churce Th othed han r bell Wigtownshirf so e by F C Eeles and R W M Clouston
INTRODUCTION similae case th f th eo n ri surves A f thyo e Stewartr e bellth n si f Kirkcudbrighyo late th te Dr F C Eeles' note-books have formed the basis of this account of the bells in Wigtownshire (Eele Cloustod san n 1967)l bee al visits nd Hi . madsha e before numbe a 191 d 5an parishef ro s had not been reached. Mr Clouston examined all the bells in the summers of 1963 and 1964 revised an r EelesdD ' notes where appropriate. This articl intendes e i companio a e b o dt thoso nt e surveys already publishe belln do n si other Scottish counties which have appeared from time to time in the Proceedings. Wherever possible repetition of information is avoided.
DISCUSSION e oldesTh t existin counte g th bel n i ly discovere e survedisusee th th n datee di s yi don d e churc153th t n Kirkmaiden4i a h e inscriptioTh . n records that Nicholas Ramsey, Lorf o d Dalhousie, caused the bell to be cast, and the inference is that John Morison was the founder thoug otheo hn havrm bellhi e y beesb n found. Unusuall ymouldino thern e ear g e wireth y sb lip and at the top of the soundbow, though in other respects the founder followed traditional practice. More ancient hand-bells once existed at Whithorn and Penninghame. The latter might earle th ye b bell preserve Nationae th n di l Museu Antiquitiemf o Edinburgn si h calle Ringan't dS s bell. Currently this bell is catalogued as Irish, but the wrought iron with bronze covering would supporcenturh 5t e data yth t contemporarn ei y wit coule t Niniah S d d nan hav e broughe th t bell witfrom hmhi Ireland. Ther recor a inscribe n s ea i f do 100D d A belt Penninghame0 a f o l . Five bells are noted as being cast in the 17th century. The important Dutch bell of 1610 museue inth Whithormt a n Priory bear name s th Ever f eo t Burgerhuy Middelburf so founders ga , onls thihi d ys si an know n work anywhere Hollandn I . , surprisingly, ther onls ei y documentary evidence of him. The middle bell of three in the Wigtown Town House bears the date 1633 and, in spite of the small size, is much ornamented. Comparison with bells of the same date at Belhelvie Strichend an , Aberdeenshire, shows tha foundee th t almoss wa r t certainly Henric r Horstkte f o Deventer in Holland. The Dutch bell of 1663 at Stoneykirk bears the name of Gerard Koster II of Amsterdam; it was the smallest of a chime of three bells cast for the Glasgow Tolbooth by Towe ordeth f no r Council othee bello Th . tw rs have als ot Kirkintilloc a survive e ar d dan d hOl Church and the People's Palace Museum, Glasgow Green. They have already been described. The uninscribed bells at Kirkinner and Leswalt, the latter being disused, both probably date fro e 17tmth h century. Different founders see mhavo t e been involve thed dan y probably both worked in Scotland. | PROCEEDING 2 26 S OF THE SOCIETY, 1975-6 The bells of 18th-century date number seven. The oldest is that of 1708 in the Whithorn Town Steeple bearin founder'e gth s namGhein f Maline o de s Pete ea n V va rBelgiumn i s . This is a fine bell from a family which had been sending bells to Scotland from at least as early as 1526 when Peter van den Ghein I supplied St John's church, Perth, with a chime of bells, of which five have survive presene th o dt t day. In 1739 the Edinburgh Foundry, then being run by Ormston and Cunningham as successors to John Meikle and Robert Maxwell, supplied a bell to New Luce church which is now preserved t Loca h Inch Castle Portpatrice Th . k bel 174f o l 8 remain puzzlesa ornamente .Th knowt no e snar appeao t r elsewhere letterine th d figured an g,an typicae perioe ar s th lacd f o dan lk peculiar features. It is possibly a locally cast bell, but clearly by a founder who was skilled and experienced in this clas f workso , perhaps from Cumberlan r Irelanddo disusee Th . d Penninghame belf o l 1750 now in the Stewartry Museum, Kirkcudbright, is the only one so far discovered in Scotland by Luke Ashton of Wigan. The bell at Dairy in the Stewartry, dated 1754, is also from the Wigan Foundry, but is likely to have been cast by Ralph Ashton II as Luke Ashton died in 1750. The Wigtowe treblth n ei n Town House just bear date th s e 1777. Design considerations link this bell with the Whitechapel Foundry in London, then being managed by Thomas Pack and William Chapman blane Th . k bell t Mochrusa m disuse e churcth d dhan bell from Inch churcht a w no , Loch Inch Castle e 18tth h,f o datcentury d e en aboufroy e sa ,m th probable t ar 1790 d an , y local products. 