQQVH |
A search of records in the The National Archives reveals that between 1225 and 1232 there was a Hugh Gargat of Caversfield, whose daughter, Muriel de Ros , was granted approximately fifteen acres of land. Turning to earlier 13th-century documents, we learn more about Hugh, and now Sibilla, which helps refine the date of the Caversfield bell even further.
The earliest reference is dated 1207, in which Hugh’s name appears on a Fine Roll relating to Caversfield Manor:
Hugh is also mentioned in 1216:
This entry shows that Hugh was under threat from Robert Russet and William Grandin, and that the King ordered the sheriff to ensure he was protected. This suggests that Hugh was a person of local significance in Caversfield.
Finally, a document dated 1219 (An. Dni/- MCCXIX) records his death:
The earliest reference is dated 1207, in which Hugh’s name appears on a Fine Roll relating to Caversfield Manor:
- “PLEG' Fulcon fit War de fin Rob Le Vavasur q suscep i manu redde dno R p pdco Rob. Hug' Gargate”
Hugh is also mentioned in 1216:
- “Rex vic Norhamt tc. precipimus tibi quod pacem habere facias Hugon Gargait, sicut venienti dilecto et fideli nostro Willielmo de Blidesworth, de Roberto Russet et Willelmo Grandin, servientibus nostris, qui ei insidiantur ne per eos dampnum incurrat vel gravamen. Teste etc.”
This entry shows that Hugh was under threat from Robert Russet and William Grandin, and that the King ordered the sheriff to ensure he was protected. This suggests that Hugh was a person of local significance in Caversfield.
Finally, a document dated 1219 (An. Dni/- MCCXIX) records his death:
- “Sciant presentes et futuri quod ego Sibilla de Kaversfeld, quondam uxor Hugonis Gargat”
All the above places the casting period for the Caversfield bell within the rough period of c1207 - 1219.
We can now compare the two bells.
Both exhibit the same moulding wire configuration and similar casting techniques. The main body of each bell was moulded in loam. Concentric rings visible on the outer surface of Caversfield show the false bell was turned on a lathe.
The head mould and canons were formed in wax. At Warminghurst, the excess wax was carefully trimmed, whereas at Caversfield this was done less neatly, leaving a more obvious joint between the two materials. Caversfield also shows marks made by a tool used to set out the highest point of the inner mould, where the crown staple would be positioned.
The photographs and sketches below illustrate the structure of the crown, waist, and soundbow.
*Click on the images to enlarge them*
Both exhibit the same moulding wire configuration and similar casting techniques. The main body of each bell was moulded in loam. Concentric rings visible on the outer surface of Caversfield show the false bell was turned on a lathe.
The head mould and canons were formed in wax. At Warminghurst, the excess wax was carefully trimmed, whereas at Caversfield this was done less neatly, leaving a more obvious joint between the two materials. Caversfield also shows marks made by a tool used to set out the highest point of the inner mould, where the crown staple would be positioned.
The photographs and sketches below illustrate the structure of the crown, waist, and soundbow.
*Click on the images to enlarge them*
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Warminghurst, Holy Sepulchre
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Caversfield, St Laurence
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Both bells have a flat soundbow and a domical crown. The main difference lies in the waist: at Warminghurst, the thickness remains even throughout the profile, whereas at Caversfield it increases progressively. This suggests that Warminghurst is slightly earlier in date.
The thickness ratio of the soundbow at Caversfield is 1:10.25, while Warminghurst is marginally thinner at 1:11.12. Owing to its shallower soundbow, the Caversfield bell is proportionally taller, by 7.75%, than that at Warminghurst. It is also 13.27% wider at the crown. Dimensions: (C - Caversfield W - Warminghurst) Diameter: C: 20.5" W: 18.13" Crown Circumference: C: 34.75" W: 27.13" Lip to Shoulder: C: 18.75" W: 15.63" Soundbow thickness: C: 2" W: 1.63" |
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All the features mentioned above, together with the dendrochronological analysis, place the Warminghurst bell at around c1190–c1200.
Tuning of the Warminghurst bell
Since long-waisted bells do not follow the conventional relationships between partials, the only reliable way to identify them is through analysis of their nodal circles. Bill Hibbert discovered that Warminghurst, along with Appleshaw, Hognaston, Llangua, and Pipe Ridware, exhibits a distinctive feature in which the quint lies at a lower pitch than the tierce. Both 1130 Hz and 956 Hz display six nodal points around the rim; however, the highest amplitude for the 1130 Hz partial occurs in the waist, while that of 956 Hz partial is found strongest at the soundbow.
