The Church Bells of

BY

F. H. Cheetham

File – 01: Part I The Hundreds of and Leyland

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 THE CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. THE CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

BY F. H . CHEETHAM.

FOREWORD. N addressing the members of the Antiquarian Society I on March.r jth, 1914, on the Church Bells of Lanca­ , I mad e no attempt to deal with the subject in detail, but was content, in a general way, to indicate its wide interest by using, perhaps rather casually, a large mass of notes that I had collected from time to time. In putting these notes into shape I found that th ey lacked much in completeness and were not made on a uniform system, consequently it has since been my endeavour to go over nearly all the ground afresh in order to bring something like order and uniformity to the material under my hand and to add to it when necessary. Originally it was my intention to deal only with the bells of the ancient parish churches and chapels of pre­ Reformation date, but it soon became abundantly clear that to follow this course would rule out a large number of eighteenth century bells and some of earlier date. The system, therefore, that I have gone upon is to include the bells of all churches founded before the year 1800, as well as the bells of this period which have found their way' into modern churches. It is obviously a matter of some difficulty to locate all these latter without a personal 'visit to every church in the county, and, con­ sequently, my list of such bells is probably incomplete. At the time of writing- (April, 1915) I have completed on this system a list of ' the bells in the hundreds of B 2 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

West Derby, Leyland, and Salford, but exigencies of space forbid the printing of the whole in the present volume of the Transactions. The hundred of Salford is, therefore, left .over till next year, and, it is hoped, the hundreds of Blackburn and Amounderness will (allow in 1917 and Lonsdale in 1918. Until the whole of the county has been covered it would obviously be unwise to attempt to give anything like a summary of results. What should have been under ordinary circumstances an introductory chapter is, therefore, held over to the end, and for the present a very short summary and analysis of results is prefixed to the list of bells in each hundred. Later on I hope to analyse the results in detail and to give a short account of the various founders whose work occurs in the county. To a large extent this must be a repetition of what has already been said in various volumes dealing with the bells of other counties, but it appears necessary, inasmuch as such books are not readily accessible to the average reader, and it should be the object of a writer not only to satisfy those already interested in his subject, but to arouse and create interest in those to whom the subject IS new. I hope, however, to be able to give a more complete notice of the foundry, held in the seven-' teenth and eighteenth centuries by the Scotts and Ashtons, than has already appeared. The hundreds of West Derby and Leyland are alone dealt with here. My notes should be taken as an " annotated schedule" rather than an exhaustive treatise. There is probably much more information to be gathered on the bells of every parish than I have put down here, and some of this I shall hope to incorporate if ever these notes assume a more permanent form. The extracts from churchwardens' accounts which I have given in CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 3 certain cases are mostly taken from printed sources, but I offer no apology for their reproduction in a fresh context. Had time permitted I should have endeavoured to procure further information of this nature from the books of all the older churches. For the present, how­ ever, I have been generally content to examine the bells themselves and to note their sizes and inscriptions. It is scarcely necessary to say that work of this nature demands time and patience, a fairly good constitution, old clothes, good humour, and sometimes muscular agility. It is, however, full of interest and excitement of a certain kind. Discoveries are sometimes made which more than com­ pensate for numberless disappointments, and surprises, pleasant and unpleasant, often await the bellhunter in other directions. To all who have .assisted me in my investigations I desire here to express my grateful thanks, and especially to those incumbents who have so readily given me access to the belfries under their charge. Where so many have made the way pleasant and smooth it would be invidious to single out anyone, but the recollection of much kindly hospitality and interest in my work will long be a pleasant memory. Only in one instance has the uniform courtesy extended to me been broken and access to the belfry been refused. Visiting Lowton (St. Luke's) on August 24th, 1914, three weeks after the outbreak of the war, the rector, despite a letter asking for permission to see the bells and stating the reason of my request, summarily refused to allow me to ascend the tower, and, not satisfied with my bona fides, caused me to be arrested as a spy and to be marched off in charge of two plain-clothes police sergeants to the county police station at Leigh, about three miles away. Afterwards, when I had established my identity and presumably had satisfied the rector as to the pacific 4 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. nature of my business, I proffered a second request,but was again refused. Subsequently, however, one of the churchwardens kindly went to some trouble on my behalf and sent me the information required. The bells at Lowton are, however, the only ones in the following lists that I have not personally examined. In addition to the clergy my thanks are due to Dr. R. T. Bailey, of , who has generously put at my disposal his notes on the old bells of S1. Peter's, Liverpool; to Mr. Ronald Stewart-Brown, M.A., F.S.A., for permission to use his account of the bells, printed in the Transactions of the Historic Society of Lanca­ shire and Cheshire; to Sir James de Hoghton, bart., for allowing me to inspect the bell at Hoghton Tower; to Mr. Charles Madeley, librarian and director of the Municipal Museum, ; and to Mr. H. B. Walters, M.A., F.S.A., whose opinions have always been at my disposal when I doubted my own. Mr. Walters kindly allowed me the use of a number of rubbings and MS. notes of Lancashire bells made c. 1871-80 by the Rev. T. A. Turner, of Burnley. The majority of these, however, refer to other districts than those here dealt with, but the inscription from the Hoghton Tower bell is reproduced from Mr. Turner's rubbing, the bell having since been recast. I have made every endeavour to copy the inscriptions with accuracy, and the printer has tried as well as he is able to reproduce the same as accurately as possible, a very difficult task, and sometimes insurmountable. As regards copying inscriptions, my own experience shows me how easy it is to make mistakes, for almost invariably when I have compared printed copies with the original I have found errors in spelling or order of words. But in correcting others it is very possible I have fallen into CHUNCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 5 errors myself, and I should be very grateful if read ers who are able to check me would point out any such errors. The inscriptions in all cases have been copied from th e bells th emselves. For those unfamiliar with the subj ect it may be necessary to say that, except where oth erwise stated, the inscription is placed round the upper part of the bell or " shoulder," just below the" crown" or top. The middle part of the bell is known as the"waist," the lower edge as the" sound bow." In nearly all cases the diameter of th e bell across the mouth is given in inches aft er th e inscription. The date 1552 refers to the inventory of church goods made by the commissioners of King Edward VI. in the sixth year of his reign and preserved at the Record Office. The Lancashire inventories have been printed by the Chetham Society, vols. cvii., cxiii., whence they are copi ed in the present case. F or the references to the MS. list of bells in Lancashire churches made by the famous antiquary Browne Willis about 1740 I am indebted to Mr. H. B. Walters. Browne Willis' MS. is in the Bodl eian Library, but th ere is a copy in the British Museum (Add. 30,316). F. H. C.

THE HUNDRED OF WEST DERBY. The hundred of West Derby comprises the ancient parishes of Altcar, Aughton, ChiJdwall, , , Leigh, , Orm skirk, , Sefton, W alton­ on-the-Hill, "Warrington, Wigan, and Winwick. With th e exception of Leigh all th ese parishes lie in and com­ prise the diocese of Liv erpool (formed in 1880). The diocese of Liverpool is divid ed into the archdeaconries 6 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. of Liverpool and Warrington. The archdeaconry of Liverpool includes the ancient parishes of Altcar, Aughton, Halsall, North Meols, , Sefton, Wigan, and part of Walton-on-the-Hill, The archdeaconry of Warrington includes Childwall, Huyton, Prescot, Warrington, and part of Walton-on-the-Hill. The diocese comprised two hundred and twenty-two modern parishes in 1915. Leigh is in the diocese and archdeaconry of . Of pre-Reformation chapels the principal were Ashton­ in-, Billinge, , West Derby, Farn­ worth, Garston, Hale, Hollinfare, , Park, Liverpool, , Melling, , and St. Helen's. Upholland Church represents the church of the Benedictine monastery at that place. Priory Church no longer exists. The oldest bells in the hundred are the single bell at Roby (1512), which was formerly at Huyton, and the tenor at Ormskirk (1497, recast 1576). The Roby bell is one of the most interesting in the county. As far as is yet known only two older bells dated with Arabic numerals exist in -one at Durham Castle (1495) and the other at St. Mary Bredin, Canterbury (1505). The earlier date on the Ormskirk bell is in Arabic numerals, but is probably only as old as the recasting. The greater part of the inscription, as well as the ornament, is almost certainly the old lettering, &c., re-used, and forms a very beautiful piece of work. The bell cannot, however, be counted amongst those of pre-Reformation date. The next oldest bells in West Derby hundred are probably the fifth and sixth (tenor) at Sefton by Henry Oldfield, of Nottingham, which, though undated, may be assigned to the end of the sixteenth century. The third and fourth at Sefton, also by Oldfield, are both dated 1601. One year earlier than these is the priest's bell, or CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 7

ting-tang, at Winwick (r600), which bears the initials R. 0., probably for Robert Orrell, bellfounder, of Wigan, though possibly Rowland Oldfield, of , may be indicated. The tenor at Huyton (1606) is the next oldest dated bell, but it bears no maker's name or mark. From the evidence of the lettering, however, it is from a Nottingham foundry and may be by Oldfield . Other seventeenth century bells occur at Warrington Parish Church; Holy Trinity, Warrington; All Saints, Hindley; and at Prescot. The oldest of these is the bell at Hindley, which was cast in r646 by John Scott, of Wigan. The bell at Holy Trinity, Warrington, also by John Scott, is only one year later (r647), but it originally hung in the court house and was the town's bell. The ting-tang at Prescot is dated 1684, and the original ring of six at Warrington Parish Church are by Henry Bagley, of Ecton, Northampton­ shire, r6g8. The number of existing eighteenth century bells is naturally much larger. A good number, however, have disappeared, in many cases having been recast. The earliest dated bells of this period are those in the churches of St. Catherine, Abercromby Square, Liverpool; St. Augustine, Everton; and St. John the Evangelist, Knotty Ash. All three were cast in 1707 by Abraham Rudhall, of Gloucester, and belonged to the original ring of four at St. Peter's, Liverpool. Their history has been investi­ gated by Dr. R. T. Bailey, of Liverpool. The other of these four bells has not been discovered; it may have been recast. The celebrated Gloucester foundry, held by the Rudhall family, supplied many bells to Lancashire. The next oldest Rudhall bells in the West Derby hundred are the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth at Ormskirk, dated 17r4. 8 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

The treble, second, and seventh were cast, or recast, by Thomas Rudhall in 1774. After Ormskirk, in point of date, comes Aughton, where the four bells are by Abraham Rudhall, 171S, and have Latin inscriptions, which is not usual in the work of the Gloucester foundry. The \Vigan bells are dated 1732, and there is a ting-tang, also by Rudhall, of the same date. The tenor was, however, recast in 1870, though the inscription was retained. The ring at Walton-on-the-Hill is by Abel Rudhall, 1736, but compared with Wigan is a light peal, the tenor weighing about 9 cwt., whereas that at Wigan is 28 cwt. At Lei gh there are six bells by Abel Rudhall, dated 1740, and two by ] ohn Rudhall, 1761. At Halsall the three older bells are all recastings in 1786 by Charles and J ohn Rudhall, and the tenor is by ] ohn Rudhall, 18Il. Another of]ohn Rudhall's bells is that at Christ Church, Hunter Street, Liverpool, cast in 1798. The old bells at Childwall, recast in 1912, were by Abraham Rudhall, 1722, but a treble had been added in 1751. The old inscriptions have all been ret ained. Other eighteenth century founders whose work occurs in the West Derby hundred are Richard Sanders, of Bromsgrove, and Luke Ashton, of Wigan. Sanders worked the Bromsgrove foundry from 1703 to 1738, and his bells are common in Worcestershire. He cast the famous eight at St. Helen's Church, Worcester (1706), whose inscriptions commemorate the victories of Marl­ borough in Flanders and Germany. Sanders' bells are to be found at F arnworth and Winwick. For Farnworth he cast five in 1718, but the tenor has been since recast. The Winwick bells date from 17Il, but the fourth was recast in 1882. Reference has already been made to the bells at Hindley and Warrington cast by John Scott, of Wigan. CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 9

This Wigan foundry was afterwards held by William Scott, whose bells occur as late as 1701, but a few years later Ralph Ashton was casting at Wigan, and it is possible he continued the Scotts' business. To Ralph succeeded Luke Ashton, five of whose bells are found in this hundred, viz., at St. Luke's, Lowton (1733); St. Peter's, (1746); Melling (1748); North Meols (1750) ; and Lathom Park (1756). In all five cases the inscriptions are in what are known as Roman" minuscules" or "lower case" type, a style of lettering which, together with the use of heart-shaped stops, is characteristic of Ashton's work. There was formerly a bell by Luke Ashton at In ce Hall, Wigan, but it was removed in 1912, and I have not as yet been able to locate it. The ting-tangs at Leigh (1715) and Ormskirk (1716), though bearing no founder's name, are, by the evidence of the inscriptions, almost certainly by Ralph Ashton, of Wigan. Other dated eighteenth century bells occur at Maghull (1709), Ashton-in-Makerfield (1773), St. Paul's, Liverpool (1776), Hollinfare (1778), and Holy Trinity, (1794). Of these the Ashton and Wavertree bells are from the Whitechapel foundry, but the others bear no founder's name. Three other ting-tangs are also of this period-St. James, (1775); Holy Trinity, Waver­ tree (1782), and Holy Trinity, Liverpool (1792). Most of the later bells are from the foundries of Mears (Mears & Stainbank since 1865) of Whitechapel, Taylor of L oughborough, and Warner of London. As regards the ancient parish churches the Whitechapel foundry is responsible for five bells at Huyton, eight at Prescot, one at Halsall, and two at Warrington. The Loughborough firm cast the single bell at Altcar, one at Halsall, and the tenor at Wigan. Mears is also represented at Astley, Atherton, Great Crosby, Kirkby, Liverpool (St. Peter), 10 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

Lawton CSt. Luke), and ; and Taylor at West Derby, Newton-in-Makerfield, Rainford, and Sankey. Messrs. Warner recast the ring at Childwall in 1912 and the tenor at St. Nicholas, Liverpool, in 1911. Their bellsare to be found at Garston, Liverpool (St. Stephen), Newchurch-in-Culcheth, and Upholland. The famous ring of twelve at St. Nicholas, Liverpool, is the work of William Dobson, of Downham, Norfolk (1812-3), but the tenor, as just stated, has been recast. Dobson's bells also occur at Hale, Sefton, Tyldesley, and Liverpool (St. Luke). The bell at Holy Trinity, Liverpool, may also be by Dobson, though it does not bear his name. At Billinge the single bell is by James BarweIl, of Birmingham, and the work of J. Murphy, of Dublin, is found at St. Paul's, Liverpool, and at Maghull. The work of the existing firms mentioned above is, of course, further widely distributed through the modern churches of the hundred, some of which are dealt with in the Addenda. With the exceptions, however, of St. Luke's, Liverpool, and Tyldesley, all the churches mentioned above were founded previous to the year 1800. I have been unable to trace a bell by Henry Penn, of Peterborough, dated 1706, which is said to have been formerly at Holy Trinity Church, \Varrington.

ALTCAR. One bell. Ott lower part of waist:

1. CHARLES FOUSHAW MINISTER JAMES RIGBY WILLIAM WARNER WARDENS 1844

On sound bow: J. TAYLOR & SON FOUNDERS LOUGHBOROUGH (19tin. diam.) CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. II

Hangs in wooden west turret, accessible from church through manhole, but there is no fixed ladder or other method of approach. "Foushaw" is an error for " Forshaw." The Rev. Charles Forshaw, B.A., was vicar from 1826 to 1856. The church was rebuilt in 1743 and again in 1879. The eighteenth century building had a cupola with one bell. 1552: .. One belle in the steple, j hande belle for a buryall.' ,

ASHTON-IN-MAKERFIELD. ST. THOMAS. One bell. I. PACK & CHAPMAN OF LONDON FECIT 1773 (23tin. diam.) Hang's in west tower. The space on the inscription band is filled up with a " Whitechapel pattern" border or chain of loops and lozenges. The church was rebuilt in 1706 and again in 1893.

ASTLEY. ST. STEPHEN. One bell,

I. C & G. MEARS FOUNDERS LONDON 1857. (zfiin. diam.) Hangs in west tower. The weight is given by Messrs. Mears on a card in the vestry as 4 cwt. 0 qr. 4lbs, The church was rebuilt in 1760, but the tower is a later addition.

ATHERTON. ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST. One bell.

I. C & G. MEARS FOUNDERS LONDON 1845 (21!in. diam.) Hangs in south-west tower. The original church was erected in 1645, but was rebuilt in 1814 and again in 12 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

1879. The present structure is a fine modern Gothic building, and the tower has room for a ring of bells, which, no doubt, will one day be added. The bell chamber measures 19ft. 6in. square internally.

AUGHTON. ST. MICHAEL. Four bells.

I. L.tETABILE NUNCIO VOTUM ROBTO TAYLOR .tEDlLI. A. (bell) R. 1715. (zfiin. diam.)

2. ALTO RESONABILE TEMPLO IOANE VALENTINE .tEDILI. A. (bell) R. 1715. (27in. diam.) 3. ECCLESIA FLOREAT USQUE Nrc: Lox- DALE A : M. CURATO. A. (bell) R. 1716. (zqin. diarn.)

4- PROQUA DUM MILITAT ORA RoTO HI N DLEY A: M RECTORE A. (bell) R. 1715. (jrin. diarn.)

By Abraham Rudhall, of Gloucester. Hung in tower, north-east of nave, between chancel and nave aisles. Wooden frames. Clock strikes hours on tenor. Bells rung from floor of church. The Rev. Robert Hindley, M.A., was rector from January, 1700-1 till his death in July, 172I. 1552: .. Three bells I the steple, ij Iyttill bells I the churche."

EXTRACTS FROM CHURCHWARDENS' AND CONSTABLES' ACCOUNTS. The following extracts from the churchwardens' (begin 1737) and constables' accounts a re taken from Mr. G . C. N ewstead's Annals of A ughton (1893) :- CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE, 13

CHURCHWARDENS' ACCOUNTS.

1740, For taking the great bell up wn fallen - 010 1741. Nov. 18. Givento the R ingers on Admiral Vernon's birthday 020 1742, Paid to the Ringers for ringing every Sabbath, as by agreement and keeping the bells in repair ­ 200 1745-6. Pd. for Ringing night and day for good news about vanquishing the R ebels o 16 0 Given to the Ringing at the Victory over the Rebells at Culloden 026 1749. Spent on the Ringers at proclaiming the peace ­ o 4 0 1758. Given on the King of Prussia's Birthday to the Ringers - 054 1759, Spent on the Ringers on the taking of Cherburg ­ 026 1771. To Edwd. Southwell for Ringing the 8 and one a clock Bell all the year - o .5 0 1818, 4 May. Resolved th at the present 4 bells to be put into a new frame, with iron stays for the wheels, and Mr . Charles Balshaw of Ormskirk to agree .. . to do it for £73. 1819. Chas. Balshaw's BiIl for repg. Bells - • 73 o 0 1831. Rin gers at the Death of Kin g George IV and Tolling - 0 80

CONSTABLES' ACCOUNTS. 1761. Spent at taking BoIlito 0 3 0 To taking Pondechery - 0 a 1762. To the Ringers at takin g Martinino 0 '"3 0 To the taking of the Havanah 0 10 0 In!. Spent at taking Long Island o 14 0 Spent at taking Rhode Island 0 9 0 To taking Ti cond eroga o 14 0 1718. To taking Statin Island o 17 4 To taking Philadelphia o 18 8 1780. Spent on the Rin gers, taking Charlestown 0 2 6. 1782. To a rejoicing day for Admiral Rodney 0 9 a 1793. Given to the Rin gers when news came of the taking of T oulon - 010 6 1794. ,To exs. on Ringers and others at three different times. Rejoicin g taking Martinico, the French fleet, & St. Domingo 1 16 6 1798. Exs. on Ringers when Admiral Nelson obt ained the Victory on the Nile 0 7 6 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

BILLINGE. One bell.

1. J. BARWELL BIRMINGHAM 1887 (2sin. diam.) Hangs in west cupola and accessible only 'by ladder from outside. The existing church was built in 1717-8, and the cupola is of that date. The vicar informs me that the old bell was sold for about £10 and went" St . Helen's way," but I have not been able to trace it. Th e new bell cost £28. lOS. 8d.

1552: .. j lyttill belle." The Rev. VV. A. Wickham, of Wigan, has noted the following entries in the churchwardens' accounts:-

1774. Paid John Taylor for Ale; that was had for Ringing on Holidays, and for Workpeople, as by bill o 12 2 1779. To Ringing and Expenses on 29th May 026 1794. May 29th. For Ringing and Liquor - 026 1801, October. Paid for Ringing and ale on account of Peace o 12 6 There are also many entries for ringing, &c., on November 5th.

BURTONWOOD. One bell.

1. No inscription. (zrin, diarn.) The bell is modern. The vicar (Rev. A. M. Mitchell, M.A.) in 1914 informed me that it was a new bell or the recasting of an old one" about twenty years ago;" at any rate during his incumbency, which began in 1891, but apparently no record has been kept. The bell is without inscription or inscription band. Its height is Isin., or including cannons rqin. CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

CHILDWALL. ALL SAINTS. Six bells.

1. Wf'!! BROWN LATE WARDEN INO. WHIT­ FIELD lOS. GRACE CH. WARDENS A (be]]) R 1751 (28in. diam.)

2. PEACE AND GOOD NEIGHBOURHOOD A (bell) R 1722 (join. diam.)

3. PROSPERITY TO TH IS PARISH A (bell) R (32in. diam.)

4. PROSPERITY TO THE CHURCH OF ENG· LAN 0 A (bell) R 1722 (33iin. diam.)

5. (No inscription. below shoulder.) Eugraoed on waist: GOD BLESS KING GEORGE AND QUEEN MARY H. E. ABBOTT }WARDENS J. G. RISHTON (36Mn. diam.)

6. I TO THE CHURCH THE LIVING CALL & TO THE GRAVE DOE SUMMONS ALL 1722 On waist: JOHN WARNER & SONS LONDON 1912 (4Iin. diam.)

Numbers I to 5 have in addition on the waist the quatrefoil trade mark of Messrs. 'Warner with the legend J w & S 1912

The beils are a recasting in 1912 by Messrs. John Warner & Sons of a ring of five by Abraham Rudhall, 1722, to which a treble had been added in 1751. The old inscriptions, but not the style of lettering, have been retained. All the bells have a border of running trefoil 16 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. ornament below the inscription band round the shoulder, and the spaces on the inscription band are filled up with similar ornament. No. 5 has no inscription, but two bands of ornament. The bells are hung in modern steel frames in the west tower, fixed clear of the walls so as to prevent injury to the fabric. The old bells were hung in oak frames. The weights, as supplied by Messrs. Warner, are as follows:- Cwt. qr s, lbs. 1 4 3 9 2 5 3 0 3 6 2 1 4 7 1 0 5 8 3 10 6 12 3 6 ----- Total 45 3 26 The bells were dedicated and first rung on June rjth, 1912• In 1552 there were" Twoo bells ." The history of the Childwall bells has been written by Mr. R. Stewart-Brown, M.A., F.S.A., in " Notes on Child­ wall," in the Transactions of theHistoric Society of Lancashire and Cheshire, 1913, from which, with the author's per­ mission, the following abbreviated account is taken: In 1517 three new bells were made for Childwall Church by Richard Seliock or Selyoke, of Nottingham, viz., a "great bell" weighing 518Ibs., a "lesser bell" weighing 417Ibs., and "Mr. Norris's bell" 411bs. In the inventory of 1552, as given above, only two' bells are mentioned, one having been sold before that date to John Plummer, of Chester, and the money bestowed in the repair of the church. The"great bell" is mentioned in the wardens' accounts for I 572, when John Roson came to see abou t the repairs to the bells. CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 17

In 1589 the" third" bell and the" little" bell occur. About 1593 the wardens spent two days and two nights at the church with the bell founders, consuming a pound of candles. Some of the bell metal was broken, and the repairs cost {3. 12S. 4d. In 1597 the wardens went to the foundry at Congleton about the recasting of a bell which, with some new metal, cost {5. 2S. 4d., besides carriage from Congleton. In 1598 Henry Whitfield, of Little \iVoolton, deceased, gave 6s. 8d. for the repair and mending of the bells. In 1603 one shilling was spent upon the bellfounders and the wardens when making an agreement to recast the third bell, and another shilling was paid in earnest money of the bargain. A special ley of {6. 5s. ad. was made, and the bell was taken to Congleton and recast. For this work and for I cwt. I gr. z lbs, of new metal flO. 25. 8d. was disbursed, whilst two bonds were entered into, one for "the upholding" of the bell for a year and a day, and the other for 20S. to be paid to the founder at Runcorn on the last day of April, 1604. May Day was spent in getting the bell up into the steeple. In 1617 (November) another special ley of {4. 3S. od. for the• repair of the bells became necessary. In 1639 a bell wheel was purchased for lOS. from the chapel-warden of Liverpool. In 1660-1 the ringers rang the bells on the Restoration Day of Charles 11., and all day on the anniversary of his coronation, with the result that the first bell was burst. Th.e vicar (Rev. John ) visited Liverpool to bargain with the bellfounder. A sum of 3S. 3d. was spent when Edward Markland and another came to Childwall and "we did consummate the bargaine with them about the bell and it was knoct in peeces." When the vicar and one of the wardens went to Wigan C 18 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. to see the bell recast "the mettall did run upon the workmen." Another visit was necessary "to see the bell broke out of the mould" and weighed. Markland was paid [7. IS. Sd. for the casting and overweight and gave a bond for the security of the bell. Something, however, went wrong, as IS. 4d. was afterwards spent upon the H uyton ringers when they came "to try if they could mend the first bell in its ringing." In 1680 the wardens went to Liverpool to see the bell­ found er about recasting two of the bells. Two attendances at Childwall are entered to seal th e bonds and articles of agreement with William Scott, bell founder, of Wigan; also a visit to Wigan to see the bells cast and weighed. When the new bells had been drawn up into the steeple the Huyton ringers were called in to test them, but the peal was not found satisfactory, so a musician from Liverpool was procured for two shillings to give his judgment and censure on the bells. Upon him, th e founder, the ringers, and others five shillings was spent on the day of the tri al. Apparently the little bell was out of tune, as it had to be taken down. It was rehung twice and rung, but not approved, and the wardens went to Mr. , a lawyer, "to put on suit " against William Scott. The proceedings, however, were not gone on with, as the accounts of 1681 show th at Scott came a third time, and th e bell was th en approved of. For the two recast bells and for extra metal Scott received [20. In 1721-2 the question of the bells came before several vestries. J ohn Plumbe and John Fl etcher were asked to assist the parishioners to obtain estimates for recasting the first bell, then broken, and making it into the fourth, and for recasting all the bells" for making of them more tuneable," with the addition of a fifth. CHURCH BELLS OF LAN CASHIRE. 19

At a vestry on January 17th, 172t-2, a letter from Abraham Rudhall was read, and it was unanimously agreed to have all the old bells recast, to make up the metal to 3,100Ibs. weight, and to add a fifth bell; but the proposed weight not being thought sufficient it was increased to be as near 4,000 lbs. weight (1 ton IS cwts. 2 qrs. 24Ibs.) as th e bellfounder could contrive to cast the bells. The wardens went to Farnworth to enquire what their new bells had cost. In Childwall twenty leys were levied, but eighteen more had to be made, and, as some of the parish made a scruple to pay, the wardens took authority to have recourse to the law. In 1722 the old bells were taken down and weighed and sent off to Rudhall's works, and the new set appears to have been hung the same year. The bell founder received £rSS, Mr. \Vrigley, the hanger, £20 odd, and the carriage of the bells by Robert Jackson led to a dispute and a verd ict in his favour for 28s. in the wapen­ take court of West Derby, which was set aside at the assizes. Ultimat ely the wardens paid him the mon ey with the addition of £8. lOS. costs. A board in the church bears the following statement: "At the request of the inh abitants of Childwall Parish ye Lady Dowager Gerald, of Garswood, gave ten guin eas, part thereof for erecting this -seat for ye use of t~ e church­ wardens, and the surplus towards erecting five new bells hung in ye steeple of this church in th e year of our Lord 1722. William Wood, William Lake, churchwardens." In 1751 the parish resolved to hang a new treble bell in the steeple, and purchased one at Shrewsbury, apparently from Mr. Rudhall. The accounts contain an item of 2S. 4d. for postage on seven letters betwixt the bellfounder and the wardens. The wardens paid £42. 8s. gd. to the founder and £22 odd to Joseph Grace, of Allerton, "laid 20 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. down for the new bell for the parish by agreement." The hanging expenses, &c., were some £15. The ring of six bells then completed remained III use till 1912. Mr. Stewart-Brown also gives some extracts from the church books in reference to the ringing, &c., of the bells:-

1577. Edward Norres, of , in his will dated 29th January, 1577, left 5S. towards the reparation of Childwall Church, and a similar sum to the clerk to ring- the bells after hi s death. 1635. A meeting of the parishoners ordered that .. he that keepeth the clock and ringeth curfews shall have xiid . per annum for his paynes ; and also the rin ger s vi s. vii id . per annum to ring every Sunday in this manner followin g, to wilt, the sexten one pealeatt seaven of the clock, the clark and sexten another peale att eight of the clock, and th e clark, sexton, and the other ringers another peale at! nyne of the clock ." 1677. The fee of the clerk for tending the clock and ringing curfew and the great bell every Sabbath at 8 a .m. and 1 p.m. was now I5s. 1694. December. The clerk tolled the bell for three hours on the day that Queen Mary was interred and received IS. 17I4. A sum of 7S. 6d. was paid for ringing on the day that the news came that King George h ad arrived in England. The bell s were often ru ng as usual for vict ori es by land and sea . After 1722 the sum of 25s. is annually entered in the parish book" paid to the clerk for ringing curfew, tending the clock, sweeping the church, ringing the third bell at 7, the fourth and fifth at 8 in the morning, and the fourth and fifth at 1 every Lord's day in the year. "

On a board in th e ringing chamber arc the following­ oddly punctuated rules:-

If for to ring a man comes here : Rin gin g sacred : its Laws revere: These rin ging Laws must be well us' d : That rin gers may, not be abus'd : If ri nger wears hi s spur or hat; One quart of ale he pa ys for th at : If whil e he ring s, hi s bell o'erthrow ; Sixpence he Pays before he go: But if he's heard to swear or curse : Demands One Shilling of his Purse : If to th ese Laws he does conform ; The rin ger s part he may Perform. CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 2 1

A popular rhyme, printed by Messrs. Harland and Wilkinson in Lancashire Legends (1873), page 183, bears witness to the celebrity of the Childwall bells in old days:- Prescot, Huyton, and merry Childow, Three parish churches all in a row; Prescot for mugs; Huyton for ploydes; Childow for ringing and singing besides.