19th-century bell comparativele sar y numerous noted e somd ar mos e ,an 0 e4 .Th t interesting smale th s i l Norwegian belGlassertoe 180f th lo n 4o n Estate cast originall shie th p r Enighedenyfo r Unityo f Holmestrano Borgey db r Riis f T0nsbergeo Whitechapee Th . l Foundr London yi n under Thomas Mears II supplied bells to Newton Stewart, 1833 and 1839, and one formerly in Towe th n Steeple predecessor a ther havr y o eema m beehi 186e y nb .Th 1 bel ChurcInct lw a hNe h would be by George Mears, and later ones by Mears and Stainbank are at Loch Inch Castle Stables (1867), Garliestown (1876), Stranraer Episcopal Church (about 1891), Stranraer High Churc hbello (1914)Whithorr tw sfo d an ,Churc C nR h (1960). The Gorbals Foundry, Glasgow, under David Burges supplied the bell in Whithorn Parish Church s successo(1846)hi d an , r Joh compane WilsonC th d nan y bearin s namghi e cast bells for Lochnaw Castle (1864), Inch former Free Church (about 1860), Kirkcowan church (1871), Loch Inch Castle Gatehouse (1878), Wigtown Town House tenor (1881), Glenluce church (1882) Lucw Ne e, church (1888), Drummore church (1903) Placd Ol f ,Mochru o e m (1905) and Port William (1922). Their list also includes a bell for Whithorn Fauldhouse and another remains at Castle Kennedy. John Warner and Sons of London supplied a bell for Newton Stewart RC church in 1874, three bells at Ardwell Mains in the period 1882-84, and three for Ardwell church in 1911. The bel f 189o l Kirkcoln 6i m churc alss hi o from their foundry. William Blew f Birminghaso m cast the Stranraer New Town Hall bell in 1873, and the Ewart School, Newton Stewart, has a steel bell by Naylor Vickers & Co of Sheffield cast in the period 1857-74. There are two chimes of five tubular bells by Harrington, Latham & Co of Coventry, one of about 1925 at Stranraer RC church and the other at Portpatrick. The bell at Lochryan church, Cairn Ryan abouf o , t 188 0Warringtonf o bear o initiale foundere e C sth th th & f d so F an , sB bel Stranraen i l r Castle bear name sth McDonaleK cass twa aboud dan t 1800. Thernumbea e ear f blano r k bell f 19th-centuro s y datotherd same th ean f e o sperio d with inscription t wit foundee sindicatiobu o hn th o rwh wasf no . Most see mhavo t e been locally cast and are not of especial interest. thin I s present century Joh nLoughborougf o Taylo o C r& h supplied three bell Challoco st h EELE CLOUSTOND SAN CHURCE OTHETH :D HAN R BELL WIGTOWNSHIRF SO 3 26 | E Episcopal churc Stranraeo t e 1923n hi on Tow d ,Sandhea o t rOl e n Halon d 1935n dli an churc, h in 1963.
CATALOGUE ARDWELL. Parish church (3 bells) The tower with spire contains a chime of three bells, tenor about 5 cwt in B. Each bell is inscribed: CAST BY JOHN WARNER & SONS LONDON 1911. The mouth diameters are 26 in, 28 in and 30 in with the corresponding notes of D$, Cff and B. The bells have flat crowns and are bolted to rolled steel joists set into the tower walls. The clappers are connected to a plucking type chiming manual.
ARDWELL. Ardwell Mains (3 bells) e stablTh e clock strike thren o s e bells ding-done largee th Th .f o r g quarter chime n bellsi 6 1 , diameter, was cast by Warners and is dated 1882. The other, 14£ in diameter, is without inscription. The independenn a bels lha t crow nsame staplth appearf ed o date ean houe e b Th .o s rt bel wels i l l above eth otherdifficuls i d reachsan o t tcrow e Th . n stapl independens ei sam e thid th san f et o bel seemo e b to l o st age. The clock was made by R R Child of Clerkenwell, London, in 1884 and came with the bells from Southwick House in the Stewartry.
