The Church Bells of Lancashire

F. H. Cheetham

File – 06: Corrections and Supplementary Notes

This document is provided for you by The Whiting Society of Ringers visit www.whitingsociety.org.uk for the full range of publications and articles about bells and change ringing CH U l{CIl BELLS OF LANCASIlIEE. THE CHUl{CH DELLS OF LA NCASHll{E.

lW F . H. CHEETHAM.

W I N G to 111 Y being engaged in work with th e troops O since July, 1917, first in this country an d now in France, I am relu ctantly compelled to postpon e the co m ple tion of my catalogue of the older c hurc h bell s of L an cash ire unti l afte r the war. In th e sho rt time at my d isposal, wh ile on lea ve, I ha ve found it quite im possible to exam ine the bells in the hundred o f Amo underuess as I had hoped . I mu st , therefore, beg th e indulgen ce of my read ers. In the meanwhile I add a le w notes and correction s to what has a lready appea red. F . H. C.

CO R I~ EC T I ON S A~ D S UPPLEl\lE NT.\RY r-;OTES.

Pxur 1. (VOL. XXXI!.).

Page :!G . HALE. 111 the Owen I\1SS., Xl anchestcr R efer ence Li brary (volume purchased after the index was pr inted), is a letter dated January 27th, 181j, fr0111 "\V. Stew art " to the Rev. Dr. Blackburnc, Thelwa ll, co n ta ining " An Account of the Expence of recasting Hale Church Bells and increasing the peal to six, by \Villiarn Dobson, Bellfounder, Down ham, N orfolk." The total cost was [291. 55. ad. Fur ibis reference I am indebted til Mr. 1': rno- 1 Axon. 110

Page 2tl, line 2 Irorn bot torn , [or "iJellcol," read" bell cot c. " Page 29, line 7 [rom bottom. john Scott was dead before II)S-f, as his will was proved in 16-1-7 (:;ee p. 101). It is possible, indeed very likeJy, that Jeffrey or Geoffrey Scott used the same initial stamp as john, and that the 1654 bell is his work. Page 48, line -I- from bottom. The word" reign" in the inscription Oil the waist belongs to the line above (see illustration). Page 53. Ln'EEI'OOL, ST. NICHOLAS. In the peal book of St. Martin's G uild, Birmingham, is an account of the opening of the ring of twelve at St. Nicholas' Church, Liverpool. Tile opening took place on june -1-th, 18q- "\lVhen a numerous assemblngc of amateurs were invited, and on the 6th instant, a beautiful Silver Cup, value Twenty Guineas, was presented by the Town for the best performance, and was adjudged to the Society of St. :\lanin's Youths, JJirmingham, for a touch of upwards of 3,000 grandsire cinques." On the following clay a corn plete peal of gr,lllcbire ci nques was rung oy members (of the same society, Unforrunatcly the cup bas disappeared (flinging IVvYld, .Jllne I I, 1<)'5)'

Page 60. L1VJ::l{I'OOL, ST. PLTLH, note at bottom of page. The reference is to "The Bells of St. Peter's Church, Liverpool," by l\.eginald Threlfall Dailey, M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P., ill Trans. Hist, Soc. Lanes. and Cliesli., vol. lxvii., pp. 12.f-Lfo. This paper appeared in print after the publication of my account, but the substance of it bad been kindly cornrnunicatcd to me by Dr. Dailey. Page 6-1-. LIVERPOOL, ST. JOHN, fourth bell. See Dr. Dailey's paper as above. Mr. Charles IIIadeley, of the Municipal Museum, Wurriugton, wrote to me under date March r st, 11)16: "The Lell uf St. j ohn's, Liverpool, mentioned at lhc bul Lo m u[ p. 6·1, is IIUII' CHURCH BRL~S OF LANCASHIR~. IT'

at the Liscard Hospital, but it does not belong there. The Corporation of Liscard claimed it as residuary legatees (or something of the kind) of Mr. Kitching man. Page 67. LIVERPOOL, ST. CATHARINE. See Dr. Bailey's paper as above, where five photographs of the hell and its decoration are given (pp. 125, 127, 129, 131). It was first proposed to have a new bell in April, 1914, when the intention was that, "if ,,·ays and means were forthcoming, the old bell should be taken down and a new one substituted," i.e. re-cast. The estimate for re-casting was £25-£35. Dr. Bailey tried to save the old bell, hut, "unfortunately, when the time came for taking it clown there was some difficulty as to who was to pay the cost of removal, and the bell was broken up by order of the church authorities." Page 71. \VEST DERBY. Line 4, for" Esquire," read "Es,(" Line 5, for "to\\'er 1888," read "Tower of this church in the year 1888." Line 6, for "Robert," read" Robertson." Mr. Robertson Glad stone, of Court Hey, was the son of Robertson Gladstone, elder brother of the statesman. Page 71. KNOTTY ASH. There is a photograph of the 1707 bell in Dr. Railey'S paper, cited above, p. 133· Page 72. line 18. For" bell-cot," read" bell-cote." Page 74. NEWCHURCH-IN-CULCHETH. Extract from the Constable's accounts [or the year June r st, 1718, to May r Sth, 1719:- p~ for Repairs of New Church Bell and repairing" of ye Schools on Twiss Green -....- £7 '9 10 (Lan. and cs-». AIlI. Noll'S, ii. Ifi2.) Page go, line 17. Since this was written I have found it second Clihllry hell at Tockholcs (see Part TTL). 112 CIIU HCI/ DELLS OF LA NC ,l SliIRE.

