Worthing, Guildbourne CentreThe Guildbourne centre has a single bell, hung from a bar.
There is no information board there to state it's origin, so where did it come from? |
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The Bell
Bell |
Weight |
Diameter |
Nominal |
Note |
Founder |
Cast |
Canon |
Hanging |
1 |
32.38" |
1079 Hz |
C# |
Thomas II Mears |
1834 |
Yes |
Dead |
1 Bell, in C#
In 1816, the track that ran north to Teville Common was widened. It became New London Road and later Chapel Road. This was the main route into Worthing from London.
Around the time, there weren't any clock towers in Worthing, nor did many people have watches.
Michael Morrah, one of the town's doctors proposed that a clock tower should be built in 1818.
The funds were raised by public subscription. In the end, so much money was raised, it was agreed that a town hall should be built too!
The construction didn't start until 1834 and was completed the following year. Thomas II Mears cast a single bell for the clock. On the sound bow, a rectangular-like patch of wear can be seen where the hammer hit.
There is no record of who made the clock or where it was made. It was most likely made in London.
The town hall remained in use until 1933 when it was superseded by the new town hall.
Unfortunately, the clock had to fall silent in 1950 as the tower was found to be unsafe. Demolition began in the 1960s with the tower first to go. By 1966, the whole building had been demolished.
The bell is inscribed using 5/8" and 7/8" letters and contains no ornaments. Interestingly, these letters are quite pronounced and not low relief like some of his bells.
It was cast with a conventional canon and also a crown staple, suggesting that it could have been chimed?
The bell now hangs in the Guildbourne center.
Taking a look inside the bell, the top half was painted with gold paint.
The bell was restored in 2023 by John Peter, a local man who restores steam and traction engines. On February 17th, a patch test was carried out on the bell. It was then fully restored by the 22nd.
The bell had 4 white planters around it which were removed in early march of the same year.
Visited with Andrew & Heather Leaver, and Kathleen Kewley 19/03/2023
In 1816, the track that ran north to Teville Common was widened. It became New London Road and later Chapel Road. This was the main route into Worthing from London.
Around the time, there weren't any clock towers in Worthing, nor did many people have watches.
Michael Morrah, one of the town's doctors proposed that a clock tower should be built in 1818.
The funds were raised by public subscription. In the end, so much money was raised, it was agreed that a town hall should be built too!
The construction didn't start until 1834 and was completed the following year. Thomas II Mears cast a single bell for the clock. On the sound bow, a rectangular-like patch of wear can be seen where the hammer hit.
There is no record of who made the clock or where it was made. It was most likely made in London.
The town hall remained in use until 1933 when it was superseded by the new town hall.
Unfortunately, the clock had to fall silent in 1950 as the tower was found to be unsafe. Demolition began in the 1960s with the tower first to go. By 1966, the whole building had been demolished.
The bell is inscribed using 5/8" and 7/8" letters and contains no ornaments. Interestingly, these letters are quite pronounced and not low relief like some of his bells.
It was cast with a conventional canon and also a crown staple, suggesting that it could have been chimed?
The bell now hangs in the Guildbourne center.
Taking a look inside the bell, the top half was painted with gold paint.
The bell was restored in 2023 by John Peter, a local man who restores steam and traction engines. On February 17th, a patch test was carried out on the bell. It was then fully restored by the 22nd.
The bell had 4 white planters around it which were removed in early march of the same year.
Visited with Andrew & Heather Leaver, and Kathleen Kewley 19/03/2023
The Old Town Hall
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 - 294Hz - D+2
Prime - 486.5Hz - B-25
Tierce - 649.5Hz - E-25 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 816.5Hz - Ab-29
Nominal - 1079Hz - C#-46
Prime - 486.5Hz - B-25
Tierce - 649.5Hz - E-25 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 816.5Hz - Ab-29
Nominal - 1079Hz - C#-46
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Inscriptions:
*Underlined text is around the inscription band*
1 |
THOMAS MEARS OF LONDON FOUNDER 1834. |
Photographs:
*Click on the images to enlarge them*
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Sources:
- https://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/sport/nostalgia/the-building-that-stood-at-the-heart-of-worthing-1284382
- https://www.southcoastview.co.uk/news/the-old-town-hall-in-worthing/
- Guildbourne Center Facebook page.