CAIRN RYAN. Lochryan Church (1 bell) opee Th n western belfry contain bellsa , about 1diametern 8i , inscribe waiste th n d:o B. F. & C° WARRINGTON Four canon argentd san . Iron stoc wheeld kan . Clearly 19th centurwritee th t r ybu know otheo n f rso bell thiy sb s firmCheethad an , surves hi mn f Lancashiri yo e bells mentions non thein ei r home county (1928, 126). CHALLOCH. All Saints Episcopal Church (3 bells) The spirelet over the E part of the nave roof contains a chime of three bells. All are inscribed: JOHN FOUNDERTAYLO* . CO R& SLOUGHBOROUG* H192* 3 The stop is a smaller version of that illustrated elsewhere (Clouston 1948, 149, fig 5). The diameters are belle Ibhune 4 Th 1 .sar r gq 2 t cw 1 d Ib4 ,2 an r q 0 t Ibweightcw e 5 1 ,1 th r d q san 3 n i 0 2 d an n i 8 1 , 16in stationary in two tiers, the tenor below, in a metal framework. Wires from the clappers pass down the outsid churce th connectee f etubear o n h i d manua a san ground e o dt th n o l . DRUMMORE t Medan'S . s Churc bell1 h( ) The tower contains a bell, 19J in diameter, inscribed: PRESENTE UNITEE TH O DDT FREE CHURCH KIRKMAIDEN/ BY MAJOR JOHN GARROWAY IN MEMORY OF HIS MOTHER / (Soundbow) JOH Nc WILSO cN?& L™ FOUNDERS. GLASGOW. 1903 Hung with iron fittings between two beams. Handbell type argent. GLASSERTON. Parish Church (1 bell) The large square modern tower contains no bells. The small bell, about 18 in diameter, hangs in a bird-cage belfry on the top of the W gable. This bell is uninscribed and has neither canons nor moulding wires; probably 19th century. belfre circulas Th yha r pillarcornerse th t sa cornica , e with three roll mouldings, small moulded finials at each corner and on the top. A well-proportioned example, but inferior to those of NE Scotland (Eeles and Clouston 1957, pis xix a and c, xx c and d). It bears the date 1580 at the top of the SW pillar sais i side havS o dd t e an ,e th been o n brough churcd t frool e Kirkmaidef mhth o n (RCAMS 1912,1. no , 1). 264 | PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, 1975-6
GLASSERTON. Glasserton Estat bell1 e( ) (pi 22a) When inspecte 196n di 4 this Norwegian hangins belwa l trea n ge i sit e closGlassertof th eo o et n House, but, as the branches were beginning to envelop the lip, the bell has more recently been taken down. The diameter at the mouth is 13^ in, and the inscription reads: ST0BT A• F BORGE• T0NSBER• R RIIS• D VE E • G 180• 4 (Waist) ENIGHEDEN • FRA HOLNESTRAND Above and below the main inscription is a scallop-type border. The translation is: Cast by Borger Riise T0nsbert a g 1804, Enigheden from Holnestrand seemt .I s clea shire tha casth belp s e r Enighedentth tfo l wa r Unityo whose home porHolmestrans wa t wese th Osle tn dsido th of eo Fjord n i . e Ther belVo a t s ei a l the Shetland Islands cast by Anders Riise at Tonsberg in 1837 for the ship Freia. Both bells are the same sizbead same ean th r e borde letteringd ran . The Glasserton bell has argent and six canons; the cast-in crown staple remains, but was set in the moul drigha t angl t fro normaes ou m it l position relativ canonse th lattee o e t bolte e iroTh .n rar a no dt headstock with lever belclearle d ha lTh .t bee yno n beed use manr ha n dfo p trappeli y e yearth r s dfo sa some time between the two branches supporting the headstock. GLENLUCE. Old Luce Church (1 bell) The belfry contains a bell, 22 in diameter, inscribed: JOH . WILSONNC , FOUNDERSC? & , , GLASGOW. A.D. 1882. Four double canons connected to an iron headstock and wheel. The letters and figures of the date 'A.D. 1882.' are incised. GLENLUCE. Public Hal bell1 ( l ) The hour bell for the clock, 17 in diameter, bears no inscription. A clapper is suspended from a cast-in bell e staplth ,t hun whicew bu gno hs deadi , never seem havo st e been swung. mouldinThero n e ear g wires just below the shoulder. The clock and the building date from 1878 and the bell seems to be of the same age. GLENLUCE. Glenluce Abbey The church, now sadly ruined, was cruciform in plan and probably had a low central tower. Unfortunatel crossinye piere th littl th f sf o eo g remain t Symsonbu , , writin 1684n gi , mention steeplsa e (RCAMS 1912, 105). There is an entry in the Ayr Burgh Accounts under the date 1608-9 (Clouston 1949, 208): carriage bellth e r th sf Fo eo fro m . GlenlucOd s 10 Ayro et 4 £ , This suggests that the monastic bells were removed at that time, but unfortunately they do not now exist in the neighbourhood of Ayr in their original state. INCH. Parish Churc bell1 h( ) e loftTh y open turret contain bella s , aboudiametern i 8 1 t , bearing juse datth t e th 186 n 1o inscription band. Certainly Englis verd han y probably fro Whitechapee mth l Foundry, Londone Th . headstocbelm secures el li n a o dkt mounte casa n di t iron A-type frame wite iroth n h a n o wheelg pe A . top