At Warminghurst, as with most long waisted bells, the bell is pitched by its hum partial . In relation to the nominal, The Hum and Prime are a minor tenth; the tierce is a minor seventh, and the quint is approximately an octave below.
18thC and beyond
There is then a significant gap in the historical record until 1724, when a diocesan survey records simply “Bells 2.” Unfortunately, the date, founder, and size of this second bell are unknown. It was likely sold or scrapped before 1860, when Tyssen carried out his survey of Sussex bells.
Frame and fittings
The bell is attached to an ancient oak lever, which also serves as its headstock. It is hung in a timber frame, swinging east to west. Rather than using bearings, the iron gudgeons appear to sit directly in square sockets cut into the frame heads.
At a later date, possibly in the 20th century, new iron straps were fitted to support the bell. The original cast in crown staple has since broken, and a false staple is now used to hang the clapper off.
Visited with Bill Hibbert & Nick Watts 26/06/2024
Visited Caversfield, St Lawrence 20/04/2026
Tuning of the Warminghurst bell
Since long-waisted bells do not follow the conventional relationships between partials, the only reliable way to identify them is through analysis of their nodal circles. Bill Hibbert discovered that Warminghurst, along with Appleshaw, Hognaston, Llangua, and Pipe Ridware, exhibits a distinctive feature in which the quint lies at a lower pitch than the tierce. Both 1130 Hz and 956 Hz display six nodal points around the rim; however, the highest amplitude for the 1130 Hz partial occurs in the waist, while that of 956 Hz partial is found strongest at the soundbow.
At Warminghurst, as with most long waisted bells, the bell is pitched by its hum partial . In relation to the nominal, The Hum and Prime are a minor tenth; the tierce is a minor seventh, and the quint is approximately an octave below.
18thC and beyond
There is then a significant gap in the historical record until 1724, when a diocesan survey records simply “Bells 2.” Unfortunately, the date, founder, and size of this second bell are unknown. It was likely sold or scrapped before 1860, when Tyssen carried out his survey of Sussex bells.
Frame and fittings
The bell is attached to an ancient oak lever, which also serves as its headstock. It is hung in a timber frame, swinging east to west. Rather than using bearings, the iron gudgeons appear to sit directly in square sockets cut into the frame heads.
At a later date, possibly in the 20th century, new iron straps were fitted to support the bell. The original cast in crown staple has since broken, and a false staple is now used to hang the clapper off.
Visited with Bill Hibbert & Nick Watts 26/06/2024
Visited Caversfield, St Lawrence 20/04/2026
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 - 404Hz - Ab-47
Prime - 840Hz - Ab+19
Tierce - 1130Hz - Db+33 (flat minor 3rd)
Quint - 956Hz - Bb+43
Nominal - 1959Hz - B-14
Superquint - 3072.5Hz - G-34
Octave Nominal - 4189.5Hz - C+1
l7 - 5418.5Hz - E+47
l8 - 6970Hz - A-16
l9 - 8346.5Hz - C-4
Prime - 840Hz - Ab+19
Tierce - 1130Hz - Db+33 (flat minor 3rd)
Quint - 956Hz - Bb+43
Nominal - 1959Hz - B-14
Superquint - 3072.5Hz - G-34
Octave Nominal - 4189.5Hz - C+1
l7 - 5418.5Hz - E+47
l8 - 6970Hz - A-16
l9 - 8346.5Hz - C-4
| warminghurstone.mp3 |
Inscriptions:
1 |
(Uninscribed) Moulding wires: 1.1.2 |
Photographs:
*Click on the images to enlarge them*
Sources:
© Kye L Leaver 2026. All rights reserved.
- COCKS, Alfred. H (1897): The Church Bells of Buckinghamshire
- ELPHICK, George P (1988): Craft of the Bellfounder
- ELPHICK, George P (1970): Sussex Bells & Belfries
- FORD, Wyn. K (1994): Chichester Diocesan Surveys 1686 and 1724
- KENNETT, White (1818): Parochial antiquities attempted in the history of Ambrosden, Burcester, and other adjacent parts in the counties of Oxford and Bucks p.264 - 268
- SHARPE, Frederick (1949): The Church bells of Oxfordshire
- TYSSEN, Amhurst. A (1864): The Church Bells of Sussex
- THE RINGING WORLD, April 6th 1928, p.214
- HIBBERT, Bill: https://www.hibberts.co.uk/long-waisted-bells/
- The National Archives
- https://searcharchives.bl.uk/?f%5Brelated_places_ssim%5D%5B%5D=England&per_page=50&sort=hierarchy
© Kye L Leaver 2026. All rights reserved.