" Ploydes," or ploys, are said to be "merry meetings," though some think ploughs are meant. Another version is-

Prescot for Poverty, Huyton for Pride. Childwall for ringing and singing beside.

CROSBY, GREAT. ST. LUKE. Six bells.

1. G. MEARS & Co FOUNDERS LONDON 1863 (27Mn. diam.) 2. The same. (30in. diam.) 3. The same. (32in. diam.) 4. The same. (33in. diam.) S. The same. (34in. diam.) 6. The same. (38in. diarn.) Hung in wooden frames in two tiers, two above, in west tower. Weights and notes as given on card in ringing chamber:

Cwts. qrs. lbs. Note. I 4 2 II E 2 5 a 23 D 5 5 3 14 c 4 7 o 14 B 5 8 o 12 A 6 9 3 9 G Total 40 2 27 22 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE .

The old chapel of St. Michael was rebuilt in brick in .1774, but was pulled down in 1864, though th e tower continued to stand till 1880. It presumably contained a bell. The present church was erected on a new site in 1853. . 1552 : "j lyttill belle ."

FARNWORTH. ST. LUKE. Six bells.

1. LON DON 1789 (28in. diam.) 2. MAKE NO DELAY BUT COM A WAY 1718 (zqin. diam.) 3. GEORGE ROBINSON (join. diarn.) 4. HEN RY FORSTE R (jrin. diarn.) 5· TH LJ RSTON BRlTCH RICHAR D ROLJGH- SEDGE 1718 (34in. diam.) 6. HENRY HARGRAVES MINISTER R. SANDERS CAST US ALL 5 1718 On waist: RECAST BY JOHN TAYLOR AND C~ BELLFOUNDERS LOUGHBOROUGH 1882 (jqiu. diam.) Numbers 2, 3, 4, and 5 are by Richard Sanders , of Brornsgrove, and the tenor is a recasting of Sanders' tenor by Messrs. Taylor in 1882. Sanders worked th e Bromsgrove foundry from 1703 to 1738, and his bells are common in Worcestershire. He often uses" lower case" type in his inscriptions, like Luke Ashton, but not universally, as shown here. Other bells of his in Lanca­ shire occur at Winwick and Deane. No.2 is the treble of the original ring of 1718. The present treble is very much weathered and may have had a longer inscription, now indecipherable. The lettering is smaller than that on the other bells. If this were the whole of CH URCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE, 23 the inscription the bell is probably by John W arner. Sanders' letters are cast each on its own pat era and are Ii:rin,. high , in type somewhat similar to those used by Abraham Rudhall. The bells are hung in wooden frames in th e west tower. The old tenor became cracked in 1880. The Rev. H enry H argreaves was vicar till his dea th in 1732. 1552 : "Three bells & a sancte belle,"

FORMBY. ST. P ETER. On e bell.

I. :.: Thomas' Browen . Robert· Sutton' Chapel· Wardens ·1746 I Ll.lke Asht on I. . . W lga n Feel (23m • diarn. ) . The bell hangs in a west turret and is accessibl e by a ladder. It is by Luke Ashton , of Wigan , a nd the inscription is in his characteristic " lower case " lettering with heart-sh aped stops, with a device in front of five such stops arranged as shown. The Robert Sutton named on the bell is buried beneath a flat stone on the south side of th e church. H e died in September, 1791, aged 83. The church is a well-designed bri ck buil ding erec ted in 1746.

GARSTON. ST. MICHAEL. 8 + I bells. 1-7. CAST BY JOHN WARNER & SON LONDON 1877 8. 'the same. • On waist: PRESENTED, TO ST MICHAEL'S CHURCH GARSTON IN MEMORY OF J . LIGHTBODY ESQR WHO DIED A·D· 1848 AGED 80 YEARS BY HIS DAUGHTER M· A' LIGHTBODY (40!in. diam.) CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

PRIEST'S BELL. On waist: 1206 RECAST 1882 AT THE EXPENSE OF SAMUEL GOUGH CHURCHWARDEN THROUGH WHOSE INFLUENCE THIS PEAL OF 8 BELLS WERE GIVEN Ott sound bow : J . WARNER & SONS LONDON 1882 (r yin. diam.)

Hung in wooden frames in north-west tower, in two tiers. The weight of the tenor is given as 12!cwt. The present church dates from 1876-7, replacing a small rectangular building with west bellcot erected in 1716, but not pulled down till 1888. This in its time had replaced a rnedireval chapel, of which fragments have been recovered. The existing priest's bell is a recasting of the bell from the eighteenth century building, but there appears to be no clear evidence about the date of the bell itself. Puzzled as to the date 1206 on the bell, I made enquiries concerning it in April, 1915, and have gathered the following information. The old bell appears to have been taken from the eighteenth century chapel to the new church in 1878, but was cracked during the removal. It was, therefore, decided to recast it. Mr. Ceo. W. Hughes, an old resident in Garston and one of the sidesmen of the church, who had much to do with the recasting of th e bell, writes: "With regard to the date, the second numeral was nearly obliterated and we left it to Messrs. Warner to decide whether it was meant for a 2 or a S and they decided on a 2. My own opinion was that it was a very ancient bell that had been recast before." Mr. Hughes was probably more near the truth than Messrs . Warner, CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. but, as no rubbing of the old inscription has been kept and as Messrs. Warner's books perished in the Cripplegate fire, it seems impossible now to arrive at any definite conclusion in the matter. The date 1206 is obviously wrong, the use of Arabic numerals entirely precluding it, and whether it was 1506 is very doubtful, though possible. Arabic numerals were rare at that period, though in use from the end of the fifteenth century. At Roby (q.v.) the date 1512 is in Arabic numerals. If it could be proved that the Garston bell was dated 1506 it would be a valuable addition to the yet very scanty list of bells with early Arabic numerals. It is, however, just possible that the date was 1706, or even 1716 (the year of the re­ building of the chapel). Or, more likely, it may have been 16°5, in which year a new beII "tuneable to the third' bell now hanging in the steeple" was provided and cast at Congleton by George Lee, at a cost of £32. 55. 6d. it.' This seems to be the best theory. 1552 : .. One belle."

HALE. ST. MARY. 6 + I bells. 1. THE GIFT OF JOHN WATKINS ESQ. CAST WITH METAL FROM THE CHEADLE COPP~ WK~ 1814 (zfiin. diam.)

2. WILLIAM DOBSON FOUNDER DOWNHAM NORFOLK 1814 (27in. diam.) 3. H. LAYLAND CHAPELWARDEN. T. GRACE SIDESMAN 1814 (29in . diam.) 4. CHURCH AND KING. JOHN WATKINS ESQR DITTON 1814 (30in. diarn.) • v. C. H. Lancs., iii. 128, quoting Norris Deeds in B ritish Museum. It is mentioned that the old Sa int s' bell weighed 901bs. 26 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

5. REV~ JOSEPH HODGKINSON, B.D. MIN ISTER: REV~ W~ STEWART CURATE 1814. (32in. diarn.) 6. JOHN BLACKBURNE ESQ~ M.~ LO~D OF THE MANOR OF HALE 1814 (36in. diam.)

PRIEST'S BELL. No inscription. (I4in. diam.) Hung in wooden frames in west tower and rung from floor of church. The priest's bell hangs in the north window of the bell-chamber. It has a band of ornament below the shoulder and may have had originally a date or inscription, but is now very much weathered. It is no longer used.

1552 : "Three bells." "There were two bells here weighing 7cwt. at 1201bs. per cwt ., which were taken away, their value being £5. 55." (Gastrell, Notitia Cestriensis, ii. 170).

The Rev. Joseph Hodgkinson, B.D., fellow of Brasenose College, Oxon., was vicar of Hale from 1813 to 1817, when he became rector of Didcot. Mr. John Watkins was ag-ent of the Hale estates. He is described by Gregson (Portfolio of Fragments) as "that truly loyal and patriotic gentleman." Hence, no doubt, the inscription, "Church and King." Weights and notes as given on card in tower:-

I 4i-cwt. approximate. Note F. 2 E flat. 41- " " " D flat. 3 Sf "" " 6 c. 4 " "" B flat. 5 7 """ 6 A flat. 9 " "" CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 27

HALSALL. ST. CUTHBERT. Six bells.

1. RECAST AT THE EXPENCE OF JOHN SEGAR GENT 1786. (z8in. diam.) 2. RECAST AT THE EXPENCE OF THE REVo GLOVER MOORE RECTOR 1786 (join. diarn.) 3· MEARS & STAINBANK FOUNDERS LONDON 1876 (3zin. diam.) 4. RECAST BY SUBSCRIPTION 1786 (33in. diarn.) 5. 1887 (34in. diam.)

6. I. RUDHALL FECT T. HULME & E. BLUNDELL CHURCH WARDENS 1811 (38in. diam.)

Hung in iron frames in west tower. The treble, second, and fourth belong to the ring of six cast by Charles and John Rudhall, of Gloucester, in 1786. The tenor and third were recast, as stated, in 181 I and 1876 respectively, and the fifth by John Taylor & Co., of Loughborough, in 1887. On the waist of the fifth is Taylor's circular trade mark. The inscriptions on the old third and fifth have been recorded. Thomas Kirkland Glazebrook, in his Guide to ~second ed., 1826), thus describes the Halsall bells (p. H4) :-

There were formerly only four bells; there are six now, bearing the following inscriptions: FlRsT.-This bell was re-cast at the expence of John Segar, gent. in 1786. SECOND,-This bell was recast at the expence of Glover Moore. Rector in 1786. 28 CH URCH B EL L S OF LANCASHIRE.

THIRD,-This bell was cast at the expence of Charles Lewis Mordaunt, Esq., 1780. FouRTH ,-Re·cast by subscription 1786. FIFTH.-This Peall was cast at Gloucester by Charles and Joho Ru dhall 1786. SlxTH,-Joho Rudhall Feet I8Il. Thomas Hulme and Edward Blundell, Churchwardens. Weight of the Tenor Bell , gcwt. z qrs. rz lbs.

As Glazebrook is not strictly accurate in his transcript of the inscriptions on three of the four bells that remain we may assume that the wording on the old third followed that on the first and second and that the dat e was 1786. The inscription on the tenor is engraved, not raised. The Rev. Glover Moore, B.A., was rector of Halsall from 1778 to 1809. He was the son of Nicholas Moore, of Barton, in this parish. There is a mural monument to him in the church, where he is descr ibed as "formerly, for about a year, minister of Melling Chapel, then for six years of Standish Church, afterwards for eleven years of the parish church of Liverpool, and sub­ sequently for thirty-one years Rector of this Parish." Charles Lewis Mordaunt, the donor of the old third bell, was lord of th e manor 1757.1808. W eights and notes of the old ring (1786) as given on card in vestry :-

I 4icwt. approximate. Note E. D. 2 5 " " " c. 3 st " " " 6 B. 4 " " " 8 A. 5 " " " 6 10 G. " "" 1552 : " Three bells, one lyttil belle ."

The ,sanctus bellcot still remains over the east gable of the nave, above the chancel arch. CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

HINDLEY. ALL SAINTS. One bell.

1. a~ol O::lCI ara.iasxs NI AIs:IOJQ:> W al (zoin. diarn.)

Hangs in cupola over west gable, accessible from inside. The bell is by John Scott, of Wigan, whose initials fls are on'the waist below the date. The letters or groups of letters are on separate paterse, and there is a short band of ornament, 4in. long, to fill up the inscription spac e. The inscription should read

GLORIA IN EXSELSIS DEO 1646.

The whole, however, is reversed, owing to the founder having put the letters the right way in the mould, so that they come out wrong in the casting. The N and the first s in EXSELSIS, however, come out right. For facsimile of lettering see plate. Hindley Chapel was built in 1641 and rebuilt in 1766. The eighteenth century structure still stands. It is rather remarkable to find a church bell cast in this year in this part of the country. There are very few others of this date in England. Anoth er of Scott's bells with the same inscription, but dated 1654, is at Edenfield, near Bury. The minister of Hindley Chapel in 1646 was Thomas Tonge. He is said to have been the first settled minister here and to have used the Prayer Book at first. But, as pointed out by the Rev. W. A. Wickham,;K' "He was certainly a Presbyterian in 1646, for he was a member of the classis,

... Some Notes on Hindley Chapel ,. in T railS . H istoric Soc. Lanes. 0­ elm.. 1910. 30 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. or classical presbytery, for the parishes of Warrington, Winwick, Leigh, Wigan, Upholland, and Prescot." Adam Martindale described 1646 as "that bustling year wherein the presbyterial and congregational governments were like Jacob and Esau struggling in the womb."* Mr. Wickham, who has examined the wardens' accounts, writing of the chapel in the eighteenth century, says: "There was only one bell, but there .were ringers who drank much ale at the churchwardens' expense on such days as November 5th, or the 'taking of Quebeck,' &c. In 1789 the sexton was allowed two guineas a year for ringing the bell and keeping the chapel yard in decent repair. He was paid extra 2S. 6d., 3S., or even 4S. 6d. for ringing for news or for victories."

HOLLINFARE. ST. HELEN. One bell.

1. IOHN . WRIGHT 1778 (I Bin. diam.) Hangs in cupola in wooden frame over west gable, accessible from inside. The name is on one side (east) and the date on the other. The inscription is in plain block letters slightly over tin high. The ancient chapel of Hollinfare was built about 1500, and rebuilt 1735. Who John Wright was I have not been able to ascertain, but most likely he was chapel warden.

HUYTON. ST. MICHAEL.. Six bells.

1. C. e t o. neAR) LONDINI FeceRUNC 1846 (32kin. diam.)

• Quoted by Dr. Halley in Lancashire: Its Puritanism and Nonconformity, ii·78. CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 31

2. The same. (34in. diam.)

3. MEARS & STAINBANK, FOUNDERS, LONDON, 1872. (36in. diam.)

4. Same as No. 1. (40in. diam.)

5. MEARS & STAI N BAN K, FOU N DERS, LONDON, 1873. (42in. diam.)

6. -I- IJlCOB~S + WI££IJlm + €JlR£€ + 01 + nJiRBIS -I- €n + tORB~K -I- €SQ + PJI€ x nJlRm6tOn -;- €SQ + n€n -j- StJln£€y -;. €SQ 1606 tOm -I- StJln£€y -i- €SQ -I- to + WOO£1J1££ + 6€n -I- €n + StOC£€y -I- 101m x ORIn€ + wm we II) (46in. diam.)

Hung in wooden frames in west tower. The bells were .ehung in 1905 by J. Taylor -S; Co. of Loughborough. Up to 1846 there were four bells, but in that year the ring was increased to six. A medireval bell, 40in. :iiameter, was discarded and afterwards given to the new church at Roby (q.v.), but the tenor was retained. The weights of the 1846 ring are thus given on a card in the possession of the vicar: Cwts. qrs . lbs . I 6 2 19 2 7 all 3 8 I 15 4 12 2 8 5 12 2 18 6 1<) approximate. 3 2 CHURCH BELL'S OF LANCASHIRE.

The thi'rd and fifth were recast in 1872 and 1873 respectively. A comparison of the lettering on the tenor with that on the third and fourth bells at Sefton (q.v.), which are by Henry Oldfield, of Nottingham. 160r, led me to believe that this was also one of Oldfield's bells. I submitted this opinion, together with a rubbing, to Mr. H. B. Walters, M.A., F.S.A., and he replied: "The bell is un­ doubtedly from the Nottingham foundry, and presumably by Henry Oldfield. The cross and lettering are the same as at Bitterley, Salop-that is to say, the lettering bears a very close resemblance to the Bitterley alphabet. My own impression is that Oldfield, who uses this same alphabet often elsewhere, either made up a set of letters in imitation of the rnediseval stamps, which were too worn to use when they came into his hands, or used those which were still good, and made up the alphabet with new types." The bells at Bitterley, Acton Scott, Clungunford, Highley, and Munslow, in Shropshire (the third bell in each case), are by a Worcester founder of unknown name of the fifteenth century (see Walters' Cliurcli Bells of Shropshire, 1915). The stamps used in the 'Worcester foundry in the fifteenth century were afterwards acquired by Oldfield, who used them or imitated them. They first appear at Nottingham about 1585. The names on the tenor are presumably those of the donors of the bell. James William, , was the sixth earl (died 1642), father of the "Martyr of ;" Edward Torbuck (died 1608) was the lord of the manor of Tarbock; Percival Harrington (died 1609) held the manor of Huyton; and Thomas Woolfall the manor of W olfall. The lettering on the first and fourth bells is in the large CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 33 fancy rnediseval type affected by Mears at the time of the Gothic revival. The letters are 1iin. high. The letters on the tenor are 1Mn. high, each on its separate patera. The inscription is in two lines, the beginning of the second line being immediately below the date, and the stops are all of one type, except those in front of the names "Harington" and" Orme," which are St. Andrew's crosses. PRIEST'S BELL.-A small bell, or ting-tang, formerly hung in the tower above the other bells in the east window. It was taken to the new church of St. Gabriel, H uyton Quarry, in 1894, where it now hangs in front of the west gable. It is 15in. diameter and is inscribed on the waist with the names of T. Walker, E. Speed, and Vi. Gore, churchwardens, 1836. It has the appearance of an ironmonger's casting. 1552: "iiij bells whereof ij as the said churche wardens do alledge be unpaied foure Mil the said iiij belles were boght of the Kyngs Mr" cornyssions ." 1740. Browne Willis about this time notes four bells at Huyton.

RINGING CUSTOMS (1882).-" On Sunday one bell is rung at 7 a.rn. and two bells at 8 a.rn., in addition to th e ordinary ringing for divine service. The passing bell is tolled as follows: Two for a child under twelve, three for a woman, and four for a man, and after a short interval the bell is, again tolled for a number of strokes equal to the age of the deceased. The curfew is rung from the first Thursday after the rzth of October (this date being what is known as Huyton Wakes), and continues ringing each evenin g to the 25th of March" (Trans, Historic S oc. Lanes, G Chesh., xxxiv. 86). D 34 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

EXTRACTS FROM CHURCHWARDENS' ACCOUNTS. Thefollowing extractsfrom the churchwardens' accounts, relating to the bells, are taken from the Transactions of the Historic Society of Lancashire and Cheshire, vol. xxxiv. The accounts begin in 1783 :-

1783. To the Ringers when we were chosen • 010 To three Ringing days at 8s. 14 0 To the Ringers allowance on those days 03 0 To our attending the Ringing days ' 0 12 0 To the Rin gers on Christmas Day o 5 o 1788. To the Ringers for puting the oak on ye Tower (this refers to a large bough of oak which is even at the present day [1882] hung on the church tower on the 29th May) 020 1801. To the Ringers when News Came from Sir Hide Parker - o 10 0 To do. when News Came about the Peace on the 4 th of Oct. o 10 6 To do. when the Definity of Treaty was Signed - 0 5 0 1815. To the R ingers when news came from France 0 6 4 To do. when Buonaparte gave himself up to the English Fleet o IS 0

KIRKBY. ST. CHAD. Two bells.

1. C & G. MEARS FOUNDERS LONDON 1852. (Z3in. diam.)

2. neAR5 & 5CAINBANI( fOUNDeR5 LONDON 1870. On waist. \l\lul In pctra bee tunoaett Uemplum et ocuts ornavtt Me subtuuem hie otcavtt, Minlgtrnm noettum, 'JLretabuntur pcentreures Me ctamantem auotentee, couecntte, omnes gentes, :Btloremlls IDolllll\um. t6oin. diam.) CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. '35

Hung in central tower in wooden frames. The present church was built 186g-71. There is room for a ring of bells in the tower, the bell chamber measuring zrft, gin. by 25ft. gin., with the greater length north to south. The smaller bell was at the old church, pulled down in 1875. The clerk, Mr. Richard Hesketh, informed me in Ig13 that another small bell from the old church was sent" to a mission church in South Africa" some sixteen or seventeen years ago, but I have not been able to trace it. The tenor bell has a band of ornament below the founder's name and round the sound bow. It was cast for the new church. 1552: .. ij bells."

KNOTTY ASH. (See LIVERPOOL.)

LATHOM PARK CHAPEL. One bell.

1. Robert Bootie : Esqr 1756 (zrin. diam.)

Hangs in octagonal west turret, accessible through manhole from west gallery. By Luke Ashton, of Wigan, though it does not bear his name. The lettering is in his characteristic "lower case" type, and the stops after " BootIe" are heart-shaped. The chapel is asmall rectangular structure attached to the almshouses in Lathom Park. The almshouse was founded by the second Earl of Derby for a chaplain and eight bedesmen in 1500. The building is of about this date. Robert BootIe, Esq., whose name is on the bell and was no doubt its donor to the chapel, was brother of Sir 36 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

Thomas , of Melling, who purchased the Lathom estate in 1724. Robert succeeded his brother in 1753, and was lord of the manor of Lathom till his death in 1758. He has a monument in Melling- church. He was succeeded by his daughter"Mary, who married "Richard Wilbraham, of Rode Hall, Cheshire, in 1755. Their son, Edward Bootle-Wilbraham, was created Baron in 1828, and his grandson (born 1837), Earl of Lathom, in 1880. The present peer is sixth in descent from Robert Bootie.

ST. MARY. 8 + I bells.

1. WHEN YOU US RING WE'LL SWEETLY SING 1761 (join. diam.) 2 . PEACE & GOOD NEIGHBOURHOOD 1761 (jrin, diam.) 3· JOHN KIGHLEY A (bell) R 1740 (33in. diam.) 4- J OH N Gu EST A (bell) R 1740 (35in. diam.) 5· J OH N MORT A (bell) R 1740 (38in. diam.) 6. SAMUEL HILTON CH-WARDEN A (bell) R 1740 (4oin. diarn.) 7· GEORGE SIDLOW CH-WARDEN A (bell) R 1740 • (43in. diarn.) 8. WILL~ FARRINGTON VICAR JOHN HEYS CH -WARDEN WE WERE ALL CAST AT GLOUCESTER BY ABEL RUDHALL 1740 (48in. diarn.) CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 37

PRIEST'S BELL.

George Heilkton • Warden 1715

On waist: Wiggan. (II!in. diam.)

Hung in west tower. The first and second are by John Rudhall, of Gloucester, and were added to Abel Rudhall's ring of six. In 1693 there were four bells in the tower, two of which, the third and tenor, had been recast at Leigh in 1663 (see below). A fifth was added in 1692, and in 1705 the second and fourth were recast by Gabriel Smith, of Congleton. The five bells were recast and made into six in 1740. The names on the ring of 1740 are those of the wardens of the six townships of Westleigh, Pennington, Bedford, Atherton, Tyldesley­ with-Shakerley, and Astley. The priest's bell is almost certainly by Ralph Ashton, of Wigan, though it bears neither his name nor initials. It is very badly weathered and flaked, however, and there may possibly have been originally something more than "Wiggan" on the waist. The warden's name is difficult to decipher, and is given by J. E. 'Worsley (History of Leigh Church, 1870) as "Heilnton." Mr. Worsley, how­ ever, gives the date as 1755 and in another place 1775, both of which are wrong. My rubbing, though inconclu­ sive, makes the name appear" Heilkton," though probably Hilton is meant. The lettering on the priest's bell is in the "lower case" type always used by Ralph and Luke Ashton. The bells were rehung and quarter turned in 1877 by Mears & Stainbank at a cost of £145, raised by public subscription; reopened November rst, 1877. Again re­ hung with steel girders and iron framework in 1901, at a CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. cost of £278. lOS., also defrayed by subscription; reopened December 14th, rqo r. Weight of tenor, 21CWt. Key E flat. 1552. .. Fawre bells, a sanctus belle and an other small belle."