Page 129, line 13, for " bell-cot," read "bell-cote." Page 133, lin e 5, for" 1914," read"January 25th, 1915 ." Page 140. CHORLEY. The followin g extract is taken from the Register of Chorley Parish Church (see Lan es. Par. Reg. Soc., vol, 38, p. 118) :- De cimo quarto Decembris, 1646. \Vei ghed at Ch or ley the great bell wch by our weights co me th to 770li bei nge broken in 43 peeces the same mellell was cast a t \Viga ll by Geoffrey Sc ott to wch was added 5 score pounds of new met tell a t the pryce of 8d pli \\'ch makes the whole weig h t to be 8li31i a nd po to the be lfoundr the castinge 81i & for the mcuell added 31i I SS wcll ill all is j j li I SS. Page 148. ECCLESTO~. The fourth bell appears to be a re-casting in 1802 of one of those ~Jl bells of whi ch some account is given in Part Ill., p. 57., Transue tions, Lancashire and Cheshire A ntiquarian Society, vol, xxxiv. Page 163. TARLETON. The first peal on th e new bells was rung on April loth, 1915, with th e bells half muffled as a token of respect to Bishop Moorh ouse, who died the previous day; a peal of grandsire triples, 5,040 changes, in three hours and thi rt een minutes.

PART II. (VOL. XXXIII.). Pa ge 57. MA NCHE STER, ST. Ax ». There is a pe rsist ent legend, I can hardly call it a "tradition," th at th ere was orig inally a rin g of bells at St. Ann's Church, and that th ey were removed or ceased to be run g immediately after the reb ellion of 1745. A query in th e Manchester Guardian, November znd , 187'!, elicit ed this repl y:- I was infor med som e years ago that the bell s at St. Ann' s C hurch were rem oved at th e tim e of the Scottish Rebell ion in 1745, The bells were not rung afte r th e" Pretender " quilted Manchester , an d the regi ste rs of the ch urch were also rem oved to Ches ter (W . I-I· T yson, Wesley Terrace, Corn bro ok P ark), CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 1'3

It will be observed that this correspondent gave no evidence for his statement. He had merely becn "informed." By the use of the word "also" in the last sentence he would seem to imply that the bells were taken to Chester. TheMa1lchesterCityNne.s.~1aYlst.1915.printcd the followi ng C] ncry;- I have heard it said on Iairly good authority that 51. Ann's Church possesses a fine peal of bells, but that, owing to some restriction, they were not to be rung for one hundred years. Is there any truth in this '--T. PICKWRLL. I wrote to say that at the present Jay there is only one bell in the tower of St. Ann's, but made no comment on the legend. Later (july 24th, 1915) another correspondent wrote drawing attention to a passage in Canon Bardsley's Memorials of St. A 1111'S Church (p. 65):- A story was bruited that St. Ann's possessed a peal of bells, but in consequence of their having rung-in the Pretender they were condemned to perpetual silence-one only in future to be used for parochial needs. We need not trouble to refute this fable. The bell had been rung on that eventful morn, but it was a knell for the departure of the dead, not a peal for the coming of the llving. Many people of an antiquarian turn have been known to climb up into the belfry to behold with expectant eye those brazen-faced recusants of that loyalty of which Manchester is now so justly proud. Disappointment has mel each. There is one bell and a great deal of dust.

From this it would appear that Canon Bardsley had no belief in the legend. Indeed, he calls it a "fable." But it is a pity he did not think it worth while to refute the fable once and for all. For in one of its forms the legend is that the bells were removed, and if anyone cares to believe that version he is still free to do so, failing evidence of the non-existence of a ring of bells prior to 1745. Canon Bardsley was evidently under the impression that the existing bell at St. Ann's is the same IIi CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. hell that tolled on the day tint the Pretender entered Manchester. But that is not so. The bell was cast In 1769, twenty-four years after the Scottish Rebellion. Is there any documentary evidence concerning the bell or bells in St. Ann's steeple prior to this date?