of the headstock engages with a stop in the frame to prevent the bell swinging more than just under a full circle ringee Th . r stands outsid churche eth . formee Th r bell, which use plaie hano dt th nn gi bird-cage belfr y ruinee gabl S oveth e f eo dth r church, fell to the ground and is now preserved at Loch Inch Castle. The diameter is 18^ in and there is no inscription. A roughish casting with slightly moulded crown, broken hand-bell type argent, and simple moulding above the soundbow. There is now a crack from the broken argent down into the crown. Only clappeshane e th th f ko r remains flighbale d th ,an l t have gone mosbels e wa lTh .t probably cast about 1790. INCH. Loch Inch Castl bells2 e( ) Apart formerle froLuc w above on m th eNe e t churcheth ya beld an lothe o , thertw re bellear t sa Loch Inch Castle. One in an open turret over the stables is 18^ in diameter and is inscribed: MEARS & STAINBANK, FOUNDERS, LONDON, 1867. CLOUSTONEELED SAN CHURCE TH : H AND OTHER BELL WIGTOWNSHIRF SO 5 26 | E sam e fittinge th bele f ef Th 186framth d o o l desig r Incan sn e 1i fo ear h s n a paris h church. cloce Th gatehouske belth n i l e tower diametern i 0 2 , inscribeds i , : JOH . WILSONC C°-N& FOUNDERS GLASGOW. A.D. 1878. The former free church at Castle Kennedy, dated 1846, has a bell, about 14 in diameter, inscribed: JOH . WILSONNC , FOUNDER, GLASGO. .. 8 W1 The dat obscures ei masonre th y db y when viewed wit perioe htelescopea th n i dt wil i e 185t b l bu ,o 4 t 1875. KIRKCOLM. Ervie-Kirkcolm Churc bell1 h( ) The reinforced concrete bird-cage belfry contains a bell, about 16 in diameter, inscribed:
J WARNE SONR& S LLONDON 1896/ D
( Waist) KIRKCOLT M PARISH CHURCH / 189 6/ REVS THOMAS BARTY. D.D. / MINISTER. formee th bel e r lrfo Th churc church e treh walth N h as ef e hunlo agains n parth a - W f n gi o te th t yard. Whe hanginge nth s became rotte removes bele nth wa l Corsewalo dt l House bele Th l. ovee th r stables there, abou diametern i 9 t , bear followine sth g incised inscriptio waiste th n n:o KIRKCOLM / OLD / CHURCH BELL / RECAST 1899 / SIR D. C. R. C. BUCHANAN, K.C.B. / CORSEWALL Sir David Carrick Buchanan, KCB, gave the clock and bell to Kilmacolm Old Church, Renfrewshire, in 1875 (Clouston 1948, 162).
KIRKCOWAN. Parish Churc bell1 h( ) Set between beams abov towee eth r roobella s i f, 24 diameter^n i , inscribed: JOHN C. WILSON. FOUNDER GLASGOW. A.D. 1871. Hung with iron fittings. The former bell fell down and was broken.
KIRKINNER. Parish Church (1 bell) The tower contains an uninscribed bell, 13^ in diameter, which probably dates from the 17th century. The bell is very cleanly cast and new looking, but has been quite appreciably worn by the clapper. The canons and argent remain but the cast-in crown staple has broken off and a new one has been fitted in the same plane. The clapper ball in section looks like a spade as portrayed on playing cards and has no flight; probably 17th century ringee Th . r stands immediately unde bele th rl wit flooo hn r betweena , rather dangerous arrangement if there is any risk of the clapper dropping out.
KIRKMAIDEN. Parish Church (2 bells) (fig 1, pi 21 a) - 188e Th 5 wese archeth tf o gabld p belfrto e n containyo bellsa , 17 diametern ^i , inscribed: (Waist) ERECTED 1885 Hung with an iron stock and iron three-quarter wheel. No canons or moulding wires, only a simple hollow moulding above the soundbow. The former bell was removed to Logan House in 1885 but more recently has been returned to the church; 14 in diameter at the mouth and inscribed: x NICOLAIVS x RAMSADOMEVVS x DEDALHVISSI x M EFIERx FECIIx Tx ANO/DNI x MILLESEVI OQVIGENTISIMOXXXIIIx I x IH SMARIx Ax IHONE x MORISONx A very peculiar bell. The inscription is in small Roman lettering with Lombardic Ds, Ls and Hs; perhaps reversede mighar s S s regardee N d b t e samean .e th Abovs th l O s d.a Al uppee e eth th r lin inscriptiof eo n mouldino thertw e ear g wires surmounte bordea y db stuntef ro d fleur-de-lys, higthe n fi e hnth lettering inbana d high n i f , the gapthen Jd a i wid n an fi ,na e band wit secone hth d lin inscriptionf eo e Th . rest of the bell is absolutely plain without moulding wires or other ornamentation. One of the double canon bees sha n broke falsa n d ofe an fcrow n stapl close d bees en e ha np d fittedto clappee e th Th . s rha I PROCEEDING 6 26 SOCIETYE TH F SO , 1975-6
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PORTPATRICK. Parish Churc bell1 h( ) presene Th t church, buil towe1842a n i t s ha ,r containin gsingla e uninscribed bell, 30 diametern i f . Ther numbea e ear mouldinf ro g wires just belo shoulde e desigbele we th th th l f d suggestno an r s that it is a Scottish product, but not from the Gorbals Foundry, Glasgow. Hand-bell type argent and clumsy wooden wheel. Date probably about 1842.