The following extracts relating to the bells are taken from Leigh in the Eighteenth Century, by Josiah Rose (1882) ;-

1663. In the diary of Roger Lowe, apprentice to Mr . Hammond, a Leigh mercer, and manager of his branch shop at Ashton-in-Makerfield, there is an entry dated aznd November, 1663. Roger Lowe on that day visited Leigh and wrote: .. 22. Lord's Day. I went to Leigh and att noon John and I went to Twisse barn to see all those preparations in readiness to the casting of Leigh great Bell, and third bell, which bells lay in steeple." From this it would seem that two bells were recast in Leigh at this time. 1693. From the papers relating to an assessment preserved among the diocesan records at Chester, we learn further that in 16g3 the church of Leigh possessed four bells, and there was room for a fifth. A parish meeting was held and a fifth bell ordered to be bought. A dispute, how­ ever, took place owing to some five or six of the parishoners objecting, and a case was submitted to counsel. In this it was stated "that the more considerable part and persons of the Parish of Leigh had long thought of adding a fifth bell to the four old ones, and especially because they found a place left for one which they believe, and have in great measure proved, was left when the other four were hung, and more especially because they have several of them heard their ancestors say that at the request of Mr. Atherton, then of Atherton in that parish, Queen Elizabeth bestowed the other four on the parish, and that a fifth was designed to be added at the Parish charge. In the years 1691 and 1692 the parishoners met on a day duly prefixed and appointed and concluded to have the fifth bell added and for the charge of these and amending what was amiss about the rest they ordered the Churchwardens to agree with a Bellfounder, who having first applied themselves to the Bishop, and got his verball consent they came to an agreement with a bell-founder for £60 which was £10 on each Township in the Parish." 1705. The entries in the churchwardens' accounts for 1705-7 refer not to additions to these five bells but to the recasting of two of the old bells existing in 1705, in the summer of which year the bell question was before tbe town and a parish meeting was held, when it was evidently decided to write to Gloucester, most probably to Rudhall, The answer was not satisfactory, the charge may have been too high, and other inquiries were made. Mr. Ashton, of Wigan, was written to, and subsequently met the wardens. Then Mr. Gabriel Smith, of Congleton, was sent for , and with him the agreement was made to recast two new bells-the great and CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 39 the little bell. The accounts then tell how the old bells were taken to Congleton and how they were carefully weighed; of expenses whim this was done; of timber and iron for the framework; of new ropes and of divers work in connection with the undertaking. We learn, too, of the expense of rehanging the bells, and of the final parish drinking at .. Will Hursis " when the bells were placed in the tower.

An entry for a very small sum paid to Mrs. Eaton for a "little bell" is not clear. The work done in 1705 and 1706 was evidently not good work, and the wardens in their over anxiety to be economical, and in not letting the work to Mr. Rudhall, were guilty of a "penny wise and pound foolish" policy .

Extracts from churchwardens' accounts (township officers in their capacity as churchwardens. Six town- ships. Accounts begin 1704) :-

1704. Aug. 13. Spent to treat Mr. Ellinson bonefire and ringing - 0 I 6 Dec. 25. Pd for ringing on Sundays and 5 of Novemr - 0 I 4 April. Pd for bell rope and mending • 0 0 10 1705. Pd for Ringing att the day of thanksgiving my pt a I 4 Nov. 5. Pd for Ringing that day my pt 0 0 6 Mar. 8. Pd for Ringing that day my pt 0 I 4 Pd for Sabbath day Ringing my p. 0 2 0 Pd for Ringing the 23 Aprill being Coronation day my pt 010 1706. May IS. Pd for ringing yt day for good news 008 June 23. Spent when we agreed with Ringers for Sabbath day ringing 008 June 27. Pd for ringing yt day of thanksgiving ­ 020 Nov . Pd for new Church bottle & to Mr Taylor and some others for trying ye great bell 007 Mar. 2. Pd for Ringing upon the Queen's birth­ day my part - 006 May 1. Pd for ringing the Day of Thanksgiving at the Union of England and Scotland ­ 020 1707. Nov. 5 . Spent with ye Ringers & a great many of ye Parish - 016 1707: Dec. 25. Spent with ye Ringers & Parishner Chrymas day 01 3 1705-6. Spent att a parrish meeting to consult what was necessary to be done in and about the Church my pte - 021 Pd for a Letter that came from Bellfounder att Gloucester my pt. - 003 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

Spent with some of the parrishones to advise about sending an an swear to ye Bellfounder att Gloucester my pt 009 Spent with someof theparrishonersabout sending to Mr Ashton ye Bellfounder my pt 006 Spent att meeting Mr Asthon ye belIfoundr· with some of ye parrishonrs my pt 03 0 Spent a parrish meeting about sending to Congle­ ton to Mr Smith ye Bellfounder my pt - 016 Spent att a parrish meetinge when wee agreed with Mr. Smith ye bellfoundr for casting Two Bells, makeing new frames & hanging them my pt o 4 9 Pd for writing Articles betwixt beI1£ounder and wardens my pt o 4 Pd the charges of the bellfoundr my pt o 6 Spent att a meeting about settinge Bells to bee carried to Congleton but could not agree my pt o 1 6 Pd the charge of Mr Naylor & John Whittell in goeing to Warrington and meetinge Mr Atherton at Chowbent my pte 022 Pd the Charges of ffoure of the wardens for goeing to Warrington to sett the bells to bee carried to Congleton by Wm pee res & after­ wards agreed with Tho Boydell & James Man my pt 020 spent when ye Bells were weighed and Loaden my pt o 1 4 pd to Tho Boydell & James Man for carrying ye Bells to Congleton and back againe att 4S. 3d. P centum my pt o 19 4 spent when ye Bellfounder & his men came to take downe the Bell frames two dayes & take accompt of the Iron my pt o I II spent when wee bought timbe of Ellis Sotherne for Bell frames my pt o I 0 spent when wee bought Headstocks for bells my pt 009 pd to John Whittell for his pains and charges in goeing to Congleton to see the bells weighed my pt 016 pd for Timber for Bell frames, Headstocks, planks, boards, nailes, bends for wheeles with other necessaries my pt 399 pd for Iron worke about hanging the Bells and for Iron and for a worke man that the Bell­ founder brought with him to make bell Clappers and nailes my pt 1 15 5 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

pd to Gabriel Smith the Bel1founder for Casting the Great Bell and Little Bell at three severall time my pt 6 5 6 spent at three severall meetings when wee pd the Bellfoundr my pt 0 5 9 April 15. Spent in meeting the Bellfoundr but came not until 17th my pt 0 0 10 pd for five new roapes, and one new since my pt 0 2 9 pd for peeceing bell roapes and for Codds to save the roapes my pt - 0 1 3 pd to James Man for leading Headstocks for Bells my pt - 0 0 3 pd for severall Letters that came from Bell­ founder my pt 0 0 3 pd to James Hayes for Leather and for peeceing bell roapes my pt 0 1 0 1706- 7. jan. 5. Spent at adviseing with some of the Parish about recasting ye great bell my pt 0 0 8 pd to Joseph Brabin for worke abt bells my pt ­ 0 1 4 pd for a messenger to Congleton abt ye great bell 0 0 8 pd for. Letters from Bellfoundr and spent at 2 meetings 0 1 3 pd bell founder's charges when at Leigh - 0 2 0

JOHN TAYLOR'S ACCOUNTS for ye Church about ye Bell . . . for the year 1707

May 6. Imprs pd for 2 letters aud a bos o 0 3~ Spent at ye firste meeting aboute ye Bell - o 0 4~ pd in charges when wee mett aboute ye caridge of ye bell & a messenger to Tho. Edge 006 pd to Mr Ward and myselfe when wee went to Wigan about Mettell . 002 May 16. pd to me for goeing to Congleton about ye mettell 3 days 0 2 0 pd a messenger 0 0 I~ spent att second meeting 0 0 2 pd a messenger to Wigan about ye mettell 0 0 1 A horse to Wigan 0 0 I~ May ;5. Spent with ye ould churchwardens when wee hired ye Ringers and other concerns about ye church 009 May2g. pd mee for geeing to Wigan to try ye mettell and going to Cadishead about ye carridge of ye Bell & a letter from Congerton o 0 4~ june I. Spent when we met about taking down ye Bell o 0 1 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

A letter from Congerton • o a I~ pd at taking downe ye Bell 009 pd mee for my gates and a horse to Wigan to make ye mettall 3 days 020 pd me for my charges and pains goeing to Con- gerton with ye mettall 3 days o 2 8 pd Mr. Par about taking downe ye bell ­ a a 4 pd Mr. Heys for metteIl - 3 19 5 pd to John Leigh for goeing to Wigan about ye mettall and what he spent • 008 pd Mrs Eaton for A littell bill and spent att same time o 4 3 same time spent o 0 z June 6. pd for 4 men goeng to Bank Key to weigh ye Bell & other charges at Warrington & Banke Key 020 pd to mee for goeing to Congerton to change ye rnettell 4 day IS 6d per day & expences o 2 2 pd mee for goeing to Congerton to take care yt ye Bell was run with oure one mettell a 2 0 pd to John Leigh goeng to Congerlon to see ye Bell Cast o 2 2 pd to Mr. Par for goeng to Congerton ye same time a 2 2 Aug . 6. Spent with those yl assisted at hanging ye Bell 0 2 4 pd Eliz Sotherne for work 0 I 0 pd carriage of ye Bell 0 8 4 spent with some of ye Parish when ye Bell founder came 0 0 8 pd to ye Bell founder for mettell & wast of new mettell • 2 0 0 pd for 2 letters to ye Bell founder 0 0 I pd to ould Malheas Hindley for worke about ye Bells 0 0 10 pd at William Boulton's for bell founder & two men & rneate & hors mete ­ 0 I 4 pd for their drinks • 0 0 7 pd for ye Bellfounder horse ye last time - 0 0 2 Spt att a meeting with some of ye Parish when ye belfounder came over about ye £12 & his charges 0 0 9 pd and spent att William Hursis when ye Bell was taken downe and att lodging it 0 I 6 Spent att ye same time 0 I 0 pd & spent at William Hursis when ye Bell was unloden & hanged up againe a I 0 pd Charles Ditchfield for Work about ye Bell 0 0 2 pd a man his charges yt came from Congerton 0 0 4 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 43

April 6. pd to James Hilton for horse hire 0 z 4 Spent when wee met about John Buckley 0 0 6 pd William Hursis for carrying mettell from Wigan to Leigh • 0 0 6 1708. May25. Spent at a meeting to see what was deficient on and ab out ye Church and hireing Ringers ­ 0 0 9~ July 4. Pd for Peeceing ye 3d Bell Clapper my part ' ­ 0 1 8 Oct. 25. Pd ye Ringers 40s. my part 0 6 8 1716. Paid to ye Ringars ffor ye whole year my prt ­ 0 13 4 Spent upon ye Ringers Att ye King s Return ffrom Hanovar my prt 0 0 5 1717-18. May 6. In Ale to Ringrs on King Charles Restoracon ­ 0 0 6 Aug. 1. To Ringrs on Ks Accession '0 0 6 pd for assistance to Raise Great Bell twice when the Gudgeon was broke 0 0 2 Oct. 20. To Ringers in Ale on Ks Crownation a 0 5 Nov. 5. To Ringrs in Ale 0 0 5 Dec.25. To Ringrs in Ale a 0 6 May 14. pd Ringrs Salary a 14 6 pd Mr Hilton's Bill for Oyle and Grease ­ a 3 3 pd for a New Great Bell Rope - a 0 6 To ye Ringrs on ye Ks Birth day a 0 5 Parish. Township. 1718. John Bate for Bell Ropes - o 13 3 0 2 Z A messenga abt Ringr 28 & 29 May 0 0 3 Spent att Hireing Ringrs for sh ort time 03 0 0 a 6 For Ringing three two da ys o 15 0 0 2 6 To the Clerk for ale for the Ringers - 03 0 a 0 6 1727 [CONSTABLES' ACCOUNTS .] [une zo. pd Randle Cro ok for proclaiming ye King 0 2 6 Spent on the ringers that day - a 3 6 1732 • May 27 pd John Wilson & Adam Hindley 's Bill for fettling Bells z z z a 7 z 1734'S. pd. for Mending Great Bell Wheel ­ 0 I 0 0 a z pd. for Exchange of Great Bell Steps and Clapper I 10 6 0 5 pd . John Tipping's Bill hanging Bell etc. 3 3 a o 10 6 1737-38, pd . Joshua Ashworth for new bell ropes o 15 6 0 z 7 pd. for Hanging Bells and for Timber for a new frame as appeares by several bills 70 0 7 II 13 5 44 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

1738. It would appear from some accounts at the Parish Church that on 29th November, 1738, a contract was signed with Richard Sanders, .. of the City of Gloucester," Bellfounder," for" a third 0011, sound, solid, and tuneable to the other five bells now in the steeple." And in the Atherton Wardens' accounts is an item, "pd Sanders for recasting the Third Bell £2-13-4." This item may be included in the general total given by the Pennington warden. Anyhow, we know that although the bells were recast in this year, and that they were certainly were rehung at considerable cost [£70. as . 7d .] , yet the old bells had but a short lease of life to run. 1740-1. In these two years six of the now existing bells were cast and hung in the tower, and the accounts include the following entries:-

Pd Ra . Mather and Richd. Whaywell for Parish. Township. Bring the Old Bells and fetching the new Bells by Recpt • 23 II a 3 18 6 Given the Workmen and Ringers at finishing the Bells 0 4 0 0 0 8 Pd for pieceinge fifth Bell Clapper at Wigan 0 3 0 0 0 6 Pd the Bell founders in part by bill - 40 6 a 6 14 4 Pd for Weighing Bells at Warrington 0 2 6 a 0 5 Mr Ruddalls last payment for the Bells 55 I 0 9 3 6

1743. given the Ringers for Ringing about Dedington hight a 3 0 a 0 6 [Dettingen.] 1745-6. Jan. pd for Ringing when Rebels was defeated, and Candles 0 3 6 0 0 7 pd the Ringers for Ringing on some news days which was allowed at ye Parish meeting ° 18 0 0 3 0 pd John Wilson his Bill for hang- ing great Bell 2 2 0 0 7 0 pd for a Headstock for ye Great Bell - a 7 a a I 2 pd for assistance in helping to hang ye great Bell 0 3 6 0 0 7 1755· Pd John Latham for Exchanging 2 Bell Steps a 13 8 2 3~ Pd Ringers Bill for Ringing at ° takeing of Louisbourg 0 9 0 0 I 6

• This is taken from Rose's Leigh ill the 181h Century, page 83. I have not seen the original. If this is correctly copied the fact of Sanders being described in 1738 as of the City of Gloucester is distinctly interesting. Sanders worked the Bromsgrove foundry from 1703 to this same year 1738. Abraham Rudhall was casting at Gloucester from about 1684. CH URCH BEL LS OF LA NCASHIRE . 45

1759· pd Ringers as by bill for two Parish . T ownship. Rejoicing days Q uebeck and Minden o 18 0 0 3 0 pd Rigby for Repe ring Bells as by Bill 5 5 0 o 17 6 pd for Rin ging that Day that the King was proclaim' d - 0 5 6 o 0 10 P d for Rin ging on four Rej oiceing days for good ne ws • I 13 0 05 6 Pd for two new Bells as by Bil l 63 16 8 10 1 2 8 Pd Mr. Holbrook lor Carting the Bells to St redfor d 29 0 0 8 2 Pd do. for Bri nging them from Stredford to Leigh o 1 2 0 020 Pd for Assistance to unl oad the Bell s 05 0 o 0 10 Pd Mr . Rigby for hanging the Bells and findin g Timber • 13 0 0 2 3 4 Pd for new Bell Ropes as by Bill ­ 1 3 0 o 3 10 Pd Richard Penket hman for Ring­ ing on a Rejoici ng Day 0 5 0 o 0 [ 0 Pd for Rin ging when the Havannah was taken - 100 0 34 Pd Joshu a Wrigley Bellright for Ne w Wheel and ot her Work 226 o 7 Pd Ringers for Holy days as by bill 14 0 o 4 0 pd for ringing Six a Clock in the morn ing 14 6 053 pd for New Steps for Bells 300 o 10 0 More to Ric hard Pe nki thman for rin ging 8 bell 0 3 0 a a 6 1774· pd new Ri nger as by bill 05 3 o 0 10~ 1775· pd for Bille tts and boards, for gates. bell whee l and car riage I 14 6 059 1780. T o the Rin gers for taking of Charles To wn o '5 0 for Prince Wales Building and Carriage Bell Ropes - 0 6 3 178S. Rin ger s for the King's Recovery ­ I 0 179° · Ringers addi tional wages 1 0 0 Th os, Smi th for assisting young Rin gers a 15 3 for teaching you ng Ri nger s I 0 for instructing Youn g R inger s o 15 0 Ri ngers Sal ary 8 5 0 James Arr owsmith for O verl ookin g Bells - 0 3 0 Brian Arrowsmith for assisting young ringers - 0 6 0 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

Ringers for Rin ging on the Fast Par ish . Day - a 3 0 1793· Ringer s for R inging on the Fast Day - 0 -I 0 1796. john Pownall for riu ging 6 o'clock i ' th ' Morn ing - . 2 2 0 John P ownall for ringing 8 o'clock at night a 13 0 1797· John Pownall for ring ing 6 and 8 o'cl ock 2 0 0 1805. Jan. 16. Paid to Bri an Arrowsmith for R inging the Bell I 0 1807. Jan. 1. P aid Bri an Arrowsmith for Rin g- ing the Bell I 0

On a board in the rin ging ch amber are the following unpunctuated rul es :-

THE RINGERS' O RDERS. You that are Ringers or would learn to Rin g Ob serve these orders well in ever y Thing He that takes to Ri ng and spo ils a Peal Mu st one Sh illing pay in Money not in Ale He that for want of care o'erturns a Bell Mu st Sixpence pay for his pretended Skill Ringing with Hat or Spur Is sixpen ce forfeit be fore you Stir By walking talk ing quarreli ng or so You may dist urb the peal and ringers too H e that in this Steple either Curse or Swears Sixpence mu st pay or be kick'd down St airs .

Frotn The L eigh Chronicle, August r Sth, 1899; quoted in N otes and Queries, September znd, 1899 (qth ser., iv, 185) :- Mr Th oma s Hussey, who was considered one of the oldest, if not the oldest, of bell rin ger s in the country , died on Saturday at his residence, Welch Hill Street, Lei gh. He was born on a Glazebury farm on Febru ary rst, 1812, and ca me to res ide in Leigh when a boy of nine . He 'commenc ed as a riuger in Leigh Pari sh Church in 1827. when fifteen years old, and for upwards of seventy years conti nued to fill that positio n. F or forty -one yea rs he ru ng the heav y NO .7 bell. . . In 1830 he ran g the .peal for the funera l of George IV., and, subsequently, he ra ng for the coronatio n and burial of W illia m IV., and the accession, CH UR CH BELLS OF L A NCASHIRE. 47 coronation, 1887 jubilee. and 1897 diamond jubilee of Her Majesty the Queen. He was the last of the ringers who rung at the birth of the late Lord Lilford, and he also rang the peal s on the occasi on of the funerals of old Squ ire W ithington, father of the present squi re, and of Lord Frederick Cavendish. .. . He had resided for fifty-four years in the hou se where he died, and had been a tenant of the same landlord for sixty-three years.

LIVERPOOL. OUR LADY AND ST. NICHOLAS. Twelve bells.

I. WILLIAM DOBSON. FOUNDER. DOWN- HAM, NORFOLK. 1812 (30in. diam.)

2 •.'. THE LORD TO PRAISE, MY VOICE I'LL RAISE .. (3I!in. diam.)

3. .. GIVE NO OFFENCE TO TH E CHURCH .. (3Ilin. diam.)

4. WILLIAM DOBSON FOUNDER; DOWN- HAM, NORFOLK. 1825. (32i in. diam .)

5, CAST BY WI LLiAM DOBSON OF DOWNHAM IN NORFOLK A.D. 1813. (34!in. diam.) 6. OUR VOICES SHALL, WITH JOYFUL SOUND; MAKE HILLS AND VALLEYS ECCHO ROUND (35tin. diam. )

7. PROSPERITY TO THIS TOWN. WiL.LlAM DOBSON FECIT 1813. ( 39~i n . diam.)

8. MY SONG SHALL BE ALWAY OF THE LOVINGKINDNESS OF THE LORD (42iin. diarn.) 48 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

9. I WILL GIVE THANKS UNTO THE LORD. WILLIAM DOBSON FOUNDER 1813. (47tin. diam.)

10. BLESSED IS HE THAT TEMPERETH

MERCY WITH dUSTICE. SAM L STANIFORTH ESQR MAYOR THO· HINDE AND THO· CASE ESQRS BAILIFFS 1813 (49tin. diarn.)

II. GEO: NELSON AND dOHN CARTER CH: WDNsdNDSWAINSON AND CHAsCLEMENTS S'DESMEN: ANTHONY BLACK AND dN° ALDERSEY OVERSEER. 1813 (ss!in. diam.)

12. THE REVO SAM L RENSHAW AND ROBT H. ROUGHSEDGE RECTORS. RICHD.

ROPER AND dOHN WALTHEW, CHURCHWARDENS GEORGE NELSON AND dOHN CARTER SIDESMEN. MAY ALL I SUMMON TO THE SILENT TOMB BE CROWNED WITH GLORY IN THE WORLD TO COME. CAST ON CHRISTMAS EVE IN THE YEAR 1812 BY WILLIAM DOBSON.

On waist: RECAST IN THE FIRST YEAR OF THE REIGN OF KING GEORGE V 1911 BY JOHN WARNER AND SONS LONDON THE REVD CANON H. E. BILBROUGH, RECTOR (62in . diarn.) · .. ' "i ~, ::" ;~ •

T HE J{!':-CAST T E NO R AT ST NIClloI.AS ' C l lllJ'Cll. 1.l\'ElU'1I0I. , CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 49

Hung in west tower in wooden frames. The new tenor weighs 39cwt. 3qrs. ro lbs. It lost 1441bs. by being recast without cannons. The whole of the bells were rehung by Warner & Sons in 19II. The two lines of inscription below the shoulder of the tenor reproduce the wording on the old bell, but the old lettering differed in some respects. The inscription was copied by Mr. John Harris, of Bath, in 1871, as follows:-

THE REVD SAMUEL RENSHAW AND ROBT H. ROUGHSEOGE RECTORS RICH D ROPER AND dOHN WALTHEW CHURCH­ WARDENS, GEO. NELSON AND dOHN CARTER SIDESMEN .:.

MAY ALL I SUMMON TO THE SILENT TOMB, BE CROWN'O WITH GLORY, IN THE WORLO TO COME. CAST ON CHRISTMAS EVE, IN THE YEAR 1812 8Y WILLIAM DOBSON.'

1552: "One grette belle."

There is a tradition that the old bells belon ged to one of the religious houses of Ireland and that they were brought to Liverpool at the time of th e Dissolution. There is, however, no evidence in support of this. Mr. Henry Pe~t, F.S.A., has stated that in 1628 four bells were brought from Drogheda, and were hung in the tower

,See copy of inscriptions in ri ngin g chamber , made on 14th and 15th May, 18n, " word for word, letter for letter, and stop for stop," by John Harris, C.E., 14, Hampton View, Larkhill, Bath. E 50 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. of the chapel of Liverpool." In the Liverpool Municipal Records, under date October 25th, 1628, is this entry: " It is ordered & agreed upon, That all the Fines for this yere shall be collected and paid without sparing or for­ bearing of any person whatsoever to the town for and towards a ring of bells." From a minute in the Corporation accounts of 1636 it appears that the bells then bought were either recast or others added to them by Robert Oldfield, of Nottingham, but in 1636 they required immediate attention, and were consequently sent to be recast by Thomas Hancock, of Walsall, The minute is as follows :-

(r3 October r636) Whereas heretofore as appeth by anciente Records, There has been a Ringe [of] Bells, wthin this Towne, and some of them have been taken down and otherwise Converted, And whereas alsoe there hath beene since (to wilt) in or about seaven yeares laste paste three other Bells intended to bee suteable to the said Bell, But by negligence of one Robte Ouldfield, a Bell founder, who cast or made the said three Bells of such Base Mettall that they were altogether disonante or disagreeinge to the said firste Bell and altogether dislikeinge to the whole Corporaeon, The said Mr Maier wtb the full assente consente and goodlikinge of the Aldermen. BaIlives and Burgesses of the same Corporation Agreed and concluded w th one Thorn's Hankock of Walsall in the County of Stafford, Bell founder, to Alter and Chaunge the said Bells for fower other more consonante and tuneable, for web exchange the corporation is to give and allowe unto the said Hankock two pence for eay pounde, and the said Bellfounder Hancock to allowe Ten pence the pounde for eiiy pound waighte of the Oulde Bells ovr and above the waighte of the said fower new Bells. And for the further Explanacon hereof the first of the New Bells weigheth after the rate of five score and Twelve pounds to the hundred, five hundreth one quarter and Twenty poundes. The Second sixe hundreth and fourteene pounds. The Third Eight hundreth, and the Fourth Nyne hundreth and three quarters weh is in the wh ole Two Thousand Nyne hundreth Thirty and fower poundes. And the Ould Bells exchanged as aforesaid weigheth Three Thousand and fifty one pounds.]

• Henry Peet. I nuentory of the Parish Churches of Liverpool, 1893, pp. r06-7· t Picton, Memorials of Liverpool, 2II-2 ; Trans . Hist . Soc. Lanes. 6­ Chesli., new series, vi. 178-9. CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 5~

The weights of the new bells in figures were, therefore:-

CWI. qrs. lbs , I 5 1 20 2 6 0 14 3 8 0 0 4 9 3 0 ---- Total 29 1 6 or 3,282 lbs. In the minute quoted above the total weight is given as 2,934 lbs. In' 1649 two new bells, by John Scott, of Wigan, were added. A Corporation minute of November 27th, 1649, states :- Whereas there hath been some conference wth the Bell foundr of Wigan about the casting of 2 bells, it is Ordered that (according to Mr Maior's agreement W l h him) there shall be 2 more tuneable Bells cast at 17s. p. cent allowance for Casting, carriage & all & he to see them hung complete.· The bells were recast in 1724 by Abraham Rudhall, of Gloucester, The following extracts from the vestry books may be cited :-t 1724, April IS. Ordered that a Ley of sixpence in the pound on houses and seven pence in the pound on lands be layd, and proporcionable for stocks, for paying the Rector's Tax and for repairs of both churches, and for adding two new bells to the present sett at the Old Church, and changeing the old ones so as to make them tuneable, and other necessary work there. 1724, Sept. IS. The Churchwardens having taken down the old bells in order to send them to Bristoll, according to their contract with Mr Rudhall for a sett of bells att the Old Church, but considering the charge of sending them and bringing the new ones fr om Bristoll will be cheaper by sea than by land, have caused th is Vestry to be called in order to have their opinion thereon. It is now ordered that the Churchwardens may send the bells by sea, and bring the new one s too by sea from Bristoll if they think proper, and insure the vallue, and that the charge thereof be allowed them in their accounts with the parish, and that floor upon which the bells hang in the steeple, being much decayed, the Churchwardens may raise and amend the same if there shall bl occasion.