Page 85, line 12, for" 1791," read" 1761." Page 10+ STRETFORD. In reference to the single bell at the old chapel, Mr. G. H. Rowbotham writes me: "In December, 1886, a bazaar was held in Strctford to clear the debt on the new church of All Saints, and by request of the then Rector (Rev. Dudley Hart) I sketched a pictorial programme from material supplied by him, which programme ended 'in the words Oil our old Chapel bell, COME AWAY ~ll\l(E KO )JELAY,' Is it possible that this is the bell of 1\11 Saints?" I have not yet been able to follow np this line of enquiry, but from the motto here given it seems almost certain that the bell was one of I-i. 11(1 hall's. Bells by Rudhall with this motto occur at Croston (1787), Euxton (1723), Mouton (1725), Platt Chapel, Rusholme (171S), and Wigan (1732), nrul there was formerly one at Kenyon Peel Hall (1731).

PART III. (VOL. XXXIV.).

Page 54. S"\ILESTnlRY. For" Six bells," read" Eight bells." Page 55. The 110te 0[ the ts-nor is E, not F. CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 115

ADDENDA.

THE HUNDRED OF SALFORD. Notes on the bells of the following modern churches may here be added:-

ASHTON-UNDER-LYNE. ST. PETER. Eight bells. The church was built in J821. In December, 1871, a ring of eight bells, the gift of Mr. George Heginbottom, was placed in the tower. They were cast by Mears & Stai nbank, of Whitechapel. The inscriptions and diameters are given III Glover's History of Ashton, pp. 202-3, as follows :-,!,'

1. 1Jy gentle note shall lead the cheerful sound, Peace to this parish, may good will abound. (join, diarn.) 2. Our voices tell when joy our grief betide, Mourn with the mourner, welcome home the bride. (jr in, diarn.) 3. IIIay all the truth and harmony rejoice To honour Church and Queen with heart and voice. (33in. diarn.) 4. Prosperity attend old England's shore, Let Ashton flourish now and evermore. (35in. diam.) 5. \Vith loving voice I call to Church and Prayer, And bid the living for the grave prepare. (3Sin. dia m.) 116 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRe.

6. For mercies undeserved this peal is raised, To say Thy name, 0 God, through Christ be praised. (40in. diarn.) 7. Grateful for all and every blessing here \Ve look on high in faith and without fear. (43in. diam.) 8. This peal of eight bells (tenor 20CWt.) was given to St. Peter's Church, Ashton, 1871, hy George Heginbottom, Esq., J.P., Mayor of the Borough in the years 1853, 1854, and IS55, to the honour and glory of God. (49~in. diarn.)

Glover states that the cost of the bells, exclusive of hanging, wheels, frames, &c., was £560. Clappers, in addition, £10. lOS. ad. Total cost about £950. He further states that £100 was allowed for the old bell, which is said to have borne the inscription:- "Hi surgunt illi sacent mea movente lingua." In reply to an enquiry concerning this old bell, Messrs. Mears & Stainbank, the founders of the new ring, wrote to me as follows:- "The bell which formerly hung in the tower' of St. Peter's, Ashton-under-Lyne, was cast here [\Vhitechapel foundry] in the year 1839. Its weight was 20 cwt. I qr. 24Ibs., and it came back in October, 1871, when we made the peal of eight. The actual amount allowed for it was £97. lIS., 3d. as old metal for remelting. \Ve are sorry we have no record of the inscription." The weights of the bells are given by Glover as follows :- Cwrs. qrs. lbs. I 5 3 s :2 6 0 4 3 6 3 2-1 4 8 0 9 Cl1l:NCl1 I?FU.S OF LA,VC.1SHl[(f,· 117

CWlS. qrs. lbs. 5 9 I 27 6 10 2 2 7 13 2 4 8 19 2 0 The first memorial to a ringer fallen in the European War was placed in St. Peter's Church in 1915. The memorial is to Corporal Ernest Barton, Shropshire Light Infantry, who was killed near Lille, October 23rd, 1914. The tablet was dedicated on Sunday, March 7th, 1915, and erected in the belfry the following day (see Rin{.;iJ/{i !Vorld, March r qth, 1915).

MANCH ESTER. HOLY TRINITY, HULME. Eight bells. I am indebted to the rector, the Rev. H, A. Hudson, M.A., F.S.A., for the following particulars, which are taken from his parish magazine. The inscriptions were copied by the Rev. \V. E, Lomax and Mr. A, Wilson. The church was consecrated in 1843.