PORTPATRICK. Old Church (1 bell) interestine th n I g roun churcd dol e towehth hangf ro bellsa , 19 diametern ^i , inscribed: PORT (flower) PATRICK (flower) PARISH (flower) J748 (flower leafand ornament alternating) cylindricae th bele n righs i i Th l p u t l centra roof e lwit d parth floor o an f remainin,hn w o t no s e th n gi tower the present writer has only seen the bell from below. Dr Eeles obtained a rubbing and noted that it wa mossa t peculiar bell wit hvera y clear tone inscriptioe .Th rouns ni lowee dth waistre parth f ,o t just above the soundbow, and the bell is covered with moulding wires and ornaments. There are mouldings abov shouldere eth , heavy mouldings abov soundboe eth d an belop d li w an waiste e wlineth th o y tw ,sb four upon the upper part of the waist. A stop like a small rose is used between the words and the inscrip- tion band is filled up with it, alternating with a leaf ornament. There is a band of the same on the upper part of the waist, and on the soundbow is a band of variegated leaf ornament with small medallion heads t intervalsa hign i l h al ,relief t coarsbu , detain e i witd an lhrouga h surface. The bell originally seems to have had canons, but is now fixed to an iron stock by what appear to remaine canonsth e e th b f so . Tha cas bels Portpatrice r tth tfo lwa k canno doubtede tb accounn ,o e th f o t inscription t wherwhoy b bu ,impossibls i r met o i t presenea letterin saye o rose t t Th th .e d stoge an par very like those of Robert Catlin of London who was working in the period 1738 to 1751, but the other ornament bele clearle moss th sar i l t hisd ytno an , un-Englis shapn hi treatmentd ean belbeee s ha lTh . n ropedisuseo n s .manr ha d fo w y no year d san
PORTPATRICK. Church Hal bells5 ( l ) The former Free Church, now the church hall, has a set of five tubular bells, largest 7 ft 4i in long , casi nMessrC y b t s Harrington , Coventryf Lathao o C m dismantled& w . Theno e yar .
PORT WILLIAM. Church (1 bell) metae Th l belfr thif yo s former Free Church contain belle son , aboudiametern i 4 1 t , inscribed: JOH . WILSONC - LC ™ N& FOUNDERS , GLASGOW, 1922.
SANDHEAD. Church (1 bell) This modern church, taking the place of a former Free Church, has a detached stone tower some 25 ft high. The upper part has an open belfry containing a bell, weighing exactly 1 cwt, inscribed: JOHN TAYLOR & CO. * FOUNDERS * LOUGHBOROUGH * 1963 The bell is hung stationary from an iron deadstock, and is struck by a clapper operated electrically from the church. 270 | PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, 1975-6
SORBIE. Church (1 bell) parise Th h churc t Garliestowha n contain belle son , 33f diametern i j , weighin Ib8 1 , r cwg7 q 0 t hung for swing chiming and inscribed: MEARS & STAINBANK, FOUNDERS, LONDON, 1876. The fittings include elm headstock and timber wheel as originally supplied. The bearings are fixed to two beams which span the tower walls. oldee Th r churc Sorbit ha unroofes there ewa bele us e n th 187 li tiln d i inscriptiond o l7 n thean d nha . This sens bel Londoo t wa l parn i bel w t lpaymen ne notee th dr abovefo t . SORBIE. West Churc bell1 h( ) The former Free Church at Sorbie, now Sorbie Church West, has a small bell of about 12 in diameter; apparently uninscribe datind dan g from about 1845. Hand-bell type mouldin o argenn d an t g wires just belo shouldere wth . churched ol e bello th t Kirkmadrinn sa n si w Therno e e ar Cruggleton d ean . Ther three ear e bells Gallowae th n o y House late l seee estateb al mt ro t tha bu , nbeare 1850name on ship a sth d f eo ,an .
STONEYKIRK. Parish Church (1 bell) The tower contains a fine Dutch bell, 18ii in diameter, inscribed: (a head) GERARD ROSTER • ME FECIT • AMSTELREDAMI • A° • J663 (Waist) Arms of the City of Glasgow. smallese Thi threth e s sth i f e o tbell samse casth en i tyea thiy rb s founde Scotlandr fo r othere t a ;th e sar Kirkintilloch Old Church, Dunbartonshire, 22^ in diameter, and the People's Palace Museum, Glasgow, aboudiametern i 5 2 t inscriptione Th . decoratiod san threl al identicae f enar o havd an l e been illustrated elsewhere (Clouston 1948, pi xxxv, 1, figs 4,12 and 16). At the moment there are no other known bells in Scotland by this founder, Gerrit Koster II of Amsterdam (Clouston 1948, 176). Stoneykirk churc rebuils bele hwa th l182 n i td hang 7an s between beamtowere th double n si Th . e canons have been broke remaindee th n d ofan f r wit argene hth t have been useshana s fittedn d a a kan o dt iron stoc whicko t attaches hi iron da n half-wheel crowe Th . n stapl bees eha n clappebrokee th d ns ran i hung from four bolts through the crown. The bell has been quarter turned and there are clock hammer marks on the outside of the soundbow, though there is no clock here. A very good bell with clear and good lettering and a rich ornamental border above and below the inscription arme circulaa f Th Glasgo. o s n i waise e th rar tn w medallioo n containin fule gth l motto FLOREAT GLASGVA PREDICATIONS EVANGELn maie th ; n pitche e 1760sar , 1520, 1060, 8885 , 35 745 d ,an cycles per second. The three bells noted above were ordered for the Glasgow Tolbooth by the Town Council and did duty there till 1792. The tenor bell, now in the People's Palace, Glasgow, then went to the Calton Parish Church, Glasgow, and remained there till 1881. The Stoneykirk bell is also thought to have come from the Calton Church.