•L iverpool Mlmicipal Records, i. 212; Picton, Memorials, 2II-2; Trails. Hist, Soc. Lanes, &- Chesh., new series, vi. 172. t Vestry Books, 1912-15, Edited by Henry Peet, M.A., F.S.A. 52 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

1724-5. Jan. 26. It was announced that .. Francis Ridley of Man­ chester is or will be in this town speedily to hang the new bells at this Church." 1725, March 30. Ordered that whereas the charge of the new bells att this Church amounts to £257. IS. od. over and above the deduccion and allowance made for the old bells, which weighed twenty-nine. hundred, one quarter and twenty-six pounds, that a Ley of eight pence in the pound on houses and lands be layd for defraying the said charge and other necessary disbursements for repairs of both churches, for the year remaining, and paying the Rectors. The weights of the new bells, which hung' in the tower till rSro, were as follows :- Cwt. qrs. lbs , I 7 a 3 2 7 15 3 8 1 20 4 9 2 6 5 12 0 10 6 IS I 12

Total 59 3 0 No record appears to have been kept of the inscriptions on these bells. In 1745 it was decided to erect a new spire and to give additional height to the old tower that a new belfry might be built upon it, which new belfry was to serve as a base for the erection of the spire." On September r r th the spire was ordered to be built, but it was not completed till 1750. The tow er fell on Sunday morning, February r rth, rSro, "a few minutes before the commencement of divine service, whil e the bells were ringing the second peal." A portion of the congregation was already in th e church, and the masonry falling to the east" instantly burst through the roof and fell along the centre aisle." The result was that twenty-five people were killed, of whom eighteen were children belonging to th e Sunday and Day Charity

• Wallace, General 0- Descriptive Hist ory of Liverpool, I 795. p. II5. CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 53

Schools, Moorfields, The new tower was begun III September, 1810, and was approaching completion at at Easter, 1814, but, a lantern being added, it was not finished till August, 1815. In the meanwhile a new ring of twelve bells had been cast by William Dobson, of Downham, Norfolk; the tenor, according to th e inscription, on December 24th, and the others early in the following yea r. The fourth was recast in 1825. All these bells still hang in the tower, with the exception of the tenor, which was recast in 19II. It has been stated* th at the second, third, sixth, and eighth are survivals of the 1724, but this is not so. The style of lettering of th e inscriptions is the same in all cases, and it is Dobson's. The bells were first rung on June 4th, 1814, or more than twelve months before the lantern was finished. Of Dobson's bells Dr. Raven writes: "His greatest work was the twelve of St. Nicholas, Liverpool. I have been told that the Liverpool folk were determined to rival St. Peter Mancroft, Norwich, bell for bell, but .they tied Dobson down too tightly, so that his heaviest peal is not his best."t The weights and notes, as given on a card in the ringing chamber, before the recasting of the tenor, are as follows:- CWt. qrs. lbs r-;ote, CWL qrs . Ibs. Note. 6 3 IS G 8 IS I 23 G 2 7 0 4 F 9 19 I 13 F 3 7 2 7 E 10 20 3 23 E i- 8 I IS D II 29 I 14 D 5 8 3 27 C 12 41 014 C 6 8 2 17 B ---- 7 II o 12 A Total 184 3 2 --._0-

• Li verpool Dioc. Guild of Change Rin gers Report, 1912-3, p. 17. t J. J. Raven, The Bells of England, p. 222. 54 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

Ellacombe's chiming apparatus was fixed in the tower in March, 1895. The Liverpool vestry books contain a large number of entries relating to the bells and ringing at St. Nicholas' Church, some of which may be cited :-* 1692, July 27. Paid John Ditchfield for taking up the great bell and laying flooring in the steeple ­ 5S. 6d . July 30. John Bamber for a rope for the great bell 4S ·9d . Oct. 24. Mop, whisk, etc. for th e bells IS. r rd . March Y. John Bamber for a bel rope 3S . od. 1698. Thomas Ditchfield for a new yate, hanging bells, mending wheeles, seates & other work in that year - - £3. lIS. lad. 1699. Thomas Ditchfield & workmen for hanging the beUs £1. 5s. ad . Oyle for the bells 6d . 1701. Thomas Ditchfi eld for work att the bells ­ 5S. ad . John Bamber for bell ropes 8s. ad . Thomas Ditchfield for work at! the bell s ­ 8s . ad. William Glover for work at! the bells 2S. ad. 1702. Edward Accres for new casing all the bell wheels, putting up weather boards in the sound holes & other work - £4. 19s. IOd. Timothy Whitlow for iron work for the bells and wheels & other things - - £ 2. 125. l~d . William Ashton for liquor for the bells - 3S. ad . 1716. William Ditchfield hanging the bell s £1. 5S. IOd. 1724. Paid for In surance of the Bells & Policy] - £6. as. od. Freight of the Bells] £8. os. ad. 1726, April 12. Ordered that not any all owance be made for ringing on Christmas Day & New Year's Day, & that the charge made in this bill of disbursements for the last year be deducted. 1737. Jos. Bowk, for ringing at the Queen's death: - ISS. ad . 1745. Pd. Zach. Nicholas for cleaning bells - £1. 14S. ad . 1746, April I . Ordered that a peal shall be rung at the old Church every Sunday, both morning & afternoon at the time of going into church, & that the rin gers shall have liberty to sit in the.seat next to the bell house door, and that the Sexton take care to secure the same for them.

•See Peet, Liverpool Vestry Books, 2 vols., 1912-5. t These two items have reference to the bringing of the new bells by sea from Bristol. : Caroline of Brandenburg-Anspach, wife of George II., died November joth, CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 55

1752, Sept. 21. It is ordered that no passing bell be tolled at any Parish Church in this town longer than an hour upon no consideration ; and if the Sexton suffer it, that he pay for the use of the Parish five shillings for every offence, to be received by the Church Wardens for the time being. 1752. Reed Cash for 35 of bell-metall £1. 6s. 3d. 1757. Ordered that the bells do ring morning and afternoon every Sunday, but to cease half an hour before the times of going into the said churches & to toll till going in. 1762. Ringing on severall occasions - - £5. 15s. 6d. Joshua Rigbey for rehanging the bells at both Churches - £28 . 7s. 6d . Edward Mattison freight of bell No. 6 from Bristol 13s. od. Francis Tyler, recasting bell • - £24. IS. 8d. [1763, Dec . 22. Ord ered' that four rin ging days on publick days (sic) which Mr . Wolstenholme [the Rector] has paid to or is liable to pay to the Ringers be now paid at the expence of the Corporation, as .they had no notice of the late ord er of the late committee against such ringing day s being paid for by the Council. And that for the future the Corporation will only pay for ringing on the King's Birthday and Coronation Day and no other without an ord er from Mr. Mayor for the time being.] t 1782, August 8. Resolved : That it is the opinion of this Vestry that the Ringers do ring the bells as usual, at the rate of four pounds sixteen shillings a year for their wages or salarys until the next Annual Vestry. 1786, April 18. Also continued the ringers and agreed to their petition now brought in, to be paid twelve pence a day for ringing on Sundays each man, instead of sixpence as they formerly had.

1794. May 13. Ringers' quarters salary - - £3 . 18s. od. Aug. 20. do. do . - £3. 18s. od. Nov. 18. do. 'do. - £3. 18s. od. 1795· Feb. 4· do. do. - £3. 18s. od. Apr. 22. do . on Vestry day ISS. 6d . Apr. 24. do. news taking Martinique 18s.od. June 4. do . His Majesty's Birthday £1. rs. od. June 14. do . news of Howe's Victory £1. IS. od. July 30. do . at Rev . Renshaw's entry 6s.od. Aug. 4. do. at Bishop's arrival £2. 5S. od. Sept.22. do. King's Coronation 9S. od. Oct. 26. do. King's Accession • 18s. od . Nov . 5. do . Papish Conspiracy . 18s.od. 1795-6. Jan. I. do. Queen's Birthday 19S • od. 1799· June 4· Six men ringing on King's Birthday ­ 18s.od. July 5. Six men ringing 3~ days for Bishop £3· 3s. od .

• By the Corporation. t Picton, Liverpool MlIlIicipal Records, 1700-1835, p. 278. CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

July 12. Six men ringing for the news of ~ General Suwarrow's victory 18s. ad. Aug, 12. Six men ringing for the Prince of Wales's Birthday 18s. ad. Aug . 19. Six men ringing for news of taking the Dutch Fleet - 18s. ad. Sept. 5. Six men ringing for news of taking of Alexan dri a and Mantua - 18s. ad . Sept. 22. Six men ringing the Kin g' s Coro- nation 18s. ad. Oct. 25. Six men ringing the King's Ascension to the Throne 18s. ad . No v. 5. Si x men ringing Gunpowder P lot - 18s. ad . De c. 25. Six men ringing on Christmas Day and New Year's Day - I8s. od . 1800. Jan. 18. Six men ringing for the Queen's Birthday 18s. ad. Feb.x r, To cash paid to the ringers at the Old Church for one year's ringing on Su nday - £1 6. 17s. GU . Six men ri nging on 29th May ' - 18s. ad .

LIVERPOOL. ST. PETER. 10 + I bells.

1. THOMAS MEARS FOUNDER LONDON 1B39 (zqin. diam.) 2 . The same. (3Ilin. diam.)

3-IO. T. MEARS OF LONDON FECIT

Nos. 3-70 have in addition ihe f ollowillg inscriptions on the waist. 3· MAY GEORGE LONG REIGN WHO NOW THE SCEPTRE SWAYS AND BRITISH VALOUR EVER RULE THE SEAS. Below: THE REVD d. BROOKS A.M. } R THE REVDA. CAMPBELL A.M. ECTORS W. BUSHBY ESQR P. }CHURCH WARDENS 1829 W. TROUTBECK ESQR (3zin. diarn.) CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 57

4. WITH LOYAL ZEAL WE ALL REJOICE TO RING FOR GLORIOUS CONSTITUTION CHURCH AND KING. Below: Names of rectors and wardens as NO.3. (33~in. diarn.)

5. WHEN VICTORY CROWNS THE PUBLIC WEAL WITH GLEE WE GIVE THE MERRY PEAL. Below: Nam es of rectors and wardens as Nos. 3 and 4. (35in. diam.)

6. WHEN FEMALE VIRTUE WEDS WITH MANLY WORTH WE RING WITH RAPTURE AND WE SPREAD IT FORTH. Below: ~ ames of rect ors and ward ens as Nos. 3, 4, and 5. (38in. diam.)

7. LOUD THROUGH THE AIR EXTEND EACH GENEROUS THEME FLOATING MELODIOUS DOWN THE MERSEY STREAM. Below:

THE REVD JONATHAN BROOKS A.M. } RECTORI OF LIVEf; THE REVD AUGUSTUS CAMPBELL A.M. POOL

WILLIAM PEATT BUSHBY ESQR}CHURCH WILFRED TROUTBECK ESQR WARDENS 1829 (4lin. diam.)

8. THROUGH GRANDSIRES & TREBLES WITH PLEASURE MEN RANGE TILL DEATH CALLS THE BOB & BRINGS ON THE LAST CHANGE. CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

Below: Names of rectors and wardens as on Nos. 3, 4, S, and 6. (43~iQ. diam.) 9· WHEN OF DEPARTED WEALTH WE TOLL THE KNELL INSTRUCTION TAKE TO SPEND THE FUTURE WELL Below: . Names of rectors and wardens as on NO.7. (47in. diarn .)

10. MAY ALL WHOM I SHALL SUMMON TO THE GRAVE

TH E BLESSI NG OF A WELL SPENT LI FE RECEIVE On other side of waist: THE REVD dONATHAN BROOKS A.M.} RECTORS OF & AUGUSTUS CAMPBELL A.M. LIVERPOOL

WILLIAM PEATT BUSHBY ESQ"} CHURCH WARDENS WILFRED TRoUTBECK ESQ" 1829 (S3in. diam.) PRIEST'S BELL. On waist: 1807 (I7!in. diam.) The inscriptions on the third and tenor are the same as on the seventh and tenor at St. Chad's, Shrewsbury (1798), and those on the sixth and seventh are variations of the mottoes on the third and fourth at St. Chad's. The old first and second (1829) also bore inscriptions similar to those on the two trebles at Shrewsbury. Mr. H. B. Walters, writing of the Shrewsbury bells, says: "The original set of inscriptions was composed by Mr. Wilding, of High Ercall (Shropshire). Mears seems to CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 59 have been impressed with Wilding's poetical genius and repeats his couplets elsewhere.?" \Vilding was a local schoolmaster; his couplets occur on the first and second bells at High Ercall (1812) and on the treble at Wrock­ wardine, Salop. "The rhyme in the Liverpool third seems to show that when it was written (1798) "sea" was pronounced"say," just as "tea" was pronounced" tay." An Act of Parliament dated 1699 enabled the town of Liverpool "to build a church and endow the same," and made the town and liberties thereof a parish of itself. Two joint rectors were appointed. The Rev. Jonathan Brooks and the Rev. Augustus Campbell were both insti­ tuted in 1829, the year when th e bells were cast, and were the last of the joint rectors. Mr. Brooks died in 18SS, when Mr. Campbell became sole rector till his death in 1870. He was also vicar of Childwall from 1824 to 1870. The weights and notes of the bells are as follows :- Cwt s, qrs . lhs. Note . 1 6 I 2 F sharp. 2 6 3 7 E. 3 6 3 18 D. 4 7 o 17 c sharp. S 8 I 23 B. 6 9 I 26 A. 7 II 3 24 G. 8 14 I 14 F sharp. 9 17 3 24 E. 10 24 2 7 D. ----- Total II3 3 22

'Church Bells of Sh ropshire (I9I5). p. 379. Mr . Walters writes after reading the proofs, .. I think it very likely that Wilding composed these Liverpool inscriptions. Note the seventh. He was fond of introducing local features." 60 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

The bells hang in wooden frames in west tower. They were rung for the first time on Sunday, April nth, 1830. The original treble and second being found too weak were recast in 1839; they bore the mottoes

1. IN MELODY LET EACH ITS NOTE REVEAL MINE BEING FIRST TO LEAD THE DULCET PEAL.

2. THE PUBLIC RAISED US WITH A LIBERAL HAND WE COME WITH HARMONY TO CHEER THE LAND.

Unfortunately, these inscriptions were not retained when the bells were recast. They are given, together with the rest of the inscriptions, in the Liverpool Mercury, April 23rd, 1830. The new ring of ten is said to have cost £700.* The sixth clause of the Act for building St. Peter's Church (1699) provided that there should be a clock and four or more bells. The church was consecrated in 1704, and three years later (1707) four bells were cast by Abraham Rudhall 1., of Gloucester. They were the heavy bells of a set of eight, but it was not till 1724 that the ring was completed by the four lighter bells. These eight bells were in use till 1830, when they were dispersed and the present ring erected. Two of the 1707 are now in the churches of St. Augustine, Everton (q.v.), and St. John the Evangelist, Knotty Ash, West Derby (q.v.); while a third was until recently at St. Catharine's, Aber­ cromby Square, Liverpool (q.v.}.t One of the 1724 bells found its way to the now destroyed church of S1. John (q.v.) .

• Liverpool Mercury, April 8th, 1831. t For the 1707 bells at 51. Peter's, see a paper by Dr. R. T . Bailey in Trans. Hist, Soc. Lanes. &-Chesli., vol. Ixvii. CHURCH BELLS OF LA NCASHIRE. 61

The weights of the former ring were given in 1814 as follows :-'" Cwt. qr s. lbs, I 5 0 20 2 5 I 0 3 6 2 6 4 8 I 6 5 9 3 IS 6 10 3 13 7 IS 3 14 8 21 0 14 ---- T otal 83 0 7

The following extracts from the Liverpool Vestry B ooksv (where not otherwise stated), relating to St. Peter's bells, may be cited :--

17[3 . [Vestry March 1714.) To cash paid to Alderman Norris for be1ls for the New Church - • £ 35. as. ad. 1713. Pd. to the ringers, New Church, on St. Peter's day 2s. 6d. 1724'5 (January). It was proposed to "raise the be1ls at SI. Peter 's six or eight foot high er" & ordered "that the same be viewed by Mr. Thomas Steers, Mr. James Shaw & such oth ers as the Churchwardens sha1l appoint & to be con sidered by them whether the bell s at St. Peter 's can be ra ised without prejudice to the steeple." 1726. Paid for rin ging on SI. P eter's Day l OS. 1737. Ree d Ca sh for passin g bells at St. Peter 's 125. 6d. 1746. Ordered that a peal shall be r ung at St. Peter's at th e time of going into Church every Sunday, & that the Sexton take ca re the sa me be duly performed 1762. [Pd.] Joshua Rigley for reh anging the be1ls at both churches £ 28. 75. 6d .

•E nrwaker, L ocal Gleanings, Lanes. o Chesh., ii, 233 (June 28th, IS78). t Edi ted by Henry Pe et , M.A., F .S .A. , 2 vols., 1912-5. 62 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE,

1786. Vestry April 18. Ordered that the ringing of the bell at St . Peter's Church at five oclock in the morning and nine at night be aIter'd: and that the said bell for the future be rang at five in the morning and nine in the evening from Lady Day to Michaelmas Day ; and at six o'clock in the morning and eight o'clock' in the evening from Michaelmas Day to Lady Day. 1800. April I. 51. Peter's Ringers, quarter . £5 July 4. Ringers St. Peters - £8 Sept.zo, Quarter's ringing at 51. Peters £98s. Dec. 29. Ringers St. Peters, quarter ill 4S. 1829, Vestry October 29. Resolved that the churchwardens have power to provide by purchase. exchange. or otherwise. a new peal of eight or ten bells for 51. Peter's Church, if on a survey the tower should be found sufficiently firm to support the greater number.

The average charge on the parish for" choir and bells" for both churches (St. Nicholas and St. Peter) was about £450 (1828-9, £440. 3S. 3d.; 1829-30, £448. 95. 7d.), but in the year 183°-1 the charge was £1,180. 135. rd ., owing to the purchase of the new bells at St. Peter's.

1810. The bells were at thi s time rung every Thursday evening.' 1894. The last peal on St. Peter's bells was rung May 17, 1894. The resources at the dispo sal of the wardens having become reduced by several hundred pounds a year by the operation of the Parish Coun cils Act (1888). th e ringers, who had been h ith erto a paid band, were dispersed. and Ellacombe 's Chiming Apparatus was fixed in the tower . t Dr. R. T . Bailey informs me that the priest's bell, or tin g-tang, was used in case of fire in the town, and was known as the Curfew Bell.

LIVERPOOL. ST. GEORGE. 1 + 1 bells. St. George's Church was built in 1726-34, tower and spire rebuilt 1819, body of church 1823-5. The church

• Troughton, History of Liverpool, 1810, p. 374. t Henry Peet, M.A., F.S.A.• in Liverpool Parish Mag"zillc, February , 1914, p. 14· CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. was pulled down in 1899, and its site is now occupied by the Queen Victoria Memorial. At the time of its demolition there were two bells in stout framing in the belfry, of which only the sizes have been recorded: (I) z rin. diameter, (2) 54in. diameter. The smaller or priest's bell was 16in. high and the greater 42in. So far I have not been able to trace these bells, but a systematic visitation of all the belfries in Liverpool might discover them. The above particulars are taken from Mr. Henry Peet's "Notes on the Churches of St. George and St. ] ohn" in Trans. H ist. Soc. Lanes. (.; Chesk., new series, xv., 34.

LIVERPOOL. ST. PAUL. I + I bells.

1. WILLIAM CHADWICK ESQR JAMES BUR­ ROUGHS ESQR CHURCHWARDENS On waist:

(4zin. diam.)

PRIEST'S BELL. lAMES CLEMENS ESQ MAYOR 1776 (zain. diam.) St. Paul's Church was begun in 1763 and completed in 1769. It was closed in 1900 and is to be demolished. In the early part of 1915 the two bells were taken to the new church of St. Paul, Stoneycroft, where I was abl e to copy the' inscriptions on March 5th. The bells were then on the floor of the bell chamber, the building being still in course of erection. Both have old-fashioned cannons. The priest's bell is possibly by Rudhall. The 1861 bell evidently takes the place of a former CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

"great bell" mentioned in a Corporation minute of March 5th, 1777, where also the cost of the existing priest's bell is stated. The minute reads:- Ordered that the Treasurer do pay to John Foster his bill for finishing joiner's work in raising the great bell of 51. Paul's Church out of the roof into the cupola, making a sounding board and some inward doors and other work there, amounting to £82 . 18. 4. And also one other bill to Christopher Holding for a small or ring-tang bell amounting to £18. 14s. (Picton, Liverpool Municipal Records, 7700-7835, P·278).

LIVERPOOL. ST. ANNE. One tubular" bell." The church of St. Anne, in Great Richmond Street, was erected in 1772, but was' pulled down and a new church built on a fresh site in Cazenau Street in 1871. The old church had a "west" tower (true north), and presumably a bell, but in the north-west tower of the new church there is only a single Harrington tube.

LIVERPOOL. ST. JOHN. Four bells. The church of St. John, which stood behind St. George's Hall, was built in 1775-84, and pulled down in 1899. At the time of the demolition there were four bells in the west tower.

1. CHARLES & IOHN RUDHALL FECIT 1784 (20~in. diam.) 2. [I8I8.J (27tin. diam.) 3. [I8I8.J (32in. diam.) 4. CEO. DUDDELL W~ CHESHYRE CH. WDBS 1724 (39in. diam.) For the inscription on and diameter of the first bell I am indebted to Dr. R. T. Bailey, who found it in the garden of the late Mr. Joseph Kitchingrnan, Egremont CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

Promenade, Cheshire, where it still is. The date is that of the completion of 51. John's Church, and the bell is, no doubt, that originally cast for the church. The particulars of the other three bells are given by Mr. Peet in "Notes on the Churches of 51. George and St. John" (Trans . H isi. Soc. Lanes. G Chesh., new series, xv., 40). Only the dates and sizes of 'the second and third are given. The date is the same as those on the bells at St. Luke's Church, Liverpool, which are by William Dobson, of Downham, Norfolk, and which were originally intended for the church at Newton Heath, Manchester. The tenor was originally at St. Peter's Church, from where it was removed to 51. John's in 1829 or 1830, when the new ring was erected there. I have not been able to trace the three larger bells. Mr. Peet says, "When 51. John's Church was taken down in 1899 it is probable that th e bells were looked upon as old material and disposed of by the contractor" (Liverpool Parish Magazine, February, 1914). One of them, at any rate, crossed the Mersey, as stated above .

LIVERPOOL. HOLY TRINITY. I + I bells.

I. HENRY HOLT AND CHARLES CHESTER CHURCHWARDENS 1820 (z8tin. diam.) Hung in wooden frame in west tower. There is no founder's name or mark, but the lettering is similar to that used by William Dobson, of Downham, Norfolk, and the bell may be by him. The letters are g-in. high.

PRIEST'S BELL. "1792." (ryin, diam.) I t hangs in wooden frame to north of other bell. The date is that of the erection of the church. F 66 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

LIVERPOOL. ST. STEPHEN. I + I bells.

I. CAST BY JOHN WARNER & SONS LONDON 1870 On waist: t S",:. STEPHEN'S CHURCH LIVERPOOL HENRY GEORGE VERNON M.A. INCUMBENT THOMAS FISHER} WARDENS HUGH ROBERTS 1869 Other side ofwaist :~

PATENT. (38!in. diam.) PRIEST'S BELL.-The ting-tang is cracked and not rung. It is without date or inscription, but has the old­ fashioned type of cannons, and is evidently of eighteenth century date, probably belonging to the old church. It hangs on the south side of the great bell: diam. I9~in. Both bells hung in wooden frames in south-west tower. The old church in Byrom Street wa s opened in 1792, but was taken down in 1871, having been replaced by the present church in the same street further north. A "small octagonal tower and belfry" was added to 'the old building when taken over by the .

LIVERPOOL. CHRIST CHURCH, H UNTER STREET. I +- 1 bells.

1. I TO TH E TEM PLE OF I EHOVAH CALL POOR SINNERS WHO HAVE PERISH'O BY THE FALL JOHN RUDHALL GLOUCESTER FECIT 1798 (54in. diam.) CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

Hangs in wooden frame in cupola above dome. The inscription is in two lines, the spaces filled out with ornament. On the waist are the initials and crest (a bull siatani guardant) of John Houghton, builder of the church in 1797. J.1]. The building was consecrated in 1800. PRIEST'S BELL. The ting tang is zoin. diam. and hangs above to the west of the tenor. It is very much weathered and flaked, and if there has been a date or inscription it has perished. Probably it was always blank.

LIVERPOOL. ST. CATHARINE, ABERCROMBY SQUARE. One bell.

1. PEACE & GOOD NEIGHBOURHOOD A : R [two bells] 1707 (36!in. diam.) This was one of the four bells supplied by Abraham Rudhall 1. in 1707 to St. Peter's Church, Liverpool. The bells were distributed among the churches of Liverpool in 1830 when the new ring of ten was set up. Other two of these bells are at St. Augustine's, E verton (q.v.), and St. John the Evangelist, Knotty Ash (q.v.). For particulars of this bell I am indebted to Dr. R. T. Bailey, who was the first to notice it. Dr. Bailey wrote (December, 1914): "The bell hangs by the old-fashioned type of cannons ; around the shoulder are two borders of beautiful design. The upper border has nearly halfway round the bell a design of linked cross fleurys, the remainder being occupied by the inscription. The lower border, which encircles the bell, is a fine design of roses and acorns. The two stops between the initials A: R do 68 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

not appear in the two other 1707 bells. The bell hangs from a cross beam in the roof of the church near the west end. It is cracked, but the crack has been cut out." Since this was written, in spite of Dr. Bailey'~ efforts, the bell has been broken up and melted down, except a piece weighing lI:t lbs., which Messrs. Mears and Stain­ bank have presented to the Museum of the Historic Society of Lancashire and Cheshire. This piece shows the letters HOOD A: and a bit of the letter R. St. Catharine's Church is a classic building without tower, consecrated January, 1831. For further parti­ culars see paper by Dr. R. T. Bailey, read November rath, 1914, in Tram. Hisi. Soc. Lanes. 0- Chesli., new series, vol. lxvii. (not issued at time of writing).

LIVERPOOL. ST. AUGU STINE, EVERTON. One bell.

1. SYLVESTER MOORCROFT ESQH MAYOR 1707 A (bell) R (bell) . (52in. diam .) This is the tenor bell of the ring of four cast by Abramham Rudhall I., of Gloucester, in 1707, for St . Peter's Church, Liverpool. The bells were distributed among the new churches of Liverpool, when the new ring of ten was set up at 51. Peter's in 1830. 51. Augustine's was built in that year. The bell hangs in a wooden frame in the west tower. The cannons are cabled, and th e inscription space is filled with a border of linked cross fleurys . Two other of the 1707 bells from St. Peter's are at St. Catharine, Abercromby Square (q.v.), and 51. John the Evangelist, Knotty Ash (q.v.). For further particulars of these bells see Dr.rBailey's paper in Trans. Hist, Soc. cited above. CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

LIVERPOOL. ST. ANNE, STANLEY. Two bells. Dr. R. T. Bailey writes to me: "Besides a bell of 1879, there is a ship's bell, tfiin. diameter, which was given to the first St. Anne's church by a Mr. White, a mariner. It has on it THE ROSE, 1787. There was a Liverpool slaver called The Rose in 1781."

LIVERPOOL. ST. JAMES, TOXTETH. I + I bells. 1. No inscription. (41in. diam.)

The bell was recast in comparatively recent times, but I have not been able to ascertain when or by whom. There are double inscription bands, but no inscription or mark of any kind. The bell hangs in a wooden frame on the north side of the west tower.. It serves also as a clock bell. A brass plate on the clock-works is inscribed:

Rev d J. SMITH, Minister. Mr. W'!! Ross, } Ch. Wardens. Mr. W'!! l'OWNSEND,

PRIEST'S BELL. The ting-tang is Isin. diam. and bears simply the date" 1775," the year of the erection of the church. It hangs in the north-west angle of the tower.

LlVER.POOL. HOLY TRINITY, VVAVERTREE. I + I bell. 1. THO. MEARS LONDON FECIT 1794. (4Sin. diam.) H angs in wooden frame in west tower. The inscription space is made out with ornament. 7° .CH URCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. PRIEST'S BELL. The ting-tang is Isin. diam eter and has the date "1782" cast on the shoulder in the usual way. After the date is engraved ". .... HEINRICH VON RUGENWALDE." There is a word before " Heinrich." which I was unable to decipher. It appears to begin and end "De . . ge." The ting-tang is older than the church, which was built in 1790, and must, therefore, have come from elsewhere. I have been unable to find out anything about it.