1. MEARS ET STAIN BANK LONDINI FECERUNT MDCCCLXXXVII 011 waist.' AD SANCTJE TRINITATIS GLORIAM ET IN MEMORIAM ARTHUR EARLE WELBY A·B, VIGINTI SEX ANNOS HUIUS ECCLESI,IE RECTORIS MORTUI A·D· MDCC<»

2. MEARS ET STAINBANK LONDINI FECERUNT MDCCCLXXXVIl 011 waist.' HAE DUAE CAMPANAE A CONGREGATIONE ET A PULSATORIBUS VOLUNTARUS SUNT COSITAE ANNO REGINAE VICTORIAE JUBILAEO W' H· BRAYSHAW, A·M· RECTORE C' ASWORTH} GARDIAN IS W' KEMP rr8 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRF:.

3. Ubol1las !IDeal'S jfecit 10lttltni mocccrtut 4. The same. 5. The same. 6. Ubol1las flDeal's jfedt 1olll:ltnt mocccrtttt On waist: ELEANOR1 ATHERTON HUIUS ECCLES· FUNDATRIX 1843. 7. C. AND G. MEARS, FOUNDERS, LONDON, 1845. On waist: VENITE EXULTEMUS DOMINO ELEANORA ATHERTON, AD. 1845. 8. C. AND G. MEARS, FOUNDERS, LONDON, 1845. 011 ieaisi : TE DEUM LAUDAMUS ELEANORA ATHERTON, A-D. 1845.

As will be seen from the inscriptions, four of the bells date from 1843, two from 1845, and the two trebles were added in 1887.

RAMSBOTTOM. ST. PAUL. Eight bells. The church was built in 1850, and there was originally a single bell cast in that year by C. & G. Mears, of \VhitechapeJ. It weighed 7cwt. r qr. 3Ibs., and was 36in. in diameter. This was replaced in 1881 by a ring of eight bells, which were recast in IgOO by J. Taylor & Co., of Loughborough. Their history is t hus set out on a tablet in the church :- A Peal of 8 Bells was hung in this Church A.D. 1881 No.1. Presented by T. Knowles Esq of Holcombe, about 10 years churchwarden. NO.2. Presented by L. Stead Esq. of Bank House. NO.3. Presented by the Vicar, Wardens, and Sides men. UlURUI llL'LLS OF LriNCASI/f/(I':. I ]I)

N() . ..j. j oy. 1\U.5. Prcscntcd by the Congregation. 0Jo.6. Worship. ~o. 7. Prayer. xu. t). To the Glory of Gou. \V. H. Corbould, Vicar. H. Heys } I' I 11 Churchwardens ]~.' r. cot 1 lye j. K. K. Stead) .' c.: 1-1' J Sidcsmcn 0. arnsoll

'1'11\; peal was recast ,I.J). 1900, the jubilee year of the churcu. A new clock was also placed in the tower. The present tenor is 36in. diameter and is inscribed-

TO THE GLORY OF GOD On unii»! : THIS PEAL OF 8 BELLS WAS HUNG A.D. 1881 AND WAS RECAST AD. 1900 THE JUBILEE YEAR OF THE CHURCH Oilier side (1/ toaisl : Circular trade mark of J. TAYLOR & CO. LOUGHBOROUGH. T1IC other bells have Taylor's name on the shoulder and tile inscriptions (as on tablet in church) on the waists.

ROYTON. ST. ANNE, LONGSIGHT. One bell.

I. IVIALLABY & C

The bell hangs in an unfinished south-east tower, \Vooden headstock. The church was built in 1909-10, consecrated January 27th, Ig10. Barnby Don lies near the river Don, about six miles below Doncaster.

WORSLEY. ST. MAI{!(, Eight bells.

1. "'. TAYL.OR & CO FOUNDERS LOUGH BOROUGH 1873 (30in. diarn.) 2. The same. 3. c;Ioria in ercetsts IDeo (below slunilderv, On ritn : a et \B . .Meara 1Lontltnt reccrunt mocccncr (32in. diarn.) 4. The same. (33in. diam.) 5. The same. (37in. diam.) 6. '" : TAYL.OR & Co BEL.L.FOUNDERS LOUGH- BOROUGH 1873 (40in. diarn.) 7. The same, (Hin. diam.) 8. The same. (About soin. diam.) Hung in wooden frames in west tower. The church was consecrated it! 1846, and Nos. 3, 4, and 5 are the original bells of that date given by the first Earl of Ellesmere. The treble and second were given by the parish in 1873, and the sixth, seventh, and tenor by the third Earl of Ellesmere. The weights are as follows:- Cwt~. qrs. 11>::;. I 6 I 27 2 G :) -J?- 3 7 0 0 4 7 2 0 5 '] 3 0 G II I 8 7 13 3 D Ii 21 0 q This document is provided for you by The Whiting Society of Ringers visit www.whitingsociety.org.uk for the full range of publications and articles about bells and change ringing

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