STRANRAER. Old Church The church has no bell; and the town bell is used for church services. STRANRAER. High Kir bell1 k( ) conspicuoue Th s tower contain diametern i bel sa 8 3 l inscribed d Ib5 an ,,r weighinq 0 t : cw g9 MEARS & STAINBANK, FOUNDERS, LONDON. (Trade medallion) / GLORE TH GODO F YT O ISABELL/ . A VICTORIA WHYTE / PLACE E DM HERE, IN MEMORY OF / HER HUSBAND, JOHN WHYTE. / 1914. / UPO D I THANGO N Y EVERKM Y REMEMBRANC YOUF EO . From the Whitechapel Foundry, London; the trade medallion is based on that used by an earlier owner of the foundry, Robert Mot, from about 1575, and includes three bells, a crown and initials AH for Arthur Hughes, the Master Founder in 1914, all enclosed in a wreath. The bell has Doncaster type canons and is tuned to the Old Standard. The equipment includes a timber headstock and wheel, plain bearings, and a lowside cast iron frame set on rolled steel joists. No stay or slider. EELES AND CLOUSTON CHURCE TH : H AND OTHER BELL WIGTOWNSHIRF SO 1 27 | E
STRANRAER Episcopal Church (1 bell) The bell for the Episcopal Church of St John the Evangelist, about 16 in diameter, was cast by the Whitechapel Foundry, London. The church is dated 1891, and the bell is probably of this period. STRANRAER. RC Church of St Joseph (5 bells) centrale Th tower contain fivf o et tubulase sa r bells supplie Messry db s Harrington, Lathao C m& of Coventry about 1925. STRANRAER. United Free Church (1 bell) A single uninscribed bell, about 18 in diameter, which appears to date from about 1850. STRANRAER. Castl bell1 e( ) In the bird-cage belfry on top of the old castle is a bell, 22£ in diameter. On the waist are the arms of Glasgow withou motte th t wit obu hscrola l above inscribed GLASGO anothed Uan r below inscribed K MCDONALD. otheThero n e re ar mark r inscriptionso . Ther cracsoundboa e s eth i bele kn s th i i l d wan disused clappeo .N crowr ro n staple double .On e canoothere gonth s surroundee nd ha s ar e an leay db d use ancho o dt iroe th belne o th headstockrt l . Most probably cast about 1800. STRANRAER. Old Town Hall (1 bell) The present bell, 24| in diameter, weighing 2 cwt 3 qrs 19 Ib, is inscribed: JOHN TAYLOR & CO. * FOUNDERS * LOUGHBOROUGH * 1935 * The bell is hung dead and is sounded only by the clock which was installed in 1936. Dr F C Eeles noted earlien a r bell, aboudiametern i 8 1 t , bearin inscriptiono gn similas uninscribee th wa t o .t I r d bellt sa Inch and Mochrum, and was formerly used for church services and for the earlier clock. STRANRAER Toww Ne .n Hal bell1 ( l ) towee Th r with spirelet contain bellsa , 38 diametern i , inscribed: WILLIAM BLEW SOND SAN S FOUNDERS BIRMINGHAM 1873. Cast wit canonx hsi hund san g with wooden fitting baln i s l bearing woodea n si n frame whic vera s hi y towere th bele tigh n usei s i lTh . t churcr fi td fo Churcd h serviceOl civir e wels fo h th a c s t a lpurposessa . WHITHORN. St Ninian's Priory (2 bells) The tower of the present parish church now contains the bell from the former Free Church, 18| in diameter, inscribed: (affront waist)n o DAVID BURGES / FOUNDE R / GLASGO W / 184 6 (at rear on waist) N° / 185 The bell has eight canons and is hung with cast iron fittings between beams in the tower. Museue th n I mpreserves i d another bell, ll diameten ji r (pi 21d), inscribed: EVER TBVRGERHVY• FECI• E M TS• 161• 0• uniquA e bell fro Middelbure mth g foundr Hollandn yi onle this th ,a y s s i know n bel beao lt nam e rth f eo Evert Burgerhuys. In his native Holland there is only documentary evidence of him, and a recent list of Dutch bell-founders, publishe Hollandn di , omitte nams dhi e (Assumburg 1962, 55)letterine Th . fros gi m the same set as used on the Roseneath, Dunbartonshire, bell cast by Jan Burgerhuys I in 1610 and illus- trated elsewhere (Clousto bele n wel s 1948,179i lTh . l a) cas , 5 t g wit fi ,exceptio e hth inside e th th f f neo o crown, where normally there would have bee iron na n cast-in crown stapl supporo et clappere tth thin I . s cas moule eth d seem havo st therd ebronza an give s ei y nwa e knob wher woule eon d expec fino e t dth staple holeo Tw .s have been drilled throug crowe hth tako nt efalsa e staple. tuninThero n e egar marks and the tone is quite good. There seems to be no precise record of where this bell was hung; in 1911 it was preserved in the Priory crypt (RCAMS 1912, 168, no. 491), and before that had been discovered disused in the Town Hall (see The Gallovidian Annual 1920, 42). Dr Eeles noted that the bell formerly hung in the town steeple. Symso descriptios hi n i Gallowaf no y (1684) notes tha Prioranciene n a th t d yha t hand-bell; 'There wa thin si s tow nfamoua s priory statela d an ,y church, founde Niniant S y dedicatedb d an , uncles hi o dt , 2 27 PROCEEDING SOCIETYE TH F SO , 1975-6 St Martin of Tours, .... Sure I am that there is a little hand-bell in this church, which in Saxon letters tells it belongs to St Martin's Church'. This inscription could well have been incised on the surface like that on the Bell of Armagh cast about the year 900 (Walters 1912, 7).