LIVERPOOL. ST. MARY THE VIRGIN, WEST DERBY. S + I bells. 1. No inscription. (zsin. diarn.) 2. No inscription. (27in. diarn.) 3. No inscription.. (join. diam.) 4- IOHN TAYLOR AND Co LOVGHBOROVGH MDCCCLXXXVIIJ (36in. diam.) S.IOHN TAYLOR AND Co LOVGH­ BOROVGH MDCCCLXXXVIII (s6in. diam.) All by Taylor & Co., of Loughborough, 1888, and have on the waist the circular trade mark of JOHN TAYLOR & CO., LOUGHBOROUGH: only the fourth and tenor have inscriptions. The bells are hung in wooden frames in a central tower, and are chimed (not rung), on Sundays. A clock strikes th e hours on the tenor and the quarters on the other bells. The lettering on the tenor is Ii-in. high. In addition, the original bell of the present church, which was built in 18S3-6, is hung separately in the tower on the north side, but is no longer used. It is inscribed

J. WARNER & SONS CRESCENT FOUNDRY LONDON 1856 (32!in. diam.) CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 71

On a brass plate in the church (south transept) IS this inscription:

To the Praise and Glory of God and in memory of John Pemberton Heywood, late of Norris Green, West Derby, Esquire. The clock and chimes were placed in the tower 1888, by Arthur Pemberton Heywood Lonsdale, of Shavington, Market Drayton, Shropshire. and Robert Glad stone, of Court Hey, Br oad Green, Lancashire, the representatives of Anna Maria the widow of the abov e named John Pemberton Heywood in fulfilment of her intention to erect such a memorial in loving remem­ brance of her deceased hu sband, and in commemoration of the Jubilee Year of our belov ed Sovereign Queen Victoria.

The chapel was rebuilt in 1786. It was a plain rectangular building with octagonal west turret and was pulled down when th e present church was finished.

1552: .. Twoo by lytill bells. " 1625. In a presentment against the inhabitants and churchwardens the bells were stated to be .. ou t of frames." Mr.]ames Hoult writes: "The two little bells had given place to one larger bell, and it was taken to the Church Schools. From calling the parishoners to worship, it has still the useful function of calling the children to learn their lessons.i'v The bell now at the school is lsin. diam ., and is quite plain, without date, motto, or maker's nam e. It does not appear to be older th an the eighteenth century.

LIVERPOOL. ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST, KNOTTY ASH. I + I bells.

1. GOD SAVE THE CHVRCH & QVEEN AR [two bells] 1707 (3s!in. diam.) Hangs in wooden frame in west tower. The cannons are cabl ed and th e inscription space IS filled with a floriat ed scroll ornament.

•W est Derby, Old S wall. and W aver/ree (1913). p. 152. 72 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

This is one of the bells cast by Abraham Rudhall I., of Gloucester, for St. Peter's Church, Liverpool, in 1707. The bells were distributed amongst the new churches of Liverpool after the new ring of ten was set .up in St. Peter's in 1830. Knotty Ash Church was built 1835. PRIEST'S BELL.-The ting-tang is 13!in. diameter, but is without date or inscription. It hangs to the west of the larger bell.

LOWTON. ST. LUKE. Two bells.

I. Gloria· in. Excelsls . Deo . 1733 Luke Ashton Fecit Wigan (r yin, diam.)

2. MEARS & STAINBANK FOUNDERS LONDON 1877 (33in. diam.) Hung in wooden frames in west tower. The smaller bell is by Luke Ashton, of Wigan, the lettering being in his characteristic "lower case" type with heart-shaped stops. The church was buih in 1732, and this bell hung in a bell cot over the west gable till 1863, when the tower was added. The larger bell was given by a Mr. Rigby, and is used also as a clock bell. Its weight is given as 7cwt. oqr. 151bs. The rector denied me access to the tower, and caused me to be arrested as a German spy under circumstances related in the introduction; this was on August 24th, 1914. A later application to see the bells resulted in a second refusal. The above particulars, however, were kindly obtained for me by Mr. Hugh Eckersley, of Church Lane, Lowton, one of the churchwardens. For the trouble which Mr. Eckersley went to on my behalf, and the courtesy with which he replied to my rather troublesome questions, I desire to express my warmest thanks. i . ~ I j 1 MELLlNG.-Bell at Melling, Liverpool. 1748. i .~ . j y> y> Q W i~)9!@l lJll ,~ 1R-(Q)Jm~TrlIoJMi@11r~1rce1rooW @lTr@~1nl ~74k© R~ Q A ~~ it©1Ol \7 , :0: Q Q JL11l1 GJii0 9Ae oe ~ c;y 1

"

NORTH MEOLS.-Insoription on Bell at North Meols, by Luke Ashton, Wigan, 1750.

0

PRESCOT. IE;}{QIT)) @ITIl@QIT@Iffi~IHI~~1N@rr" @TIll(QI"IHI® nm ~il" IHJ~~Iru~ UIru" ~

Date on Presoot Tlng-tang, - : ~ - . . , ?IMI® Tr CC @U~W JHl ~ li ~Q~1f{Q W©l1~rill$;J JJ!t@ .

WARRINGTON.-Holy Trinity. Date and Initials. WARRING ON .-Holy Trinity. ,

lID ~~L1lJ ~ ~[]] SCALE. Ods j I 1 I I 1 I i I ! 1 ! ! I I ,6 ,I, I !. I 2 8 5 6 7 ! 12 INCHEs" ~ ,

Ma"1t nt Johl Snott. of Wlaan. Bell. CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 73

MAGHULL. ST. ANDREW. One bell.

I. J. MURPHY FOUNDER DUBLIN 1895 On waist: THE CHURCH-WARDENS OF ST ANDREWS PARISH CHURCH MAGHULL (46in. diarn.) Hangs in west tower. It is used also as a clock bell. The present church was built in 1880.

J 552 : .. ij small bells WI one sacring belle ." The chancel of the old church with its north chapel still stands in the churchyard. Its nave was rebuilt about 1830, but pulled down when the present church was erected. An octagonal west turret has been re­ erected at the south-west angle of the old chancel. It contains the old bell, which bears the inscription:

CHRISTO AVSPICE DVCE 1709 (be\\) L W (rSin, diam.) (see facsimile). The churchwardens' accounts do not begin till 1780, so there is no clue to the initials L w. The letters are ~in. high, and the S's are reversed. The bell is very difficult of access, as the diameter of the turret inside is only very slightly greater than the diameter of the bell itself.

MELLING. ST. THOMAS. One bell.

1. .: Robert· Martten . Warden· 1748 :-:

Luke Ashton I W iggan I (zqin. diam.)

By Luke Ashton, of Wigan, with inscription in his characteristic" lower-case " type and heart-shaped stops. 74 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

Hung in wooden frame in west tower. The present church was built in 1834, replacing- an older one then pulled down. The tower was a later addition, about 1850. The bell is presumably that from the former church, but this is not absolutely certain." The bell has at one time been painted red along with the wooden frame. 1552: .. Twoo smalle bells, one Iytill sacryng belle."

NEWCH U RCH-I N-CULCH ETH. HOLY TRINITY. Six bells.

1. CAST BY JOHN WARNER & SONS LONDON 1878. On waist: 3 LARGEST BELLS BY T. E. WITLINGTON ESQR 2 SMALLEST BY THE PARISHIONERS W. F. BLACK RECTOR JOHN SOUTHERN CHURCHWARDEN (2sin. diarn .) 2. CAST BY JOHN WARNER & SONS LONDON 1878 (26~in. diarn.) 3. CAST BY JOHN WARNER & SONS LONDON 1904 ( 27~in. diam.) 4. CAST BY JOHN WARNER & SONS LONDON 1877 (zein, diarn.) 5. The same. (3I!in. diam.) 6. The same. (34in. diarn.)

• The Rev. Canon Grensted, M.A., vicar, tells me that the oldest inhabita n t of th e village, Mrs. Bradley, aged 89, says she remembers th e bell being got and put in the tower. It may, therefore, have been obtained from elsewhere when the tower was built. But it is more likely th at the bell from the old chapel was put away somewhere from 1834 till th e tim e the tower was added to the new church. The vicar, howev er , has failed to find the name Martten in the registers. CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 75

Hung in 'wooden frames in west tower. There was one bell in the tower previous to 1878. Five more were th en added, the old bell being the third of the ring. In th e fire which destroyed the church in April, 1903, the old bell was cracked, and was, therefore, recast the following year. No description of it appears to have been kept. The name" Witlington" on the treble is an error for Withington-s-T. E. Withington, Esq., of Culcheth Hall.

NEWTON-IN-MAKERFIELD. S T. PETEI{. Eight bells.

1. DONORS -l- THE SCHOOL CHILDREN On waist:

SUFFER THE LITTLE CHILDREN TO COME UNTO ME (zqin, diam.)

2. DONOR + THOS. J. GILLESPIE J.P. 1884 On waist: RING IN THE NOBLER MODES OF LIFE (30±-in. diam.)

3. JOHN TAYLOR & CO., FOUNDERS. LOUGH­ BOROUGH, LEICESTERSHIRE. On waist: To THE MEMORY OF MAJOR B. RELF 2ND DRAGOON GUARDS BY HIS DAUGHTER CLARA VERONA WOOD THE WILLOWS 1901. CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

Other side of waist: RING OUT THE THOUSAND WARS OF OLD (3zin. diam.)

4· DONOR';- LIEUT. COLONEL RICHARD PILKING­ TON, V.D., M.P., RAINFORD HALL, LANCASHIRE. On waist: RING IN THE LOVE OF TRUTH AND RIGHT (35in. diam.)

5· DONORS -I- THE CHOIR, SUNDAY&DAY SCHOOL TEACHERS & MEN'S BIBLE CLASS. On waist: RING OUT THE GRIEF THAT SAPS THE MIND. (38~in. diam.)

6. JOHN TAYLOR & CO., FOUNDERS, LOUGH­ BOROUGH, LEICESTERSHIRE. On waist: IN MEMORIAM THOMAS AIREY OF WIGAN OBIT 1900 DONOR HIS SON GEORGE SANDFIELD HALL, LOWTON, LANCASHIRE FOR THOSE THAT HERE WE SEE NO MORE (4Iin. diarn.)

7. DONORS + THE FREEMASONS OF THE PROVINCE OF On waist: THE SYMBOLS OF OUR ORDER ARE THE COMPASS, LEVEL & THE SQUARE WHICH TEACH US TO BE JUST & FAIR AND THAT'S THE DRIFT OF MASONRY. (45~in. diam.) CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 77

8. DONORS + THE CONGREGATION. J. TAYLOR & CO. FOUNDERS On waist: WITH LOVING VOICE I CALL TO CHURCH AND PRAYER

AND BID THE LIVING FOR THE GRAVE PREPARE. 5. peCRU5 :fl~ matorem "IDet g[ortam BnllO "IDomtni 1901 Other side of waist: JAMES RYDER, VICAR

JAMES LIPTROT + CHURCHWARDENS WILLIAM HENRY HINDLEY -1- (51tin. diam.)

Hung in iron frames in west tower. Dedicated Sep- tember 7th, 1901. A clock chimes the quarters and strikes the hours on the tenor. Each bell has a vine-leaf band below the shoulder. Nos. I, 2, 4, 5, and 7 have also the circular trade mark of J. TAYLOH & Co. LOVGHBOROUGH on the waist. The weights and notes are given by the founders as follows :- Cwt, qr s. Ibs. I 5 2 IS Note E flat. 2 5 3 IS D. j 6 2 8 ,. c. B flat. 4 7 3 27 " 10 II A flat. 5 " U 12 6 G. 3 " 16 18 F. 7 3 " 'H 24 2 E flat. -----5 " Total 9° 2 II CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

The cost of the bells was £841. 2S. 6d., less an allowance of [33. 2S. 6d. for the old bell given in 1884 by Thos. J. Gillespie, Esq., and replaced by the present second. The chiming apparatus was given by Colonel and Mrs. ·Wood. The old chapel, rebuilt c. 1683-4, was enlarged in 1818-9 and again in 1834-5. The 1818-9 structure had a bell turret, containing one bell, at the west end over a semi­ circular gable. The 1834-5 building had an octagonal turret over a pointed west gable. This became unsafe about 1874, and was rebuilt on a new pattern and a new bell provided about 188+* The church was afterwards rebuilt piecemeal-chancel 1892-3, nave 1897-8, west tower 1899-1901. Between the completion of the nave and the building of the tower the beIl hung in a niche in the west gable. The bell in use before 1884 is said to be now at Newton­ in-Makerfield Cemetery.

NORTH MEOLS. ST. CUTHBERT. Two bells.

I. No inscription. (rSin, diarn.)

2. Ex Dono lohs Hesket. and Henel Hesketh Mercats • W H: IB • RR • Wards 1750 On waist: LUKE (shield) A SHTON (37!in. diarn.) WIGGAN Hung in west tower in wooden frames. The smaller bell has an inscription band below the shoulder, but there is no inscription, date, or maker's mark. It is l5in. high, and loin. diameter below the shoulder.

•J. H. Lane. N ewfoll.iJl-llfakerjield (1914). i. 123. CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 79

The larger bell is by Luke Ashton, of Wigan, and the inscription is in his characteristic" lower case" lettering with heart-shaped stops. This is a large bell for the \Vigan foundry, the others yet noted by me in Lan­ cashire ranging in diameter from Isin. to z9in. The donors, John and Henry Hesketh, were. wine merchants of Preston. The shield on the waist has a bell below three fleurs-de-lys" and is supported by two winged aniorini or angels, above is a crown. (It is not the Royal Arms as stated in Mr. Farrer's Rist. of North Meols, p. 63,) 1552: .. ij bells in the steple, i hand belle used at buryalls and j smalle sacryiug belle." In Bland's A nnals of Southport, 1886, pp. 68-69, the following extracts from the churchwardens' accounts of 1813, relating to the bells, are given :-

Aug. To a bel roap - o 6 ~ Nov. To ringers ale for fifth of November 07 0 To ringing upon His Majesty's Birthday 06 6 Nov . 10. To Ringing at the defeate of Bonaparty - 07 0

ORMSKIRK. ST. PETER AND ST. PAUL. 8+ 1 bells

1. ~1774.~ (30in. diam.)

2. PEACE & GOOD NEIGHBOURHOOD 1774 (3zin. diam.) 3. WM GRISE pSH CLERK A (bell) R. 1714 (33in. diam.) 4- MR HENRY HELSBYCONSTABLE A (bell)R. 1714 (3Sin. diam.)

S. ARCHIPPUS KIPPAX VICAR A (bell) R. 1714 (38in. diarn.)

• No doubt suggested by the shield used by Henry Oldfield, (I f Nottingham. See Seft on fifth and tenor bells. 80 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

6. BEN I. FLETCH ER, THO. MOORCROFT, THO. ASPINWALL CH CHWARDENS 1714 (4oin. diam.) 7. THOMAS RU DHALL GLOCESTER FOU N DER 1774 (45in. diam.) 8. + t: s : oe : B: armtq.et :e: UI : me :tecerunr : tn : bouore : rrtnttatts : + : -i- : RB 1497 -i- On waist: 1576. (49iin. diam.)

PRIEST'S BELL. AO ·Ie· HF' WB 'IG . EA' Wardens 1716 (17in. .diarn. ) The eight bells hang in wooden frames in the great west tower, the fifth and tenor in the middle. There is a clock, erected in 1883, which chimes th e Westminster quarters, and strikes the hours on the tenor. The priest's bell or ting-tang han gs by itself in th e smaller spire steeple at the west end of the south aisle. 1552: "Fyve bells . iij sacring bells." 1679. Five bells are alluded to in the churchwardens' accounts. 1714. The first , second, third, and fifth bells were recast into five by Abraham Rudhall, and th e fourth (present eighth) became th e sixth or tenor bell. This ring of six continued till 1774, when two trebles by Thomas Rudhall were added, and the fifth (present seventh) bell, "having been cracked and lying idle on the floor," was recast." There is a local tradition that when was dissolved the bells were removed to Ormskirk.

·1774. Rudhall's bill for casting the 5th bell, £26. as. rd. Edward Woods, carting the same, £1. IS. od, Wardms' Accounts. CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 81

Though there is apparently no authority for this story it is not at all unlikely that the priory bells were taken to Ormskirk Church, and that the present massive west tower, which is of sixteenth century date, was built to receive them. Whether the four bells recast in 1714 were from Burscough Priory we have, of course, no means of ascertaining, but the old fourth, now the tenor, is quite possibly a recasting in 1576 of one of the priory bells retaining the original inscription. Mr. William Beamont, however, has put on record a version of the tradition which states that all the priory bells, save the present tenor, were afterwards removed to ," The oldest (two) of the present Croston bells, however, only date from 1787. Mr. Beamont also records that the first Earl of Derby, who died in 1504, left £30 to the churchwardens of Ormskirk Church "to buy a bell for their church," and the second earl (d. 1521) left a similar amount" towards procuring a bell for Ormskirk Church." If these bells were bought they very probably were two of the four recast in 1714. However we may regard this "tradition" about the Burscough Priory bells there is no doubt whatever about the extreme interest of the present tenor. With the exception of the initials R. B., the date 1497, and the fylfot ornament immediately following, all of which are cast on the bell, all the letters of the inscription are on separate paterte, and are probably the lettering from the original bell cast in 1497 preserved and used again when the bell was recast. The initials R. B., which are in Roman type, and the date 1497, which is in Arabic numerals, belong, of course, to the recasting, and may (the date, at any rate) represent old features. 'Whether

• Wm. Beamont, A Chapter 011 Bells (1888), pp. 23-5. G CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

R. B. was on the original bell is doubtful. It is possible that it represents the name of the founder- in 1576. The same initials occur on a bell at Warton, near Carnforth, in 1574, and at Warburton, Cheshire, in 1575, but the style of lettering differs, and the bells may not have anything in common. The date 1576 on the waist of the Ormskirk bell is cast on the bell itself. A good deal has been written about the inscrip­ tion, but the identification of th e donors has not yet been established. Mr. Dunkin endeavoured to identify them as James , of Burscough, and Elizabeth his wife, whom he found living 1494-1501. B, however, may stand for as well as for Burscough, and on the whole it is best to leave the identification an open question. The facsimile of the inscription and the ornament here given renders a lengthy written description unnecessary. The inscription runs round the bell below the shoulder in the usual manner between triple bands, and below it is a continuous band of Tudor badges between inturned and out-turned cresting. The space between the word trinitaiis and the initials R. B. is made up with a miscel­ laneous assortment of Tudor badges and oth er stamps, as follows: Fleur-de-lys , two quatrefoil stops, dragon, portion of border cresting and stop, portcullis, two quatrefoil stops, dragon, rose (portion), portcullis, and two quatre­ foil stops. The first rose is on the same sta mp as the second dragon, and has been cut away on one side to fit it into the space. The fleur-de-lys in front of the inscription is on a separate stamp. The band of ornament below the inscription consists of a series of Tudor badge stamps, each consisting of dragon, rose, portcullis, and fleur-de-lys, There are eight of these intact, another is divided down the middle in order to HINDLEY.-Bell at Hindley Chapel (All Saints), near Wigan. _ . '"=-"-======!======-==

" i ~: ~ (Q) ~ a ll ~ o 3I a eli2 J 31 S X] N IT ~ ~

MAGHULL.-Bell at Maghull. lain. diam. ILW DVCf

QRMSKIRK.-Inscription round shoulder of tenor bell, bands omitted.

9 ~nl®~ ~ If /~ ~W lfU1lU~ti ~~ic~ ~I~ XI~'~ nun ~ ,}~~ I(~ rr ~ U 1lD un t:~ l.-- [IDfuluuu ff® lu~

QRMSKIRK.-Tenor bell.

SC:AL~ I I TIS 76 :2 3 4 5 6 12 INCHES,

Tudor' badge stamps below shoulder. Date on waist. CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. lessen the space between the rose and portcullis, while a third has lost the dragon and part of the rose in order to adjust it to the space to be filled. The unmutilated stamps are 6in. long. The date 1576 on the waist comes immediately below the older date on the shoulder. Local writers have seen in these Tudor badges a com­ pliment to King Henry VII., who visited Ormskirk church in 1496, when staying with his stepfather the first Earl of Derby, at . Henry's mother, the Lady Margaret, Countess of Richmond, married the Earl of Derby shortly after 1472, and bore the Lancaster rose and the portcullis as a daughter of John Beaufort, Duke of Som erset, grandson of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lan­ caste r. But Tudor badges similar to these at Ormskirk are not uncommon on sixteenth century bells, and may very well have been used as early as 1497. There are seven places in north where th ey occur (see North, Bells of Lincolnshire, 119-120) along with quatrefoil stops similar to those on the Ormskirk bell. These stamps, says North, are" associated with scraps of black­ lett er alphabet oddly mixed up in two cases of capitals and smalls." North was of the opinion, or rather " suspected," that th ese Lincolnshire bells were cast by Henry Oldfield, of Nottingham, as Tudor badges came to be in his hands "as we know from certain bells of his in Leicestershire." Henry Oldfield, however, was not castin g till about 1539, so it is impossible that he cast th e original Orrnskirk ten or, though it is quite possible th e existing bell is one of his. There is, however, no indica­ tion of th is. Of the Rudhall bells th e first has a smaller portion of flowing ornament on each side of the date, the rest of the inscrip tion band being blank; the second has also a shor t CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. length of ornament on each side of the date, making up the space between it and the inscription; the' third and fourth have the inscription space made out with a flowing border, and the fifth with a crested border; in the sixth the inscription occupies the whol e of the space, but in the seventh is made up with flowing ornament, and there is in addition a band of similar pattern below. The fourth and sixth bells have cabled cannons. There is a measured drawing of the tenor bell, with part of the inscription, in the]olui o'Gaun: Sketch Book, vol. iii., by Mr. Samuel Wright, of Lancaster: The Rev. Archippus Kippax, M.A., whose name is on the fifth bell, was vicar of Ormskirk from 1692 till his death in 1718. There is a tablet to him in the church. The priest's bell or ting-tang, though it bears no maker's name, is, by the evidence of the lettering and the use of heart-shaped stops, almost certainly from the Wigan foundry, then owned by Ralph Ashton, and is one of the earliest bells in which he uses the "lower case" type, which later became so characteristic of the Wigan foundry under Luke Ashton. The weights and notes of the bells, as given by Mears and Stainbank on a card in the ringing chamber, are as follows :-

I 6tcwt. approximate. Note D. 2 ,. c sharp. 7 " " 8 B. 3 "" " 9~ ,. A. 4 " 12 G. 5 " " 6 F sharp. 14 " " 18 ,. E. 7 " " H 25 D. " " CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

The following rules, dated 1775, are on a board in the ringing chamber:- " Ye Ringers all, observe these Orders well, He pays his Sixpence that o'erturns a.Bell. He that doth ring in either Spur or Hat Must pay his Sixpence for his fault in that. He that in Ringing doth disturb a Peal Must pay his Twelvepence or his gun in Ale. He that doth Swear or doth begin a Fight Must pay Twelvepence e'er he goes out of Sight. These Laws are Old, they are not New, That Bells & Ringers both may have their due." Mr. George Lea, in his Handbook for Orntskirl: (1893), writes:- The curfew bell is rung at nine in summer and eight in winter, and until the last few years a charge of £2 was annually made on the parish for ringing this bell. Within recent years there was also continued to be rung for six weeks before Christmas and six weeks after the bell known as the 'Prentice Bell, the object of which was to rouse the apprentices during the dark mornings to be in time for their work . The late Canon Woodrow (vicar 1884-1913) in 1903 wrote:- The curfew bell still rings every night at eight o'clock and an old custom is in vogue ; immediately after the ringing of the curfew the number of the days in the month is struck on the large bell" (Liverpool Dioc. co., July, 1903). The following entries in the churchwardens' accounts relating to the bells and ringing are taken from the extracts printed by NIr. James Dixon in T1'I11tS. H istoric Soc. Lanes. & Chesli., vol. xxx. (1873):- 1665. May 29. Exp. the day whereon we mett sev'all work­ men to agree with them aboute repaire of the Leads Clocke bells and other things-on our sel ves and thm 00 04 06 June 12. Cost on the ringers the first tyme wee had newes of our navies good suckcesse agt the Dutch and for candles - 00 01 00 86 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

June 23. pd. for a new bell roope being 81b. at five pence a pound 00 03 04 June 23. pd. for a new Iron Collerfor second bell 00 02 06 June 29. pd. for two iron pins to mende fourth bell wheele . 00 00 04 June 30. pd for a new bell roope bein g rolb. Sd. per lb. 00 04 02 July 3. pd for mendinge third bell coller • 00 01 00 July 10. pd for Iron geare about 4th bell whee le and other things • 00 01 02 Aug. 24. Cost on sevall p'sons who ra ised great Bell when it leaned to the west end 00 00 10 Sept. 28. pd. for spicinge 3 bell rope and for leather to line the bell callers 00 00 08 Oct. 6. pd for an Iron rodd about great Bell two Iron wedges two gudgion s two filboe s and a stable for the fan t cover 00 01 00 Nov. 5. pd the ringers accordinge to an tient custome 00 05 00 No v. 7. pd for rnendinge two bell callers and for grease for bells • 00 01 06 Dec. 2. pd Lorence Martindell for I ron gea re about the bells for weh wee h ave his note of p' t icul ar s - 00 as as Dec. 2. pd for two pound of liquor for the bells 00 00 08 Dec. 23. pd for mending 2 : 3 : and 4th bell wheels five foote apeece being'aded to evary of them 00 16 10 Dec. 23. pd for a new wooden coll er for the grea t Bell 00 02 00 Feb. 9. pd for anew bell rope 00 03 08 Apr. 13. pd for putinge anew spooke in th e 4th bell wheele and for nailes and worke . 00 01 02 Apr. 16. pd for spicing bell ropes at sevall tym es 00 00 06 Apr. 28. pd for worke done about Clerkes sca te . and mendinge a Bell Coller weh was work e formarly done - 00 03 00 Pd the ringers for two sevall Coronat ion days in our tyme, weh wee forgot to pu t in it s place 00 aS 00 1666, May 29. payd to ye R ingers for rin ging on his M a ries birth and restoration da y - 00 02 0 Aug . 3. Spent on ye rin ger s for rin ging for joy of good newes from ye na vy - 00 01 06 Aug. 23. Spent on ye rin gers upon yo thank sgiving day for ye sea victory - 00 05 00 Sept. 29. payd to Sill : Morcroft for two bell clappers and weging of bell stepes 01 06 06 Oct. 15. pa yd for two bell call ers 00 06 00 Nov. 5. payd to ye rin gers on powder tre : day 00 aS 00 Jan. 29. payd to Thomas Gryse for sallet cyle for ye clocke and belles and for hallfe a poun d of candles 00 00 07 Jan . 29. To the said Thomas Gry se for gres for ye belles for mending bell wheels and for tak ing up ye great bell 00 03 02 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

Mar. 25. for six wedges for ye second bell - 000006 25. for mending the fourth bell wheeJe - 00 00 03 for grease for ye belles - 00 00 04 payd to Mathew Nobles for a bell rope - 00 03 06 Apr. 23. payd to ye ringers on ye Coronation day - 00 03 00

Quoted by Mr. Lea (Handbook to Ormskirk):­ 1682. March 8. For a coler and mending clapper of Saints' Bell 0 01 06 16g1, Jul y 19. Paid the ringers and spent at the Boone fire with the Constable and several others when the joyful news came that King William had gott ye victory in Ireland 0 03 04

FROM THE CONSTABLE'S ACCOUNTS. 1797, Mar. t , Gave the ringers on the news of 1400 French- men having been taken prisoners in Wales - 0 10 0 Oct. 'S . Given the ringers on the defeat and capture of the Dutch fleet off the coast of Holland 0 10 0

1828. In the Liverpool Mercury of November 14th, 1828, is a letter from a correspondent, who states that he was in Ormskirk on November 5th, and heard the bells rung in celebration of Gunpowder Treason. On inquiry, however, he was surprised to find that there had been no ringing on the King's birthday. In reply to this another correspondent, in the issue of November zrst, wrote as follows :- There has been neither ringing on the King's Birthday, nor Coronation Day, for several years past, no doubt to the great disappointment and chagrin of the ringers, who are generally thirsty souls and willing to ring for anyone who will give them plenty of swill. The disloyal decree is generally ascribed here to the vicar ; if he had made a third decree and prohibited them from ringing on the 5th November also it would have shown some consistency. or, at any rate. it would have been taken as a mark of respect to one half of his parishoners, who still adhere to the ancient faith, and to a great many more who, since the "schoolmaster has been abroad," only look on the thunderings and clanking of bells upon the anniversary of the 5th of November as a political humbug designed to instil a well-known political lie into the rising generation that the Church rvay devour the loaves and fishes a little longer.

Feeling was then very strong over the Catholic Eman­ cipation Bill. Neither correspondent signed his name. 88 CH URCH B l':LLS OFL ANCASHIRE.

PRESCOT. ST. MARY THE VIRGIN. 8 + 1 bells. 1. C. & G. MEARS FOUNDERS LONDON 1845 (zqin, diam.) 2. The same. (join. diam.) 3. The same. (33in. diam.) 4. The same. (34in. diarn.) 5. The same. (36in. diam.) 6. The same. (38in. diam.) 7. The same. (42in. diam.) 8.C & G. MEARS FOUNDERS LONDON 1845 On waist: REVD CHARLES GEORGE DRIFFIELD, VICAR. HENRY LEE } JAMES GALLOWAY CHURCH- HENRY GEORGE BROMILOW WARDENS WILLIAM HENSHALL (4Sin. diam.)

PRIEST'S BELL. 1684. (lsin. diarn.) On waist: The stamp of a bell. Hung in wooden frames in west tower. The ting-tang hangs above the other bells in front of th e east window of the bell chamber. Each of the numerals in th e date is on a separate patera. The weights and notes of th e bells are given as follows:- Cw r. qr s. lbs, I -+ 3 2 0 Note F . 2 I 6 E. 5 " 3 6 1 15 D. 1 " c. 4 7 17 " 8 0 B flat. 5 13 " 6 A. 9 o 24 " II I G. 7 24 " 8 F. 14 3 21 " Total 67 3 0 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 89

The bells were "opened" on Monday, April aSth, 1845. 1552: .. Fawre bellis. " In 1638 the bells are stated to hav e been" tak en down and recast at very considerable expense."* From a rather hurried perusal of the churchwardens' accounts (which begin in 1637-8) it is nut quite clear to me whether all the bells were then recast, but possibly they were, and these bells remained in the tower till 1845. Six bells are noted by Browne Willis about 1740. A few extracts from the wardens' accounts of 1637 may be given :-

pel. to th e bellfounders in earnest of theirs 0 0 0 1 00 pd . to a messenger for bringing a letter to Wigan unto the bellfounder 0 0 00 08 Spent all the meetings of the old and new church- wardens and 8 men and the bellfounders 00 09 00 Spent when the bellfounders were chipping ye bell es - 0 0 0 2 06 pd. to ye Bellfounders in pt. for hanging the belles 2 [torn oft] Spent by two churchwardens att Wigan in attending two days and a night . . . and also in .. . two belles weighed . - 00 19 9 Spent in attending several days . . . to agree ab out ye . .. of ye two first belles and also the ye third and fourth bell when theywerc brought from Wigan 00 03 oS Spent att an over tyme alt the ch ipping of ye belles to make them tuneable 0 0 03 08 Spent at the hanging of the Great Bell, having the help of 8 men to draw up the same - 00 03 G Spent at the drawing up of the bell hanging it and all ye thereof - 00 02 00 Pd. to Mr Clibbery ye bellfounder more in part for ye bells 2 13 0,. pd. more to him - I 00 00 pel. more to him - o 10 0 0 pd . to Edward ffiney for a head for th e third bell - 00 0 2 06 I'd. to the Bellfounders in part - 07 04 0 0 Pd . more to the bellfounders xxij Sept. 1637 3 4 10 0 0 Pel. to the Bellfounders in part 200 pd . more att an other time 5 10 0

• Rev, F. G. Paterson, His tory of P rescot, 1908. go CHURCH BELLS OF LA NCASHI RE.

The most interesting fact emerging from these extracts is that the bells were cast by " M' Clibbery." the family of Clibury had a foundry at Wellington, Shropshire, for about eighty years in the seventeenth century, the earliest existing dated bell from which is 1605 and the latest 1682. A John Clibury is known to have been founding at \Vellington, however, as far back as 1590-1. An account of this foundry will be found in Mr. H. B. Walters' Church Bells of Shropshire (1915), pp, 417-32. William Clibury (d. 1642) also cast bells at Holt, in Denbighshire, between the years 1623 and 1640, but nothing is said by Mr. Walters as to his itinerating and casting at other places. Yet it seems clear from the Prescot entries that" Mr. Clibbery" cast these bells at Wigan. One of the Cliburys' bells, dated 1633, is at the modern church of St. Stephen, Haslingden Grane, but in my investigations I have not yet found another Clibury bell in Lancashire. 1844-5. On October rSth, 1844, the vestry considered a memorial, dated October 8th and signed by twenty­ four parishioners, which expressed the" desire for a peal of eight bells in place of the present incomplete and mis­ tuned set of six bells," "The present state of the church bells," the memorial went on to say. "is such as to require according to an estimate you have received no less a sum than £120 to put them in sufficient repair. Mr. Mears has offered to erect a peal of eight new bells, including alterations of the frame, two new wheels, and everything necessary for the sum of £220 and the old bells ," It was resolved" that the sum of £120 together with the proceeds from the sale of the present bells be granted to the churchwardens out of the rate for the coming year for the purpose of their substituting a new peal CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 91 of eight bells in place of the present six bells-the extra cost to be obtained by subscription." Accordingly, the present ring was cast in the following year by C. and G. Mears, and the old bells were sold. They brought in a sum of £232. 16s. 7d., which, together with the £IZ0 voted out of the parish rate and £129. 18s. 6d. raised by subscription, made a sum of £482. 15s. rd., which is put down in the churchwardens' book as the "cost of 8 new bells." No particulars, unfortunately, are given as to where the old bells were sent. Locally it is said they were sold to Huyton, but the only old bell there is the tenor, which is dated 1606. Five bells were cast for Huyton by C. and G. Mears in 1846, of which two have since been recast. It is possible that the Prescot bells were sold to Huyton and then recast in 1846. Mr. Paterson, in his History of Prescot, contents himself with saying that they were" presented to a neighbouring Parish church." This, however, is incorrect as far as "presentation" is concerned, as the bells were sold as stated above. Mr. Paterson gives two extracts from th e church­ wardens' accounts referring to the bells and ringers :-

1639. Paid to the rin gers of Prescote for ringing when the Chancellor was come to Prescot [from Chester ] 5s. 6d. 1639. Pd. for oyle for the Clocke and Dells and for Candles to ring Curffey by - 4S. ad .

RAINFORD. ALL SAINTS. Eight bells.

1. JOHN TAYLOR & Co LOUGH BOROUGH 1903 (2sin. diam.) z. The same. (z6in. diam.) 3· The same. (z8in. diam.) 4· The same. (30in. diam.) 92 CHURCH B EL LS OF LANCASHIRE.

7' JOHN TAYLOR & Co LOUGHBOROU GH LEICESTERSHIRE 1903 (38in. diam.) 8. To THE GLORY OF GOD. T. On waist : J. BRIDGER VICAR F. E. LUCEY CURATE B. SMITH [ C HURCHWARDENS J. T. HOPGOOD ) Other side of waist : THESE EIGHT BELLS WERE GIVEN BY THE PEOPLE OF RAINFORD A' D' 1903. (42in. diam.)

Hung in north-east tower. The old chapel was pulled down and the present church erected on an adjoining site in 1877-8. T ower completed 1903. The single bell of the old chapel was in use till 1903, when it was pres ent ed to a neighbouring mission church, not yet traced.

ROSY. ST. BARTHOLOMEW. One bell.

1. 0 IX: See Beoicte ISP AOD~ 11)12 (40in. diam.)

H angs in west spire steeple. There is no floor to the bell chamber, the bell being hung on cross-beams, and only accessible by a long ladder. CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 93

This bell is one of the most interesting in the county, and certainly the most interesting in the 'Vest Derby hundred or the diocese of Liverpool. It is, as far as I know, the earliest dated bell in the diocese, for the earlier date on the Ormskirk bell (q.v.) is only a survival in the recasting of 1576. The date of the Roby bell is 1512, a very early example of Arabic numerals in which the 5 is shaped like the capital letter 0 (compare date on roof at Eccleston Church in Trans. Hist. Soc. Lanes, and Chesli., lxiii. 41). The church at Roby dates only from 1850, but was rebuilt in 1875. The bell, formerly at Huyton, was given to the new church under circumstances set out in the Roby church book as follows: "The bell was presented to the church in 1850 by the vicar and church­ wardens of Huyton, and had originally been the t~nor bell of the old peal of four in Huyton Church, but was discarded by Mr. Mears, bellfounder, of London, as being of too fine a tone and quality to harmonise with the new bells which he was commissioned to make for the increase of the Huyton peal from four to six. It weighs about 15 cwt., is of Spanish manufacture, and supposed to be at least four hundred years old." The new ring of bells at Huyton dates from 1846. The tower of the new church at Roby was built for the accommodation of this bell-a reversal of the usual order of things-but the building was pulled down to make way for the present church. The note in the church book shows that when erected the bell had not been closely examined by any competent person, as it bears a definite date, and also a series of maker's marks which render the story of its Spanish manufacture at once ridiculous and impossible. Never­ theless, the story subsists, and probably will do so for many years to come. How it arose it is impossible to 94 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. say. The bell was most probably the tenor of the ring of four at Huyton mentioned in the 'Edwardian inventory, but was no longer so in 1846, as it had been superseded in 1606 by the present tenor, whose diameter is 46in. The initial shield on the Roby bell bears the initials r C on either side of a -----, cross, and a second cross stamp conclusively proves it to have come from a Nottingham foundry . North (Churcl: B ells of Lincolnshire, p. lIO), writ­ ing of this device, says: "The shield, which bears the trade mark of a founder, whose initials were R. c., is interesting From Kor th's Chlll'ch B ells 0/ L i ncolnshi re, because it can be traced back for about five hundred years. It is found upon the curious little bell hanging on the top of the Guildhall, Lincoln, which bell was cast in the mayoralty of William Belle, A.D. 1371." There was a London founder of the name of Robert Crouch, but Mr. H. B. Walters, M.A., F.S.A., to whom I submitted a rubbing of the Roby bell, writes: "The trade mark is, as you say, r c, but it does not represent Robert Crouch, although it closely resembles his stamp. It occurs on the bell at the Guildhall, Lincoln, which bears the name of the mayor for 1371, and can, therefore, be dated to that year. Hence it is clear that the Roby bell, being one hundred and forty years later, cannot be the work of 'R. c.' Moreover, the initial shield or cross [following the R. c. shield on the Roby bell], which is the characteristic ROSY. Sell t-orn Huyton church (1512), now at Roby church.

..rnw F I'· '. r It d 1P

SCALF I I I ! I'I'I TTTT'T'TTT'~r' I o , >' 3 ". ~, (j 7 fl n 10 II ','IN"

SEFTON.- Sefton Church, 3rd Bell. 1601. .- .. 1i3 IGJDJU] [nJBffiIBl6[Q[18 . . ._ 'c

SEFTON.-· Sefton Church. 5th and 6th Bells (ornament omillod). 1= :e. , 0" F ---- .*" .. _. I "'0- L _lJDJ , = .0="- , CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 95 mark of the later medireval Nottingham foundry, is never used by R. c. (who was certainly a Nottingham man). There is 12.0 clue to the founder of the Roby bell, except that it is probably by Richard Selyoke, who was founding In Nottingham about 1510- 20. He must have got hold of R. co's stamps. The latter's bells are very common In Lincolnshire. Selyoke's name occurs In the borough records of Not­ tingham edited by W. Stevenson, but these con­ tain no clue to the identity of R. co" Besides the R. c. shield and the initial cross on the inscription band the Roby bell also bears, just above the sound bow, the stamp of an eagle's claw three times repeated. From North 's Church Bells oj Lincolnshire, The letters of the inscription are on separate paterae and the words are widely spaced. The numerals of the date are 3!in. apart. The interpretation of the letters 1. S. P. offers many difficulties. Perhaps the best suggestion is that of Mr. A. Hamilton Thompson, M.A., F.S.A., who writes: "I should interpret the letters as 'Intercede, sancte pater' . . . . I do not guarantee this explanation, but it makes sense. 'Sancte Benedicte' in the vocative needs something of the kind to follow. I think that a prayer for the intercession of St. Benet is the only reasonable .explanationo"'~ Mr. H. B. Walters prefers

• Sir W. H. St. John Hope, Litt.D., D .C.L ., characterises Mr . Thompson's explanation as " ingenious, if unusual," but .. cannot suggest CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. to leave the interpretation of the initials an open question. As far as investigation has yet gone there are only two other known bells in England of earlier date with Arabic numerals, one at Durham Castle (1495) and the other at St. Mary Bredin, Canterbury (1505). The diameter of the bell at the shoulder is arin, and th e height is 31in.

ST. HELENS. ST. MARY. I + I bells.

1. On waist : WATSON DAGLISH & CO . ST. HELENS FOUNDRY. 1840 (jfiin, diam. )

PRIEST'S BELL. On waist: ROBERT DAGLISH JUNR & ROBERT ROBINSON JUNR CHURCH WARDENS A.D . 1837 V. R. (17~in. diam.)

Hung in wooden fram es in west tower. No inscription bands below sho ulder. The present church dates from 1713, enlarged 1816.

1552 : St Helens Chapel, .. A lyttle belle " Md one belle belongyng to saynt El yn Chapell is 1mbecellid .

a better." Discussing other possible explanations of the letters Mr . Thompson writes : .. They could not be a donor's initials, as two Christian names were unknown in En gland at th is peri od . I . S . Posuit is an explanation which might sug gest itself, but is unlikely." CHURCH B EL L S OF LANCASHIRE. 97

SANKEY, GREAT. ST. MARY. One bell.

1. dOHN TAYLOR & Co -l- FOUNDERS -:- LOUGH­ BOROUGH LEICESTERSHIRE On waist : MARCH 31 .1903. d. R. dONES -:- VICAR dAMES MILLINGTON + WARDENS T. E. SHOOBRIDGE T (24in. diam.)

Hangs in west turret. The present church dates from 1765. A bell by Luke Ashton is mentioned in Notes and Queries, March 31st, 1906 (loth ser., v, 257), as existing here, but no particulars are given. Letters to the vicar, who was appointed in 1900, asking for informati on, have brought no response.

SEFTON. S T. HELEN. Six bells.

1. WILLM DOBSON FOUNDER. W. ECCLES· TON AND R. ROSE CH WDNS 1815 A bove this, on croten, is engraved in two lines: RICHARD RAINSHAW ROTHWELL RECTO R, THO : IOHNSON CURATE PETER BLACKBU RN CHRISTOPHER RICH MON D CHWARDENS ELECT (jrin. diam.)

2. OUR VOICES SHALL WITH JOYFUL SOUND MAKE HILLS AND VALLEYS ECHO ROUND Engraved above, i1~ two lines, as before : RICHARD RAINSHAW ROTHWELL RECTOR, THO,: JOHNSON CU RATE PETER BLACKBU RN.CHRISTOPHER RICHMOND CH U RCHWARDENS 1815 (jzin. diam.) H 98 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

3· + Goo Bles tbe Fovnoer 5eareof 1601 (3z!in. diam.)

+- + Nos sumus constructi ao Law­ ovr» Domini 1601 (3s!in. diam.)

5· 0 bee (tanlpana :f13eata Urinitate Sacra jfiat (3gin. diarn.) On waist: Circular stamp of Henry Oldfield.

6. The same. (4zin. diam.) Hung in wooden frames in west tower. First and second. By William Dobson, of Downham, Norfolk. These were added to the original ring of four in 1815. "At the annual meeting on Easter Tuesday, 1815, a motion was made and agreed to, that two addi­ tional bells to the four they had should be added: an eminent bell founder, Mr. Dobson, of Downham, in Norfolk, had been consulted, who agreed to furnish the same for £Ig8. It was agreed upon at the sam e time that the expenses attending the same should be levied by a ley through the parish."* The names of the clergy and wardens were engraved on the bells, after their delivery at Sefton, by "an ingenious artist, Mr. Fisher, of Ormskirk."t The weight of the treble is given as 7cwt. zqrs. Third and fourth. Mr. H. B. 'Walters, to whom I sent

•A Brief H istorical and Descriptive Account of Sefton Church, by Thomas Ashcroft (Liverpool, 1819). p. 36. t Ibid. CH URCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 99 rubbings of the inscriptions, writes: "The two Sefton bells of 1601 are undoubtedly by Henry Oldfield, of Nottingham. The lettering occurs on other of his bells about that date and the cross is one that he often uses. The inscription' Nos surnus constructi' appears on other of his bells, e.{.;., at Caunton, Notts." Fifth and sixth. Each of these bells has on its waist the large circular stamp or trade mark (3in. diam.) of Henry Oldfield, of Nottingham, a shield charged with a bell below three fleurs-de -lys, with the encircling inscrip­ tion, "-1- HE~RI OLDFELD MADE THYS BEYL FERE GOD." The initial shield in each case has a plain cross saltire. These bells ar e good examples of what are known shortly as "Trinitate bells," or bells dedicated to the H oly T rinity, on which the inscriptions are variations of the hexameter" Trinitate Sacra Fiat Hec Campana Beata" (" May this bell be sanctified by the Holy Trinity"). Other variations, besides that used on th e Sefton bells, are "Hec Campana Sacra Fiat Trinitate Beata" and" Sacra Trinitate Fiat H ec Campana Beata." This formula was very much favoured by the Nottingham founders. The lar ge Gothic capital letters are each from separate stamps, but th e smaller letters of each word are from a single block." These bells are probably som ewhat earlier than th e third and fourth, perhaps about 1590. With this opinion Mr. H. B. Walters agrees. 1552 : "Fawre bells, ij sakeri ng bells ." 'W hen the two additional bells were agreed upon in ISIS it was ordered at th e same time that "a survey should be taken of the beams, posts, and woodwork in th e belfry' and that the same do be put in good and

•F or" Trinitate" bell s see North, Bells of Lincolnshire, p. 121, and Yorks. Archaol, [our., ii., 193 . 1 0 0 C fI UHCH BELLS OF LA NCA SHIUE.

substantial repair." Accordingly in the winter of 1815 th e belfry was put in orde r, th e four old bells were examined, the beams made secure, and the two new bells placed in their st ations. ':' The weight of th e tenor is given as 14cwt. The record s of th e Mock Corporation of Sefton, a club of Liverpool gentlemen, who met every Sun day in summer at Sefton , which exte nd from 1786 t o 1797, have a few entries relati ng to th e church bells or ringers. F or example :-

J789, May 10. Ordered th at the Ringer s be complimented witb 2S . 6d. to drin k for the peal since service in complime nt to the corpo ra tion. 1792, May 25. The Church W ardens an d Constab les , agreeabl e to an cie n t custom , ordered the Corporation Church Ringer s to perform their

UPHOLLAN D. ST. THOMASO F CANTE IWUKY. Six bells. 1. CAST BY JOHN WARNER & SONS LONDON 1877 (27in. diam. ) 2 . The sam e. (z8in. diam.) 3. The same. (zqin. diam.) 4- Th e same. (J l in. diarn.) 5. The sa me. (33in. diarn.) 6. The same. C~6i ll . diarn.)

• Ashcroft, Sefton. Churcli (J819), p. 36. t The above extracts ar c from Catoe an d Gordon's Sefton, 1893. CH URCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 101

Hung in wooden frames in west tower. 1552: "ij bells." 1646. John Scott, of Wigan, cast a bell for Upholland Church about this time, or shortly before. In his will dated December zfith, 1646, is a schedule of debts owing in which this occurs :- .. Item, owing to me by Mr. Edmund Molyneux a nd Christopher Robie late ch urc hwa rdens all Holland iiijli whi ch is yett in arrear and unpaid to me of the sum of xxijli for a Bell, of whi ch iiijli I have received in whaete 6s., so rem aineth iijli xiiij s " (Tnr1ls. Hist. S oc. L anes. C'" Clicsh., new ser., vi. 171). 1740. About this time Browne Willis noted three bells at Holland, in Lancashire.

WALTON-ON-THE-HILL. ST. MARY-THE-VIRGIN. Six bells.

1. PEACE & GOOD NEIGH BOU RHOOD 1736 (2sin. diam.)

2. MAY THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND FOR EVER FLOURISH 1736 (zqin, diarn.) 3· WE WERE ALL CAST AT GLOUCESTER BY ABEL RUDHALL 1736 (2gtin. diam.) 4· ALEX~ LANGSHAW CH. WARN THOs KNOWLES SIDESMAN 1736 (30in. diam.) 5· THE REV~ M~ SILV~ RICHMOND REC~ THE REV? M~ THO~ BROOKE VICR 1736 (33in. diarn.) 6. I TO THE CHURCH THE LIVING CALL & TO THE GRAVE DO SUMMON ALL 1736 (37in. diam.) 102 CHU RCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

Hung in wooden frames in west tower. A light ring by Abel Rudhall, and one of his earli est. W e'i ghts and notes are given as follows :- I 4 cwt. approx. Note F. 2 4 ~- E flat. " D flat. 3 5 " "" c. 4 5t "" " B flat. 5 7 J, " " 6 A flat. 9 " " The Rev. Silvester Richmond, M.A ., was rect or from 1722 till his death in 1768. H e was son of the preceding rect or, the Rev, Richard Richmond, an d had been vicar from 1720. The Re v. Thomas Brooke, M.A., was vicar from 1722 till his death in 1757. He was son of Sir Thomas Brooke, of Norton Priory. T he vicarage was ordained in 1326, when Edward II. confirmed the grant of the church to Shrewsbury abb ey. The rectory was not appropriated, and both rect or and vicar continued to be appointed down to 1890, when th e vicarage was suppressed (V. C.H. Lancs., iii, 6) . Hence th e name s of both a rector and vicar on the fifth bell.

1552: • Twoo bells' . . . There is one belle wanting conteyned in the first inv en torie sold e to Rauf Bailif of Lyv'pole and the mone y bestawed upon the repacon of th e church e, as th e wardens do allidg e?

WARRINGTON. ST. E LPHIN. 8 + I bells.

I. MEARS & STAINBANK FOUNDERS LONDON. On waist : THE GIFT OF THE REVD WILLIAM QUEKETT RECTOR OF WARRINGTON 1884 J. E. WRIGHT t CHURCHWARDENS R. W. FRANCOMBE J CHURCH REBUILT 1859. SPIRE COMPLETED 1868. (z7M n. diam.) CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 103

2. HENRlCVS BAGLEY NOS FECIT 1698 DEO ET ECCLESIAE 3· HENRICVS BAGLEY NOS FECIT 1698 PACEM TE POSCIMVS OMNES 4· HEN RICVS BAGLEY NOS FECIT 1698 SANCTAE TRINITATI GLORIA PERENNIS 5· CANTATE DOMINO CANTICVM NOVVM. VIVAT GVLlELMVS REX H·B· NOS FECIT 1698 6. HENRlCVS BAGLEY NOS FECIT 1698 ECTONIAE IVXTA NORTHAMPTONIAM 7· CVRA MATTHAEI PAGE ET IOHANNIS BROMFIELD HVIVS ECCLESIAE GVARD­ IANORVM 1698. 8. MEARS & STAINBANK FOUNDERS LONDON On waist : IN MEMORIAM WILLIAM C. JONES THE ELMS DARESBURY AUGUST 1st 1884 PRESENTED BY THE FAMILY TO THE REVD WILLIAM QUEKETT M.A. RECTOR TO COMPLETE THE PEAL OF EIGHT 1884. (45tin diarn.) PRIEST'S BELL. On waist: G. A. W. 1806. Hung in central tower. The tower was rebuilt in 1859-60, and the spire added in r868. The tower will not stand th e vibration of the bells being rung, and they are, accordingly, hung stationarily from a truss or beam, and chimed by an apparatus. The original six by Henry 104 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

Bagley, of Ecton, Northamptonshire, are in a line from south to north in the middle of the tower, with the treble and tenor at the same level on the west side. The ting­ tang is near the north-west corner. It is probably by George Ainsworth, of Warrington. The inscription on the third is wrongly given by Mr. W. Beamont in Wa1Ti1tgton Churcli Notes (1878) as "Deo te poscimus omnes," but correctly in his Chapter on Bells (1888). There is orna­ ment between the words in the 16g8 bells. Mr. Beamont however, wrongly gives AE as a diphthong in each case. The weight of the treble is 4cwt., 3qrs., 3Ibs., and of the tenor 1scwt., oqrs., 14lbs. The note is E.

1552: .. Faure bells in the steple, ou Sancte belle and ij lyttil sacring belles."