WHITHORN ChurcC MartiR S . S Niniaf d ho nan bells2 n( ) opee Th n belfry contain bello stw s cas Meary b t Stainbans& f Whitechapelko , London 1960n i , ; the smaller is 15-J- in diameter in E and the larger 19 in diameter in C. WHITHORN, ISL . ChurcEOF bell1 h( ) This was originally a Free Church, and the building is dated 1844. The open turret contains an uninscribed bell of this date. Dr Eeles records a bell about 15 in diameter in the former quoad sacra church here (no inscription), but this was not seen in 1964.
WHITHORN. Town Steeple (1 bell) (pi 22c) This contains a fine bell, 19-if in diameter, inscribed: PETER • VANDER • GHEIN • HEEFT • MY • GHEGOTEN • INT • IAER • / (shield)7 1 8 0 inscriptione parr th p e if fo to Se shiele .Th d contain sbella initiale ,th s somRAd an , e floral ornament. verA y good borde fleur-de-lyf ro s appears abov belod ean inscriptione wth , evidently made from stamps of much earlier date than the bell. The lettering is exceedingly clear and good. inscriptioe Th translatee b Flemishy n i Ghei s n ma i yea e 'Petes de d th a rn an n , i casrva e m t 1708'. The van den Ghein family were noted bell-founders at Mechlin or Malines in Belgium (Clouston 1949, 249; Radford 1950); the first was Willem who died in 1533 and the firm was carried on by the van Aerschodt family at Leuven until recent years. The founder of this particular bell was Peter van den Ghein V, who, wit cousis hhi n Matthias, cas carilloa t Nijmeger nfo 1738n i otheo .N havrm bellhi e y beesb n discovered in Scotland, but by 1708 trade with Continental founders was virtually nil due to the competi- tion from loca Englisd an l h foundries. bele huns i Th l g between steel spiree girder base th th f e;o n sthougi h hun bearingsn gi , thers ei neither whee bele onlleverr s th i l lno d y ,an sounde clocke canon x th argene si y d.Th b d san t remaid nan the clapper of normal design is hung from a false crown staple inserted parallel to the original cast-in one. There are no tuning marks, and the pitches are approximately 1840, 1620, 1205, 962 and 457 cycles per secondoctavn a bell s m style i et th ,hu tuninI f . e o g used today, buFundamentae th t l (962 c/s) shoule db an octave below the Nominal (1840 c/s); being rather sharp the tone is not as good as it could be. WIGTOWN. Parish Church The church tower contains no bell and the tenor bell in the Town House is rung for church services. WIGTOWN. Former Free Church (1 bell) The former free church, now disused, which bears the date 1845, contains one bell, about 18 in diameter, hunopen a n gi bellcote inscriptioo N . bel e visiblns i th l appeard ean dato st e from 1845. Cast iron headstock and wheel, hand-bell type argent, and no moulding wires by the shoulder.
WIGTOWN. Town House (3 bells) (pi 22b) towee Th r contains three bells, mouth diameter C#d an . b 32 d s, noteA ^, an in 19, 21 n £in si Bb f The inscriptions are: Treble. 1777 LE* D WIGTOVNT* GO head) a ( * O Second EFLOVRIS* . HB* YTH* Y* WORD * IN * CHRIST * WHO * is * OVR * ONLIE \ / (head wreath)a n i HEA DAN* D ANN O1633* (border) Tenor. PRESENTE ROYAE TH LO D T BURG WIGTOWNF HO / , BY THOMAS MURRAY, PROVOS T- A.D . 1881/ . JOHN C. WILSON. & C°., FOUNDERS. GLASGOW. treble Th almoss ei t certainly fro Whitechapee mth l Foundry, London, having been cas Thomay tb s Pack and William Chapman. EELES AND CLOUSTON CHURCE TH : H AND OTHER BELL WIGTOWNSHIRF SO 3 27 | E The second bell is an interesting one from Holland, most probably cast by Henrick ter Horst of Deventer belle t BelhelviTh .sa Strichend ean , Aberdeenshire , same bea th nams ee hi rd datth ean s ea Wigtown bell (Eeles and Clouston 1957, 136-7, pi xvii c; 1958, 105). The border above the inscription on all three bells is the same, as is the stop between the words; and the smaller lettering on the Wigtown bell appear othee bells o th borde e n rtw s o .Th leavef ro grape-likd san Wigtowe fruith n o t n bell also appears in a modified form below the inscriptions on the other two bells. The stop between the words on these three same bellDutce th th thas s esa i n ho t bel t Kirkoswalda l , Ayrshire (Clouston 1949, 235),n a cas y b t unknown founder in 1677, but the lettering and borders are different. The Dutch bell at Grange, Banff- shire, cast 1677, also bears this stop. As can be seen from the illustration, this Dutch bell is very neatly cast; the lettering is rather heavy and some letters are set very close together, but the detail of the head which appears at the beginning of each line is extremely good. The inclined bar between the two lines is to signify to the reader when to start on the lower line. The inscription seems to have a superfluous AND after HEAD, but the founder may have originally intende havdo t longeea r text. tenoe Th fros r i Gorbal e mth s Foundry, Glasgow adde s smalleo wa tw 1881 n di d e ran , Th bell. e sar now disused treble Th . huns ei g with timber headstoc wheed kretaind an lan scanons x argensi e d Th tan . ton quits ei e good middle Th . eflaa bels t portioha lsoundboe th n no w inwards fro lipe mth , whics hi incline horizontae th o dt l mouthe planth f eo featura , e foun numbea n do f Continentao r l bellse Th . argent and six canons remain, and the cast-in crown staple was put in the mould a right angle out com- pared with normal witd bele an ,h th l hung quarter turned casual inspection suggests thabele s th tha l never been turned. The original clapper remains, connected to the staple with an iron link, and its shaft is conical, terminating in a relatively large bun-shaped ball and no flight. The bell was that used for the clock before the tenor was added. The fittings include a wrought iron headstock and timber wheel. The tenor has cast iron fittings and is hung for swing chiming. It is also now used as the clock bell. presene Th t cloc Ritchiy kb Edinburghf eo , 21864 a teno£ e s see Th ha run, s . ri s in pendulu g5 t f 0 2 mf o for church services, Town Counci Sheriff'e l th meeting r fo s d Courtsan . The Gallovidian Annual (1920,43) records a minute of the Town Council, under date 3 March 1727, thaAroe ton n recasPeeveo t s bela t wa r Wigtow n i l Towe th r nn fo Hous r £10efo . Aaron Peeves wa r a bell-founder whose home was at Kirkoswald, Cumbria, and was active in the period 1724 to 1729 (Whitehead 1884, 226-7). His bells are quite rare in England and none have so far been discovered in Scotland; certainly none of the bells here now are his work.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS e surve Th s involveyha d seeking permission assistancd san e from many e peopleth d an , present writer would recor thanks ministere dhi th o st churcd san h officials e Clere th th , o kt County Council, the Town Clerks of Wigtown, Whithorn, Stranraer, and Newton Stewart, the Factors of the Glasserton and Logan Estates, the late Lord David Stuart, Lord Stair, the owners of Lochnaw Castle and other properties, the Keeper of Antiquities, The Ulster Museum, R B K Stevenso Nationae th f no l Museu f Antiquitiesmo , Edinburgh bell-foundine th d an , g firmf o s Messr Whitechapese Johth d n an Taylo o C l & Belr l Foundry Ltd.
REFERENCES Assumburg, H van (ed) c 1962 Singing Spires. Nijkerk. Cheetham H 192 ,F 8 'The church bell Lancashire'f so , Trans Lancashire Cheshire Antiq Soc, (1928)5 4 , 89-128. Clouston, R W M 1948 'The Church Bells of Renfrewshire and Dunbartonshire', Proc Soc Antiq Scot, 82 (1947-8), 146-92. Clouston, R W M 1949 'The Church Bells of Ayrshire', Ayrshire Archaeol Nat Hist Soc Coll, ser 2, 1 (1947-9), 200-60. Eeles, F C and Clouston, R W M 1957 and 1958 'The Church and Other Bells of Aberdeenshire', Proc Soc Antiq Scot, Part I, 90 (1956-7), 130-60; Part II, 91 (1957-8), 84-111. 274 | PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, 1975-6 Eeles, F C and Clouston, R W M 1967 'The Church and other Bells of the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright', Proc Soc Antiq Scot, 99 (1966-7), 191-210. Radford, CAR 1950 'The Bell Whithorn'f so , Trans Dumfriesshire Galloway t HistNa Antiq Scot,8 2 (1949-50), 75-8. RCAMS 1912 Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland, Inventory of Monuments and Constructions in Galloway, vol 1, County of Wigtown. Edinburgh. Symson A ,168 LargeA 4 description of Galloway. (Reprinted 1923, Edinburgh.) Walters B Church191e H ,Th 2 Bells of England. Oxford. Whitehead, H 1884 'Church Bells on the Border', Trans Cumberland Westmorland Antiq Soc, 7 (1884), 221-36. Wilson, D 1851 The Archaeology and Prehistoric Annals of Scotland. Edinburgh.