WARRINGTON. HOLY TRINITY. Three bells. 1. TAYLOR & co FOUNDERS LOBORO 1863 (zsin. diam.) 2. J. TAYLOR & Co FOUNDERS LOUGH BOROUGH 1863 (zSin. diam.) 3· EX DONO IOHANNIS BOOTH ARMIGERI COLONELLI ET RECTORIS EMPORII DE WARRINGTON ANNO DOMINI 1647 CS 1'8 GI On waist below date: W (36in. diarn.) IS

Hung in west tower. Nos. I and 2 are clock bells, and the hours are struck on NO.3. The clock is the town clock and is controlled by the corporation. NO.3 is by John Scott, of Wigan, and is the old town bell. It formerly hung in the manor court house, which CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 105 stood on the site of the present market hall. The bell was given to the town by Colonel John Booth in 1647, he being at that time governor of Warrington. The inscription may be translated "the gift of John Booth, Esq., colonel and governor of the market town of Warrington." John Booth was fifth and youngest son of Sir George Booth, of Dunham Massey, who died in 1652 at the age of eighty- six. Colonel Booth was a well-known Parliamentary leader, and was governor of Warrington from 1644 to 1648, when he fell under suspicion and was charged with "keeping company with delinquents and cavaliers." It was to him that Lathom House surrendered, after the second siege, on December 4th, 1645. He was knighted in 1660 and died in 1678. This bell of John Scott's is a year later in date than the one at Hindley. The inscription goes round the bell below the shoulder in two lines, the second beginning with the word" Warrington." Each letter and numeral is on a separate patera. The diagonals of the N's are all reversed. There is a rubbing of the inscription in the Municipal Museum. At what date the bell was placed in the tower of Holy Trinity Church I have been unable to ascertain. Mr. Beamont* says that it was taken to the church when the court house was .pulled down in 1855, but the bell had been removed from the court house long before that date. In the court book of the Warrington Court Leet is an entry under date October 25th , 1808, ordering a deputation to the lord of the manor to fix "a proper place to which the T own Clock and Bell as well as the Fire Bell and Fire Engines may be removed, the old Tower m which

·W. Beamont, W arring/ oIl Clutrch N otes, p. 152. 106 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

the Clock and Bells are placed being very ruinous." Nothing, however, seems to have been done immediately. A minute of January 13th, 1810, reads as follows:-

The Gentlemen deputed by the Jury .. . having met , Mr. Black­ hurne and his agent for the purpose of con sidering and fixing upon a proper place in which to put up the Town Clock and Bell as well as the Fire Bell, lately taken down in consequence of the dangerous state of the Court House and Tow er . It was recommended that the Fire Bell should he immediately put up on the New Market House. Nothing, however, is said as to the destination of the town bell, and no subsequent decision is recorded. On October zSth, 1816, however, the Court Leet made regulations about the ringing of the Town Bell "which is now set-up in the Trinity Steeple."* The tower of th e court house appears to have been tak en down in 1809. Old views of the building, made between this date and 1855, show only the lower part of the tower standing. The fire bell had been recast in 1807t by George Ainsworth, himself a member and foreman of jury several times during the years 18°9-12. He is mentioned in a directory of 1814-5 as a turret-clock maker in Warring­ ton. A bell by him, dated 1815, is at Tilstock Church, Shropshire. Holy Trinity Church dates from 1709, but was taken down and rebuilt in 1759-60. The west tower or turret has been since rebuilt more than onc e, Browne Willis,

-For these extracts I am indebted to Mr. Charles Madeley, director of the Warrington Municipal Museum, who has kindly searched the court leet minutes with the obje ct of ascertaining when the bell was taken to Holy Trinity Church. The court leet or court baron was the only public authority in th e town in ISlO. t The fire bell was declared to be in an "unfit state to alarm the inhabitants" in May, IS07 , and a new one ordered to be cast.-CouYI Leet B ook. Ainsworth appear s to have been the founder of the pri est 's bell at the par ish church in 1806 . CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 1°7 about 1740, noted one bell at Holy Trinity Church. This would, of course, be in the church taken down in 1759, and may have been the bell referred to by Mr. Beamont in Warl'ington Churcli Notes, p. 152. He there writes: "Another bell was formerly in the steeple, but has been removed, and is believed now to be hanging over the National School in Church Street. It bore the inscription DEO ET ECCLESIlE JOHA. BLACKBURNE S.T.P. HALLELUJAH. HENRICUS PENN FECIT 1706. The date is prior to the founding of the chapel, and it is not known how the bell came to find a place there." In A Chapter on Bells, p. 37, Mr. Beamont, however, states that this bell was removed from Holy Trinity Church in 1838, and" now (c. 1888) hangs in the bell cot of the church at Padgate. It appears to have been given by the Rev. Jonathan Blackburn, doctor of divinity, who doubtless was a member either of the family of Blackburne of Orford or of the allied family of Blackburne of the Bridge, though his name does not appear in the pedigree of either family." In August, 1913, I examined the bell at Padgate Church, and in April, 1914, that over the National School in Church Street, and neither is the bell referred to by Mr. Beamont. The Padgate bell is by Mears, 1837, and the school bell dates from r816. Enquiry has so far failed to discover this bell, "formerly in the steeple of Trinity Church," but possibly a search of all the modern church towers within a certain radius of War­ rington on both sides of the Mersey might bring it to light. From the inscription we know it was by .Henry Penn, who was casting at Peterborough from about 1703 to about 1'729. He cast rings for Ely and Peterborough Cathedrals. So far I have found none of his bells in Lancashire. 108 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

Writing to me in 1913 the vicar of Holy Trinity Church says: "The bell is as much a town bell as a church bell. The tower of the church, which contains the town clock , is very much in the custody of the town hall, and they also pay for the curfew ringing, &c., and keep both the clock and bell in order."

WIGAN. ALL SAINTS. 8 + I bells.

1. FEAR GOD HONOVR THE KING A (bell) R 1732 (33in. diam.)

2. PEACE AND GOOD NEIGHBOVRHOOD A (bell) R 1732 (34in. diam.) 3· PRO S PERITY TOT H E C H V R C H 0 F ENG LAN 0 A (bell) R 1732 (36in. diarn.) 4. PRO S PER ITY TOT HIS TOW NAN 0 PARISH A (bell) R 1732 (39in. diam.) 5· WE WERE ALL CAST AT GLOCESTER BY ABR• RUOHALL A (bell) R 1732 (4zin. diam.) 6. lAMES LALAND AND THOMAS LOWE CHURCHWARDENS A (bell) R 1732 (4Sin. diam.)

7· SAMUEL ALDERSEY RECTOR A (bell) R 1732 (soin. diam. ) 8. J. TAYLOR & CO FOUNDERS LOUGHBOROUGH 1870 On waist: I TO THE CHURCH THE LIVING CALL AND TO THE GRAVE DO SUMMONS ALL CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 1 09

Other side of wai st:

(54in. diam.)

PRIEST'S BELL.

COME AWAY MAKE NO DELAY A R. 1732. (I4in. diam.)

Hung in wooden frames In north tower. The ring of eight by Abraham Rudhall was a recasting in 1732 of six older bells to which 17~ cwt. of metal was added. The history of the bells from th e middle of the seventeenth cent ury onwards is set out in Canon Bridgeman's History of Wigan Church, chapter iii., from which th e particulars which follow are mostly taken. 1552 : "Fawre bells war of xj!' as thei alledge is yet unpaid." 1662. There is a payment of £5. 9S. 6d. in this year to " Jephraie Scott for casting th e bell st eppe s and over- . weight." Geoffrey Scott, probably the successor of J ohn Scott, of Wigan, cast bells for St. Mary-on-the-Hill, Chester, in 1657. He made his will in 1665 and desired to be buri ed in Wigan church " amongst his ancestors. " 1677. In this year the first bell was recast by William Scott, of Wigan. The cost is thus set out in the ch urch­ wardens' accounts :-

Paid unt o William Sc ott for kesting th e first bell - [Q 1 0 0 Pd unt o William Sc ott for ove rweight of the new bell bei ng six score and nin eteen poun ds at I S ye poun d 6 19 0 Pd W illiam Scott for kest ing the bell ste ps and over- weight 4 2 0 ltrn, spe nt at the agreemen t for kes ting of the newe bell 0 26 ltrn, spe nt of the workmen at ye kesting of ye bell 0 3 6 lt rn, spe nt of ye weig hing of ye newe bell 0 2 6 no CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

1717. At a meeting on August 9th, when twelve leys were levied for the repair of the church, it was" further agreed the little bell called the Catherine bell yt is now Broke should be cast anew and made for Treble tunable to the rest of the five Bells, and when cast the sd six Bells to be hang'd anew." This was done, the new bell being cast by Ralph Ashton, of Wigan, at a cost of £49. 7s. 6d. including the new metal which was added. At the same time 6s. 6d. was paid for "cutting the third bell," probably to bring it into tune with the others. From this it appears there were five bells and a little bell in the tower in 1717, and that the "little bell" was " broke." Whether this was the sanctus bell does not appear, but its being styled the Catherine bell suggests that it was dedicated to that saint, and that it was a mediseval bell. However that may be, this "little bell " was apparently made into a treble and the five turned into a ring of six. The weight of these bells, which hung in the tower till 1732, was as follows :-

Cwts. qra . Ibs. 1. 10 I 12 2. II 2 25 3· 12 2 21 ..j.. 17 I 13 5· 22 2 25 6. 25 3 22 - ---- Total 100 3 6

1732. At a parish meeting on June znd, 1732, it was agreed that the bells should be recast to the number of eight. This was done in the same year by Abraham Rudhall, 17cwts. zqr. 101bs. of new metal was added, the CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. III cost being [228. 2S. rd., as set out in the following account :- c s, d. 17c. a q. 10 lb. of new Mettall at I2d per lb. gS 10 0 Casting 100C. 3q. 61bs. of old mettall at £1. 3. 6. per cwt. I18 S 10 The Little Bell weighs 6g~ lbs. at 12d per'lb. 3 9 6 Clapper to the Little Bell and fitting it 0 2 6 For 8 new clappers to the 8 new Bells weighing 2C. Iqr. 7~lb. at 6d . p. lb. . G 9 9 For 8 Baldrings, 3 of them being double stapled . I 6 ----- £228 2 I The weight of Rudhall's bells was as follows:- Cwts. qrs, Ibs. 1. 7 2 26 2. 8 I 2 3· 9 0 II 4- II 2 13 5· 14 0 8 6. 16 0 27 7· 21 2 27 8. 29 2 I4 ----- Total II8 I 16

In addition to what was paid to Mr. Rudhall in 1732, the following items also appear in the churchwardens' accounts in the same year, as charges on account of the new bells:- Pd ] ohn Bury for carriage of 9 headstocks for the bells from Manchester • 09 0 Pd him for carriage of the little bell o I 0 Pd him for Car. of Mr. Wrigley's Tegles [Tackles P] Ropes & othr materials from and Back again to Manchestr - o 5 0 Pd Ralph Baldwin for a tree 600 Pd Mr Curghley for Timber p bill 25 0 0 Pd "{m ffleetwood for timber p bill 10 0 0 Pd Richd ffell for 93 foot of Deals 31 p. foot 153 Pd Alderman Markland for Boards p bill 222 Pd Robert Banckes Esq'for an Ash tree o G 6 IIZ CHU RCH BELLS OF L A NCA SHIRE .

I'd for Dan zick Oack at W arrington & Carriage p. bill 3 3 a I'd Mr Wrigley for headstocks - - 3 z I } Pd for carriage of the Little Bell from Sal op 0 3 3~ 35 5 4~ I'd him for han ging the S new bells - - 3 0 0 0 I' d Mr W rigley for han ging the sma ll Be ll - 0 5 0 I'd Mr Curghley & Henry Seddon for carting T imber from Wood each £ 1. 4. o. 2 S a I' d Mr Curghl ey for od carriage p. bill 0 86 I'd in expences in going to Salop with the old Bell s an d bringing back the new ones as appear es p a bill of particulars - 2 0 a Pd Mr Curg hley & partner Rd. Jolly & par tner W m Chadwick & partner W m Bridghouse & partner for going and bringing back th e Be lls from Salop 16 0 0 I'd Alde rman Browne for cas ting yc 16 new Bell steps & S Bu shes for th e S Ro wlers as appear s p bill 3 I (, I' d Widdow Mollineux for 50 lb. weight of L ignum vitae wood for the 8 Rowler s - a 7 6 I'd John Langshaw for turning an d bu sh ing th e SRowle rs 0 8 0 I'd for attendin g the new Bell s z nights z men eac h nigh t o 4 () I'd for 3 Bassills for to cover th e h eadstocks 0 3 0 I'd for Letters from Mr Ru dhall p bill o 3 5 I'd for leadin g the Bark 0 0 8 I'd Jame s Bibby for nailes p bill o 10 6 I'd Jonathan Johnson p bill 14 9 0 I'd Michael Moss p bill o 19 2 I'd Rice ffell for work p 3 bil ls 4 10 4 I'd Edwar d Glazbro ok p bill o 1 8 2 I'd Mr Bridge for cleaning& putting new sp rings & J acks & ham mers & qu arter s to the clock 2 6 I'd Mr Leigh for drawing articles & st amps when the agreemi was mad e with M r R ud ha l! C 14 J I I'd for drink that Mr 'Wrigley an d his men had when th ey wor kt at the Bells an d ffram es as appears p receipts - 3 II 5 Spt on Manch estr Preston Bolton Dean Le igh Li ver­ pool & other ringers when th ey ca me to ring the new Bells I 15 0 Paid for drink & laid ou t of poc kett at makeing contracts & Bargaines with ca rters and other work men and also at weighin g the bells & loading and unl oading the bells & goeing for & bri nging back ye weigh beame to Sr T homas Stau dish & charges in goeing to Warrington to buy planck s &: cha rges on the carters & men ye nigh t be fore th e bells were sen t away also th e night th at th ey bro ught in the new bells 6 10 9

£161 3 I~ CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 113

For the churchwardens 2 Horses to Salop allowd per the gentlemen in general! 0 1 2 0 Pd the sextons p bill 2 1 [ 10

£164 6 ll~ The references to Salop seem to imply that the bells were sent from Gloucester to Shrewsbury by water and from there by road to Wigan. The Rev. Samuel Aldersey, M.A. (b. 1673), whose name is on the seventh bell, was rector of Wigan from ,1714 till his death in 1741. 1774. The tenor appears to have been recast in this year, for the bell removed from the tower on October 8th, 1870, to make way for the present tenor, "bore the date 1774." It weighed 30cwts. 3qrs. 141bs., and on it were the initials" J. P." ij:. and the inscription, "I to the church the living call and to the grave do summon all" (Wigan Observer, October qth, 1870). 1870. The tenor having become cracked about 1867 it was proposed to have it recast. "It was found, however, that this would involve much inconvenience and expense, for the scaffolding would have had to be erected twice, the bells must have been silent for a long time, and there would have been additional labour in taking out and replacing the mullions of the north window of the tower, through which the bells had to pass. A new bell was, therefore, decided upon, and Messrs. Taylor, of Lough­ borough, undertook to cast one 'warranted to possess a fine sonorous tone and to be in tune with the others,' at the rate of £7 per cwt., allowing £4. IS. 8. for old metal. The cost of removing the old bell and replacing the new one was estirriated at £18, and some additional expenses with regard to the window brought up the

• The initials ., J. P ." were more probably T , R. (Thomas Rudhall) . CH URCH BELLS OF L A NC A SH IRE. estimate to about fIoo. Promises of subscriptions suffi­ cient to ju stify th e commencement of the work having been received, the order was given, and towards the close of last week th e new bell was pla ced at the foot of the tower on th e north side. On Saturday (October 8th, 1870), after morning prayer, the bell was devoutedly dedicated to the service of the church. The new bell, which weighs zq cwt.," bears the sam e inscrip­ tion as the old one, with the addition of the letter s to the word 'summon' and of the name of th e firm of founders and the necessary alterations with reference to the year of casting" (W igan Observer, October 14th, 1870). The new ten or was run g for the first tim e with the other bells on Friday evenin g, Oct ober rqth, 1870. The clock strikes the hours on th e tenor and the quarters on the first and fourth. The old tenor, replaced in 1870, was presumably taken away by Messrs. Taylor and used as old metal. On two of the cross pieces of the wooden framework of the bells are ins cribed :- (1) 1906 (2) Canon R. G. Matthew M.A. Rector R. A. ffarington } Church Wardens A. W. W. Simpson 1906

R ING I NG. 1665. On June 6 of this yea r is a payment to the ringers" upon the first news of ye sea victory obt ayned against the H ollander s, " and a peal was also rung upon confirmatio n of the good news . In this and subsequent years the re are item s of paymen ts to the ringers for ringing on May 29. There is also a pa yment of 6s. 8d. in 1665 for " ringing upon a thanksgiving day being July 4," and of lOS. for ringing on November 5. and 5d. for a lb. of candles for the ringer s. Th e bells at this time possessed also a set of chimes toward s the repairs of which there were frequ ent pay ments made (Bridgema n, W iga» Church, 494).

•On the peal boards in the ringing cham ber the weigh t of the tenor is given as 28cwt. CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

1687. Canon Bridgeman records ringing of the bells in this year on the King's Birthday (October IS) "by order of the mayor." Subsequently there was a payment of SS. for .. ringing on thanksgiving day for the Queen," which was probably the result of a proclamation that the Queen was enceinte. 1688. The ringers were paid lOS. for ringing" the day newes came the bishops were freed." 1745. Three shillings was spent on the ringers" when the Duke of came." 1746. On the Duke of Cumberland's birthday lOS. was paid to the ringers for ringing and 8s. for ale, and a similar payment was made to them "when the complete victory was gained over the Scots" at Culloden.

WIGAN. ST. GEORGE. One bell. The church dates from 1781, and has a small turret on the west gable containing a single bell, 18tin. diameter, without date or inscription. Height, exclusive of cannons, 13in. No inscription band. The bell is apparently of eighteenth century date and probably the same age as the church.

WI NWICK. ST. OSWALD. 6 + I bells.

1. SIMUL NOBISCUM RESURGENS EXULTET ECCLESIA 1711 (jr in. diam.)

2. THESE BELLS WERE CAST BY RICHD SAN DERS A. D. 1711 ~ ~~ (33in. diarn.) 3. EDMUND TAILOR WM WOODS THO. PI E RPOI NT ROGER LOWE SI DESM EN (35tin. diam.) 4. J. TAYLOR AND co BELLFOUNDERS LOUGHBOROUGH 1882 (38in. diam.) S. + EDMD TAYLER W. WOOD T. PiERPOINT ROGER LOWE SlDESMEN (4Iin. diam.) G. GOD PRESERVE yE CHURCH AND QUEEN GLORY BE TO HIS DIVI NE MAIESTY FOR EVERI7II (4Sin. diam.) II6 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

PRIEST'S BELL. PL EE ES TS RO I 1600 TG (12tin. diam.) Hung in wooden fram es in west tower. The priest's bell hangs alone on the south side of the tower. A complete ring of six by Richard Sanders, of Broms­ grove till 1882, wh en the fourth was recast. Sanders often uses" lower case" type in his inscriptions, but not universally like Luke Ashton, of \Vigan. At Winwick th e letters are plain capitals lin. in height, the only "lower case" letter being the "e" in ye on the tenor. All the letters and numerals are on separate patera, There is a band of ornament below the inscription on the treble, and in No.2 the inscription space is filled up with two large stamps, a fieur-de-lys enclosed within a circle 2-§in. diam, The tenor has also a band of ornament, and the date is below the inscription. The inscription on the old fourth bell is given as THE H ONOURABLE AND REV. H ENRY F INCHRE CTOR I71!.*" Mr. Finch was a son of the first Earl of Nottingham, and held the rectory of Winwick from 1692 to 1725; he was Dean of York from 1702. Hi s brother Edward was rector of Wigan from 1706-7 to 1714, being the immediate predecessor of th e Rev. Samuel Aldersey, whose nam e is on one of the Wigan bells cast in 1732. The initials on th e pri est's bell are staled lo be th ose of Sir Pet er Legh, Edward Eccleston, Edward Stanley, Thomas Stanley, and Sir Thomas Gerard.t The initials R 0 are more difficult of interpretation. They are placed by themselves within a panel and are probably those of the founder. They probably represant Robert Orrell, of Wigan. Orrell new cast th e great bell of Bodfari Church,

• Pe ter Calvert, W illwicli Church, r858. t Wm . Bea mo nt, lI'illlr'ick, its His i< J1"V tuul antiquities, p. 30. CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

Flintshire, in 1592,* and a new bell for Holy Trinity Church, Chester, in 1600. t Very little is known, however, of this founder, and his name does not appear in Mr. H. B. W alters' "list of English Bell-founders." The bell at Holy Trinity Church, Chester, has disappeared. It is possible that the Winwick bell may be by Rowland Oldfield, of York, whose bells occur between 1586 and 1615, hut a founder in the locality is more likely.

1552: " iiij bells wherof a clokke str tiketh upon one, j HuH sancte belle & iflyttle sacryng bells."

In the churchyard, close to the east wall of the chancel, is the fragment of a pre-Conquest cross found in 1843 in digging a grave. It consists of the centre and arms, and has been set up on two short stone pillars upside down. The end of one of the arms is carved with the figure of "a man carrying two rectangular objects with handles, which have been called bells or buckets." t Mr. Henry Taylor, F .S.A., has described and illustrated this carving in the Transactions of this Society (vol. xix., pp. 212 & 222), but leaves the question as to the nature of the objects carried an open one. A drawing of this carving is given in Canon Ellacombe's Bells of the Churcl, (1862), P: 334, and is briefly referred to by the writer as representing "a vested figure with two hand bells ." Mr. H. B. \Valters reproduces this drawing in his Church Bells of England (1912), p. 14, with the legend" Saxon bell-ringer in minor orders," and states his opinion that the figure is that of "a campanarius or ringer in minor orders vested in a camisia and carrying a small bell of the tintinnabula type in each hand."

• Thomas, Hist. of Dioc. of St. Asaph, ii. 5. t Harl. MSS . 2177. :V . C. H . Lancs. , i. 262. lIB CHURCH BELLS OF L ANCA SHIR E .

ADDENDA. The following modern churches, having been visited by the writer when in the locality, are here included:-

AUGHTON. CHRIST CHURCH. Eight bells.

1. CAST BY JOHN WARNER & SONS LONDON 1878. On waist : ECCLESIA CHRISTI SEMPER FLOREAT A· D. 1878. ( 2 9 ~ i n . di nm .)

2 . CAST BY JOHN WARNER & SONS LONDON 1878. On waist : IN MEMORY OF RICHARD & JANE RAWSTHOR.NE HOLBORN HOUSE A•D. 1878. ( 3 0 ~in. d iarn.)

3. CAST BY JOHN WARNER & SONS LONDON 1878 Ott waist : WILLIAM FORSHAW VINE VILLAS A.D. 1878. (3 I~i n . diarn.)

4. CAST BY JOHN WARNER & SONS LONDON 1878. On waist : JAMES SHAWE AS MALL HOUSE SCARISBRICK A· D. 1878 (33t in. dinrn.) CHURCH B ELLS OF LANCASHIRE. II9

5. CAST BY JOHN WARNER & SONS LONDON 1878. On waist : PRESENTED TO CHRIST CHURCH AUGHTON IN MEMORY OF JOHN JONES TRAFALGAR HOUSE WHO DIED JANRY 23RD 1870 BY ANNE HIS WIFE A.D• 1878 (3s!in. diam.)

6. CAST BY JOHN WARNER & SONS LONDON 1878. On waist : PRESENTED TO CHRIST CHURCH AUGHTON IN MEMORY OF DANIEL WILLIAMS WHO DIED APRIL '29 TH 1876 BY HIS AFFECTIONATE WIFE A.D. 1878. (37in. diam.)

7. CAST BY JOHN WARNER & SONS LONDON 1877. (401in . diam.)

8. CAST BY JOHN WARNER & SONS LON DON 1877. (4o*,n. diam.) all wais t : THE REVD WILLIAM HENRY BOULTON, RECTOR. THE REVD FREDERICK NELHAM, CURATE. JAMES RAWSTHORNE}CHURCHWARDENS JAMES FLETCHER A.D• 1878. ( 45~i n . diam.)

Hung in wooden fram es in west tower. The church was begu rt in 1867, but not consecrated till 1877. The first peal was run g on th e bells Septemb er rqth, 1878. The weight of the tenor is 16 cwt, 120 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

The Rev. W. H. Boulton, M.A., was rector of Aughton from 1834 till his death in April, 1885. He contributed largely to the erection of Christ Church. The following notice concerning" days and seasons for ordinary ringing," dated Trinity, 1881, but said to be now obsolete, hangs in the ringing chamber: "Every Sunday, half an hour before morning and afternoon service. Ring­ ing on Christmas Day the same as on Sunday, and at all other times as the minister may direct. Ringing on Ascension Day, Christmas Eve, the Old Year out and the New Year in is very desirable. Only chiming to be allowed during the Sundays in Lent."

BIRKDALE. ST. JAMES. One bell.

1. CAST BY JOHN WARNER & SONS LONDON 1884 On waist: CUM. VOCO. AD. TEMPLUIVI. VENITE (34in. diam.) Hangs in west tower. Foundation stone of church laid September 13th, 1856; consecrated July rath, 1857.

BIRKDALE. ST. PETER. One bell.

I. JAMES BARWELL FOUNDER BIRMINGHAM 1877 (30in. diam.) Hangs in south-west tower. Foundation stone of church laid September aoth, 1871; consecrated July 23rd, 1872. CH URCH BELLS OF LANCA SHIRE. 121

CROSSENS. ST. J OHN. Six bells.

1. MEARS & STAI N BAN K, WHITEC'HAPEL FOUNDRY, LONDON. On waist: GIVEN BY CHARLES SCARISBRICK ESQ: OF SOUTHPORT A GENEROUS BENEFACTOR 1889 (zfiin , diarn .)

2. MEARS & STAINBANK WHITECHAPEL FOUNDRY LONDON 1889 On waist : TO COMMEMORATE THE LIBERALITY OF WILLIAM SCARISBRICK ESQ OF HANAU (27in. diam.)

3. MEARS & STAINBANK WHITECHAPEL FOUNDRY LONDON On waist: CROSSEN'S TRIBUTE OF GRATITUDE TO TOM SCARISBRICK ESQ: 1889 (zqin. diam.)

f. MEARS & STAINBANK FOUNDERS LONDON 1887 On waist : TO COMMEMORATE THE LIBERALITY OF PETER JOYNSON ESQ. W. T . BULPIT VICAR (30in . diarn.)

5. MEARS & STAINBANK FOUNDERS LONDON 1887. 1 2 Z CHURCH BliLLS OF LA N CASHIRE.

On waist: THE GIFT OF ROBERT RICHMOND ESQ: OF BIRKDALE A GENEROUS DONOR TO THIS CHURCH. (3zin. diarn.) 6. MEARS & STAINBANK FOUNDERS LONDON 011 waist : A LADY'S GIFT TO CROSSENS CHURCH 1887 (36in. d ia in.

Hung in two tiers in iron and wooden frames in west tower, the first, third, and fifth bell in upper tier. The weights, as gi\'en on a card in the rin gin g chamber, are as follow s ;- CWIS. qrs . lbs. I 4 a II 2 4 a 19 3 5 a 19 4 5 I 25 5 6 2 5 6 8 I IS

Total ... 33 3 13 The three earlier bells were dedicated on Sunday, October znd, 1887. In 1889 three more bell s and a clock were added, th e first peal being rung and the clock started on May r rth, 1889. C harles and William Scarisbrick were son s of th e late Ch arles Scarisbrick (d. 1860), of Scari sbrick Hall. Ch arles (b. 1839) was knighted in 1903, an d is father of " Tom Scarisbrick " (b. 1874), whose nam e occurs on th e third bell. The latter, Tom Talbot Leyland Scarisbrick, was created a baronet in 1909. He represented So uth Dorsetshire in Parliament from 1906 to 1910. W illiam Scarisbrick died in 190+ CH UR CH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 123

The Rev. W. T. Bulpit was vicar of Crossens from 1878 to 1904, when he retired. He died in 1914. He was a well-known local antiquary and master of the Liverpool Diocesan Guild of Ch ange Ringers. The church was consecrated March r Sth, 1885, replac­ ing an olde r building erected in 1837. On the third bell "Crossen's tribute" is an error for" Crossens' tribute."

GATEACRE. ST. STEPH EN. I + I bells.

1. JAMES BARWELL FOUNDER BIRMINGHAM 1873 (join. di am.) The priest's bell, or ting-t ang, is blank, but has th e appearance of an eighteenth century bell. It is mu ch weathered and flaked. The diam eter is rein. Hung in wooden frames in north-west tower. Modern church, built 1873 as chapel of ease to Childwall.

HINDLEY. ST. PETER. Eight bells.

1. MEARS & STAINBANK FOUNDERS LONDON 1866 (2i~·in. diam.) 2. The same. (z8!in. diarn.) 3. The same. (30in. diarn.) 4. The same. (31in. diam.) 5. The same. (34in. diam.) 6. The same. (36in. diarn.) 7. The sam e. (40in. diam.) 8. MEARS & STAIN BANK FOUNDERS LONDON 1866 011 waist: THIS PEAL OF EIGHT BELLS THE GIFT OF ALFRED PENNINGTON NOVEMBER 1866. 124 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

Hung in wooden frames in west tower. Clock chimes quarters and strikes hours on tenor. Weights and notes as given on card in ringing chamber :- Cwt s, qr s. Ihs. Note. I 4 o 27 F 2 -I- 2 16 E 3 5 I 10 D 4 6 3 II C 5 7 ° 7 B flat 6 8 2 0 A 7 10 o 21 G 8 14 o 15 F

Total 60 0 3

LIVERPOOL. ST. LUKE. Eight bells.

1. PEACE AND GOOD NEIGHBOURHOOD (zqin. diarn.) 2. THE LORD TO PRAISE MY VOICE ILL RAISE (30in. diarn.) 3. WILLIAM DOBSON FECIT 1818 (32in. diam.) 4. 0 GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD FOR HE IS GRACIOUS (33in. diam.) 5. FEAR GOD HONOUR THE KING (34in. diarn.) 6. WILLIAM DOBSON DOWNHAM NORFOLK FOUNDER 1818 (37in. diam.) 7. THESE EIGHT BELLS WERE CAST BY WILLIAM DOBSON ANNO DOMINI 1818 (40in. diam.) 8. I TO THE CHURCH THE LIVING CALL AND TO THE GRAVE DO SUMMON ALL. W. DOBSON FECIT 1818. (46in. diam.) CHURCH B ELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

Hung in iron frames in west tower. The framework bears the name of GEORGE G IL LIB RAN D 1828. The inscriptions are in Dobson's plain Roman letters ~ i n . high. The weight of the bells are given as follows:-

Cwts. qrs. lbs , I 5 I IS Z 5 2 23 3 5 2 27 4 G o 2Z 5 6 3 19 6 9 I 8 7 II 0 6 8 16 2 16

66 3 24

The church was begun in 18n, but not completed t ill 18zq. The bells are those origina lly intended for th e church of All Saints, Newton Heath. Manchester (q.v.); rebuilt 1814-16. The trustees of Newton He ath Church obtained estima tes for a ring of eight bells in September, 1817, and accepted the tender of Mr. Dobson, of Downham, Nor­ folk, for £650, less £ 5. The bells were cas t in th e followin g year , but were not hun g, as it was doubted whether the tower was capable of standing the strain. In 1824 the bells were still unhung and kept in a ware­ house in Man chester, where th ey rem ain ed till May, r828, when th ey were sold to th e Liv erpool Corporation." They were hun g at St. Lu ke's Chu rch in an iro n fram e (one of the earliest of its kind) by Geo rge Gilli brand, of Liverpool and first run g on April 23rd, 1829. The first peal (Kentis h .treble bob maj or, 5,056 changes) was run g on

•See " Newton H eath " in next volu me of the Socie ty 's Tre nsactions. CHURCH BliLLS OF LANCASHIRE.

Monday, July 6th, 1829, by the Society of Change Ringers of the Collegiate Church, Manchester.* The bells seem speedily to have become a nuisance to some of the dwellers in the vicinity of the church, and at the meeting of the Town Council, October 7th, 1829, a letter was read from Henry Lawrence, Esq., enclosing a memorial from most of the inhabitants of Rodney Street and the vicinity of St. Luke's Church. It stated the annoyance caused by the bells lately put up to be so intolerable as to threaten serious injury to property in the neighbourhood, and expressed a hope that the bells might either be taken down or, if not, that that they might only be suffered to ring a reasonable time before divine service on Sundays and on the king's birthday and on St. Luke's day. Mr. Lawrence said that if no abatement of the nuisance was made he would be compelled to give up his residence. Mr. Drinkwater, who also had property in Rodney Street, while apparently not feeling strongly on the matter, moved that the wishes of the petitioners as to limiting the times of ringing be complied with. Mr. Currie said that he had formerly been favourable to the erection of the bells, believing that by habit they would soon cease to be a nuisance, but this did not appear to be the case. He agreed with Mr. Drinkwater. Mr. Thomas Case, as an amendment, moved that the bells should be taken down; it was stated by the seconder that from the position of the church the bells reverberated exactly opposite the bedroom windows in Rodney Street, which were on a level with them. Mr. Charles Pole begged to suggest, by way of restoring harmony between the discordant parties, that the bells should in future be muffled. On a division the amend-

• Liverpool Mercury. July loth. 1829. Th e time was 3 hours 2 minutes. CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 127 ment was lost, twenty-five voting against it and eleven for it. The motion was then met by another, that the surveyor be directed to report to the next council whether St. Martin's Church? tower would support the bells, with an estimate of the cost. This amendment was carried, twenty-six voting for it; for the original motion fifteen. In the course of the discussion Mr. P. Bourne said that the bells were no annoyance to himself and family, and it was also observed that it would not have been difficult to get up a petition for their continuance.f In the Liverpool Mercury, October roth, are two letters in favour of the bells. One of the writers suggests that if half of each bell chamber window were boarded off inside it would cause the annoyance to cease; or if the whole of the windows towards Rodney Street were blocked it would be better still. "As to myself, the bells are no annoyance in the least, but rather a pleasure." A letter in the issue of October 23rd, written by a "humble tradesman living hard by the Old Church" (St. Nicholas), complains of the annoyance of the bells there, and asserts claims to exemption from noise eq ual to those of his "wealthier fellow townsmen m Rodney Street." The writer of another letter in the issue of October 30th, living in Bold Place, not only declares the bells at St. Luke's to be no nuisance, but asserts that they are "a very great improvement to the neighbourhod," and believes himself to be not the only one in Bold Place who holds such an opinion. "I have been informed," he says, "that there were two or three gentlemen who voted for the removal of the bells who reside at a considerable

• 51. Martin's was then in course of erection. t Liverpool Mercury, October 9th, 1829. 128 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

distance from the church, at Everton or Bootle. The question I would ask is, what is the reason they have for wishing them to be removed to St. Martin's? Are there no houses near that church to the inhabitants of which they might prove a nuisance; and why are they to suffer annoyance more than the inhabitants of Rodney Street?" Whether these protests in the public press had any influence cannot now be determined, but evidently there were two sides to the case, and after the surveyor had presented his report to the Council on December and, 1829, the matter appears to have been allowed to drop. At any rate, the bells still hang in St. Luke's tower. At the Council meeting of December znd the surveyor reported that St. Michael's tower was quite strong enough to carry the bells, and that the cost of their removal would not exceed [200, and the time required would be about three months. He further reported that, in his opinion, the alteration of the angle of the boards in the belfry of St. Luke's in the manner proposed by Mr. Dobson" would not only interfere with the architectural appearance of the exterior of the tower, but would also have the inconvenience of admitting the rain in a very injurious degree; but that he had directed the bell windows to be bricked up within as high as the springing of the arch, by which the external appearance would be preserved and the object in view be equally obtained.t

• At the meeting of October 7th a letter from Mr. Dobson, the bell­ founder, had been read, suggesting some experiments which might vary the sound of the belIs. It was resolved that the experiments be tried under the direction of the surveyor. The surveyor, however, evidently did not try the experiments. t Liverpool Mercury, December 4th, 1829. See also Picton, Liverpool Muuicipal Hctords, 1700-1835, p. 398. CHUHCH 13 j,'LLS OF LANCASHIRE. 129

LYDIATE. S T. THOMAS. I + I bells. The west tow er cont ains a bell, z r in. diam., with the date"1841" on th e waist , below a crown, and with a lion's head on each side. Below, above the sound bow, is inscribed-

COWGILL COMER & JONES LIVERPOOL

There is also a prie st's bell, or ting tang, rsin. dia m., with th e dat e " r840 " on the waist. The church was erect ed in r839.

PADGATE. CII HIST CHURCH. One bell.

1. THOMAS MEARS OF LONDON FOUNDER 1837 (24in. diam.) Hangs in bell cot over west gable. The church was erected in r838. Mr. Wm. Bcam ont sta tes in A Chapter an Bells (1888), p. 37, th at a bell by H enry Penn, of Peterborough, dated 1786, form erly at Hol y Trinity, Warrington, ".now hangs in th e bell cot of th e church of Padgate." This is an error. I examined th e Padgate bell on August 25th, 1913, and found it to be by Mears, as stated above. I also examined th e school bell, but it is without dat e or inscription (see W arringt on, Hol y Trinity).

SOUTHPORT. ST. ANDREW. On e bell.

1. MEARS & STAINBANK FOUNDERS LONDON 1872 Hung in north-east tower. Na floor to bell cham ber , dir ect access by ladder only. Diam. about 40in. Church buil t r871-2. J 130 CH URCH B E LLS OF LANC1 SI1JHE.

SOUTH PORT. C HH !ST CHUHCH. Eight bells.

1. MEARS & STAINBANK FOUNDERS LONDON 1882 (2 5~ ill . diam.) 2. The same. ( 2 6 ~ i ll . diarn.) 3. G. MEARS & Co FOUNDERS LONDON 1864

(27J iII. diam.) + The same. (zqiu, diam. ) 5. The same. (32in. diam.) 6. The same. (33in. diam.) 7. The same. (36in. d iarn .) 8. G. MEARS & Co FOUNDERS LONDON On waist: THESE BELLS WERE PLACED HERE BY PUBLIC SUBSCRIPTION SEPTEMBER 1864 REVD B. CLARKE, INCUMBENT. (42in. diam.) Hung in wooden fram es in west tower. The two trebles are hung above the other bells. The original ring of six were placed in the tower on Monday,September 5th , 1864; and were first rung on Saturday, September 17th. The formal " opening" took place on Wednesday, September 28th, by the ringers of Croston. The cost was ab out £450. (S021 thP01·t Visiter, September 6th, zoth, 3Qth, 1864.) The two new bells were rung for the first time on Friday, September 15th, 1882, "in honour of the inaugu­ ration of the West Lancashire Railw ay." (Southport Visiter, September rfith, 1882.) The railway had been opened through to Preston, for the guild week, on September 4th, but the formal opening took place on September r yth. CHURCH B ELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 13'

The weights, as given on a card in the rin ging chamber, are as follows:- C W1s. qr s. lbs. I 3 3 24 2 4 o 23 .1 4 I I -+ 4 3 25 J 5 3 26 6 6 2 5 7 7 3 10 .') 1 0 0 8

T otal 47 3 10 Note of tenor, G; of second, F sharp. The Rev. Benjamin Strettel Clarke, M.A., was vicar of Christ Church from 1849 till his death in 1895. He was D.D. of Dublin (1865), Hon. Canon of Chester 1876, and Archdeacon of Liverpool 1887. In Oct ober, -1915, th e bells were repa ired and rehun g by Mears and Stainbank , at a cost of [ 45.

SOUTHPORT, E MMANUE L. E ight bells.

1. J. CAYLOR LOU0550ROU05 1901 (Z 4in. diarn.) 2 . The same. (zyin. diam.) 3. The same . (27in. diam.) 4. The sam e. (28~ i n . diam.) 5· J. CAYLOR & CO LOU05· BOROUG5 1901 (3 0 ~ i n . diam.) 6. The same. (32! in. diam.) 7. CI 51 BeNeOlCIMU5 [ 3 2 CHURCH BELLS OF LA N CASHlIU:'

On waist : 0 1897 (35in. diam.)

8. J05N CAYLOR & CO FOUN­ OeR5 LOU05BOROU05 1901 (40in. diam.) Hung in iron frames in central tower. The church was built in 18g5. The present seventh or iginally was th e single bell of th e church. It was gi ven in 18g7 by Annie Wilkinson in memory of her husband, J ames Moore W ilkins on, and has th e circular trade mark of JOHN TAYLOR AND CO. LOUGHBOROUGH on th e waist immediately above the dat e. The tower was completed and th e other bells added in Ig01 at th e cost of Dr. and Mrs. Strickla nd in memory of th e latter's father, Hinchliffe Hi nchliffe, E sq., J.P., of Cragg H all , York­ shire, who died at Southport, Oct ober gth, Ig00.

SOUTHPORT. HOLY TRINITY. O ne bell.

1. ~ nO tbe 0lOf)J of GOl) @'~ On waist : ttbl13 bell was given b~ Ble~allber & mar\? JElbcr -r- B·lD· 1913 -i- (ficin. diarn.) On the other side of the waist is th e circular trad e mark of JOHN TAYLOR &C? LOUGH BOROUGH , Hung in iron fram e in north-west tower. The inscri p­ tion space is filled up with a ba nd of oak leaf orn ame nt. W eight of bell, 41 cwt. Not e C. Clock strikes hours on bell. CHURCH BEL L S OF LANCASHIRE. 133

Alexander Elder, founder of the firm of Elder, Dempster, & Co., was a great benefactor to Holy Trinity Church. In the rebuilding of 1904-13, he and Mrs. Elder defrayed the cost of the tower and west front, as well as of the clock and bell. He died at Southport in 1914. The small bell, which formerly hung in the west tower of the old church (built 1837), was inscribed c. & G. MEARS FOUNDERS LONDON 1850. It lay for some tim e in the churchyard after the demolition of the tower, and was presumably taken away by Messrs. Taylor.

SOUTHPORT. ST. PAUL. One bell.

1. G. MEARS & CO. FOUNDERS LONDON 1864 (36in. diam.) Hangs in north-west tower. The church was built in 186+

TYLDESLEY. ST. GEORGE. Eight bells.

I . MEARS & STAINBANK FOUNDERS LONDON On waist : PRESENTED BY THE SUNDAY SCHOOLS A · D 1909 (zfiin. diarn.)

2 . MEARS & STAINBANK FOUNDERS LONDON On waist : PRESENTED BY THE COMMUNICANTS UNION A.D . 1909 (z7Mn. diam..)

3. GIVE NO OFFENCE TO THE CHURCH (30in. diarn.) 134 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

4. LONG LIVE KING GEORGE THE FOURTH U o ~ i n . diam.) 5. -: 1825 :- (J rin. diarn.)

6. WILLIAM · DOBSON· FOUNDER· DOWNHAM· NORFOLK 1825 (33in. di arn.)

7. PRO S PER ITY TOTHE V ILLAGE 0 F TYLDESLEY 1825 (36in. diam.)

8. THESE SIX BELLS WERE CAST BY WILLIAM DOBSON DOWNHAM NORFOLK MDCCCXXV (4oin. diam.)

Hung in west tower. A ring ·of SIX by William Dobson, of Downham, Norfolk. Two trebles added and all bells rehung in iron frames in 1909. W eight of tenor IltcWt. Note G. Church built 1822-25.

WARRINGTON. CHURCH STREET S CHOOL.

This bell , to which reference has already been mad e (p, 107), is zoin. diameter, and hangs on a flat on the roof. It bears an inscription in two lines round th e waist as follows:-

HOC HOROLM JOS~ SAULD PER~ CURE THO. LYON MAGM M DCCCXVI J. HOWARD, J. GASKELL, J. ALDERSON, G OSTUBBS CURAT OPPIDI OBT: SEL RIC. SMITH ME FABRICANTE

The inscription is in plain block letters iin. high. Concerning the inscription Mr. Charles Madeley, curator of the Municipal Museum, W arringt on, writes: CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 135

"Jos. Saul was curate of Holy Trinity Church in 1816, having been appointed in 1814. The other persons named were police commissioners at the time, except Stubbs, who was not sworn in until 1818." Whether "Cnratores Oppidi " stands for Police Commissioners I must leave it for others to decide, but the inclusion of Stubbs's name makes it at least doubtful. It would seem, however, that the bell formerly hung at Holy Trinity Church, and it may possibly he the Town Bell mentioned in October, 1816, as "now set up in the Trinity Steeple." (See" Warrington, Holy Trinity.") If this is so, however, it creates a difficulty as regards the old Town Bell (16-+7). School built IR:U.

THE HUNDRED OF LEYLAND. The hundred of Leyland comprises the ancient parishes of Brindle, Croston, Eccleston, Leyland, Pen­ wortham, and Standish, including the chapelries of Chorley, Douglas, Euxton, Heapey, Hesketh (Becconsall), Hoole, Longton, Rufford, and . The whole of the Hundred is in the Diocese of Manchester and Arch­ deaconry of Blackburn. It forms the Deanery of Leyland and consists of 34 modern parishes (1915.) The oldest bells in the hundred are the fourth and fifth at Brindle, which are from a mediseval Nottingham foundry, but they are not, apparently, earlier than the first half of the fifteenth century. A fourteenth century bell at Hoghton Tower was, unfortunately, recast in 1902, but the old inscription has been retained. Investigation in the towers of the older churches has failed to discover any bells of sixteenth or seventeenth 136 CHURCH m oL L S OF LANCA SHIHL century date. There is, however, at Hoghton -Tower a handbell dated 1653. With one exception all the dated eightee nth century bells are from the Gloucester foundry of Rudhall, Of these the oldest are th e ori ginal five at , cast in 1712, to which a treble has since been added. Another ring of five was cast in 1714-15 for Standish Church, and of these four remain, the third having been recast in 1913. Other bells by the Rudhalls are to be found in th e towers of L eyland (1722), Eccleston (1727,1737), Croston (1787, 1806), and Hoole (1813). The old bell of Euxton Chapel is now at the School H ouse; it is by Abr aham Rudhall , 1723. The work of the W igan foundry occurs only at Rufford (1746), where Luke Ashton's bell from th e eighteenth century cha pel has been rehung in the tower of the modern church. The blank bells at Hesketh and Coppull are probably of eighteenth century date. Two bells at Leyland (1835) are by John Stevenson, of Prest on, whose work, as far as I know, docs not occur elsewhere. The Whitechapel foundry is represented at T arleton Old Church (1824), Heapey (1853), Coppull (1861), Bretherton (1g03), and Standish (1913). The work of Taylor of Loughborough is found at Brindle (1904), Croston (1898), Douglas (1908), E ccleston (1888), Euxton (1898), Leyland (1897), Penw ortham (1891), Rufford (1869), and H oly T rinity, T arleton (1914). Messrs. Warner recast th e ring of eight at Chorley in 1896. There is no founder's name on the bell at Longton (1817) or on the fourth at Eccleston (1802).

BECCONSALL, sa HESKETH. CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 137

BRETHERTON. ST.JOHN THE BAPTIST, On e bell.

I. MEARS & STAINBANK FOUNDERS LON DON. On waist: CAST 1841 RECAST 1903. (zr in. diam.) Hung in west tower. The church dates only from 1840, but a chape l " recently built " is named in a ch arter of 1344, preserved by Roger Dod sworth (D odsworth MSS., cxlix., fol. 4Sh). Its fat e is unknown." "In the tower there is one bell . . . . The little monotone of that bell is ca ught in the distance by th e peal in Cros ton's grey old tower th e bells of Leyland pa ss on th e mu sic to Bro wned ge ; fro m th e spire of St. Mary's th en it is ech oed to th e brow of W alt on, and the stout rin gers of 51. Leon ard's take up its melody an d send it down the vall ey of the Ribble to the heights of Penwortbam, where its cad ence revives and then floats away above the ri ver 's course to th e ever murmuring sea. "- A. Hewitson, Our COltlltlY Clnu ches and Chapels (1872), p . 228,

BRINDLE. ST, JAMES. Six bells.

I. RECAST BY JOHN TAYLOR & CO. LOUGH­ BOROUGH LEICESTERSHIRE 1904. On waist: REV. C. E. KENDALL . RECTOR WILLIAM AINSWORTH· CHURCHWARDENS JAMES HODGKINSON 1837 (zSin. diam.)

2 . 1Rejoice wttb tbem tbat oo rejoice ano weep witb tbem tbat weep. On waist: o 1904. (j oin , diam.)

• v. C, H. L ants., vi. 108. J3S CHURCHB ELLS OF LA N CASllWE.

:) . JOHN TAYLOR & CO. FOUNDERS ' LOUGH­ BOROUGH LEICESTERSHIRE 0 11 traist :

JOHN R. ALLSUP f HARRY BOURNE THOMAS BURTON SIDESMEN WILLIAM FOWLER 1904 HENRY HATCH (32in. diam.) -+ . 0 JI "3 mJl RI JI (J3 in. diam. )

5· 0 INNOle 155 MARIA (36in. diarn.)

6. JOHN TAYLOR & CO. FOUNDERS LOUGH­ BOROUGH LEICESTERSHIRE 0 11 waist :

KINTON JACQUES R.D. CANON . RECTOR JAMES K. JACQUES M.A.. CURATE

.JOSEPH GREAVES WARDENS SAMUEL MARSHALL 1904 (4zin. diam.) Hung in iron frame in west tower ; the trebl e by itself in upper tie r. Rehung 1892. The second is by Taylor & Co., of Loughborough, and has th e circular trade mark of th e firm on th e waist. The former treble (1837) is said to have been by John Stevenson, of Prest on , wh o cast th e fourth an d sixth at Leyland in 1835. The fourth and fifth a re media-val bells. They have been usually assigned to the fourteenth century, but Mr. H. B. 'Walt ers, to wh om I submitted rubbi ngs of th e inscriptions, is of opinion that they belong to the first WINWICK.-Ting·tllng mtt Winwiok. 16001. ORMSKIRK (see p, 82).

IPt- B Orm,klrk.

RB Warton. BRINDLE. --Brindle C"uwrch. 4th BelL 33in. dlam. R I8 Warburton.

Comparison of initials RoB. on the bells at Orrneklek, Warton (near Carnforth), and Warburton (Cheshire).

BRINDLE.-Brindle Church. 5th Bell. 36in. dtam. m nc;o-

HOGHTON TOWER.-!Bell at Hoghton Tower. From rubblhg made October 25th, 1877.

: GEl rm [BJ ~ ~ l]I) [Xl, 1011~ fBl] [il lSi ill] ~] [:; is] ~ LnJ raJ ~ mUJ [Z6J(F][Ii ~ on ~ Uij] ]

I II rT II 12 INCH~S, CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 139 half of th e fifteenth century. He writes: "From the form of the shield (which is figure 137 in North's Clnircli Rells of Lincolnshires" th ey are undoubtedly from the Nottingham foundry and date presumably about 1400-50. I do not think th ey can be earlier for various reas ons, one being that th e Notting­ ham foundry hardly appears to have been of any import­ anc e before the fifteenth century ; also when we call date the Nottingham bells,From North s Clnircu Bell s of Lin. colnshire,, they are almost always lat er Fi g. ' 37, than they look. Further, these foundry shields are seldom used before the fifteenth century." The inscription on the fourth is, of course, AVE MARIA, and that on the fifth IN NO[MJI[NJE IRS MARIA. The E in AVE is reversed. The letters, or words, are widely spaced. On the fourth bell th ere is 7in. between A and VE and gin. between VE and MA. On the sth there is 7~in . between the initial shield and INNOIE, 13tin. between HIS and the word on either side, and ro] in. between MARIA and the initial shield. The shields are Iitin. high by Iiin., and bear a saltire cross. The earliest named bcllfounders in Nottingham are William Langton or William le Belytere (1437-8) and Richard Redeswell (LB 3-7). For the mediteval Nottingham foundry see Victoria History of Notiinghamsliire, ii. 367. The Rev. Chas. Edward Kendall, M.A., was rector from 1822 till his death in r864. The Rev. Canon

• Als o fig. 51 of N orth's Clmrch Bells nf L riccstcrshire and fig, 20 of N orth's Chu rch Bells of . '40 CHURCH BliLLS OF LA NCASHIRE .

J acques, M.A., rural dean, was rect or from 1889 to 1909. H e died in Ig15 at Brighton and is buried at Brindle. The weights of th e bells, as given on a board in th e tower, are as follows:- C wts, qrs. Ibs. I -1- I 22 2 5 I] 3 6 I 19 4 6 0 19 577 6 12 2 17 1552: " T hre Crea te belles, one lytl e belle called a Sa nctus belle, tow tytle belles called Sake ry ng bells." 1740: Brown e Willis, about thi s time , notes only three bell s at B rindle.

CHORLEY. ST. LAWRENCE. Eight bells.

1. CAST BY JOHN WARNER & SONS L~D LONDON 1896. ( 2 7 ~ i n . diarn.) :2. The same. (28t in. diam.) 3. The same. (2gtin. diam.) 4- The sa me. (j r in. diam.) 5. CAST BY JOHN WARNER & SONS L~D LONDON 1896. On waist : OUR VOICES DO WITH CHEERFUL SOUND THE HILLS AND VALLEYS ECHO ROUND (33in: diarn.) 6. CAST BY JOHN WARNER & SONS L~D LONDON 1896. On waist : THE DAY IS OVER CEASE FROM LABOUR I CALL TO REST (35in. diarn.) 7. CAST BY JOHN WARNER & SONS L~D LONDON 1896. CHURCH B ELLS OF LANCASHIRE. '4 1

011 waist : SIX BELLS HUNG, THREE IN 1763, ONE IN 1832 ONE IN 1860 ' ONE DATE UNKNOWN WERE REMOVED RECAST AND REHUNG WITH TWO ADDITIONAL ONES DECEMBER 1896 T· ALFRED STOWELL M'A· RECTOR HENRY RAWCLlFFE}WARDENS WILLIAM BAMBER (37in. diam.j

8. CAST BY JOHN WARNER & SONS LTD LONDON 1896. On waist : I BEAR MY PART IN CONSORT'S PLEASING SOUND BUT WHEN ALONE I SUMMON TO THE GROUND. (4lin. diarn.) Hung in west tower. As the inscription on the seventh states, before 1896 there were six bells, three of which dated from 1763. The inscriptions on th ese have been reproduced on the new fifth, sixth, and ten or. The 1860 bell, which was th e treble, was by C. & G. Mears, London. The old bells were rehung in 1883 with new fittings, and re-opened November r yth, 1883. The weights and notes of the old rin g are given as follows :-

I 4cwts. o qr s. 7lbs. Note E 2 4icwts. approximat e D " c 3 5 "" " 6 B 4 " " 5 7t " " A ·6 10 G " (W ilson, Chorley Churcli, 1914, p. 14<))· CHURCH B J-: L L S OF L ANCASHIRE.

The new bells were first rllng for Divine Service on Wednesday, March roth, r897. Their weights and notes are as follows :- Cw rs. III'S . 11>" . NOle. n () G :2 () I °0 F 3 6 I q E ..j. G 2 0 )) 5 7 I 14 c G R :2 0 B 7 9 0 A S 12 :2 0 G

Total 62 3 0 The Rev. Canon Stowell, M.A., was rector from 1890 to 1907. 1552 : .. Thre greate bell es, tow lytl e belle s called saceryng bell es." 1740. Browne Willis, about this time, notes five bells at Chorley .

COPPULL. I + I bells. r. + SANCCUS SANCCUS SANCCUS DOM1NUS DeUS SABAOC5 + 011 sound bow: $. Mears s (!O. jfouni:'er6 'lLol\bol\ 1861 (26in. diam.) PIUEST'S B E LL. Bl ank, no inscription band. (r fiin . di am.)

Hung in west tower. The large bell is hung in a wooden frame on the floor of the bell chambel'; it was given by James Darlington, Esq. The little bell or ting­ tang is probably the bell belonging- to the church (rebuilt CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 1~3

1758) before the tower was added in 1861. It is hung higher up in the north-west angle of the tower. The larger bell is rung each week day at noon.

CROSTON. ST. MICIIAEL. Eight bells.

L IOHN RUDHALL GLOCESTER FECT 1806 (z8in. diam.)

2 . IOHN RUDHALL GLOCESTER FECT 1806 (zgin. diam.) 3. COME AWAY MAKE NO DELAY 1787 (join, diarn.) + JOHN RUDHALL GLOCESTER FECT 1806 (33in. diam.) 5· THIS PEAL WAS CAST AT GLOUCESTER BY I. RUDHALL 1787 (34in. diam.)

G. THE REV D S TREYNS HAM MASTER RECTOR R. FARRINGTON CHURCH­ WAR 0 E N 1822. (36in. diam.) 7. RENEWED, REMAINDER OF PEAL REHUNG BY J. TAYLOR 1898. CAST BY J. RUDHALL 1787. On waist : THE REV. A. G. RAWSTORNE RECTOR M. HACKFORTH -+ CHURCHWARDENS T. WHITTLE + Other "side of waist: RING CLEARER THAN BEFORE GOD'S PRAISES EVERMORE. (4oin. diam.) 8. I TO THE CHURCH THE LIVING CALL & TO THE GRAVE DO SUMMON ALL 1787 (43in. diam.) CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

Hung In wooden frames in west tower. Rung from floor of church. Clock and chimes in memory of Margaret Penelope Master (died Jrd July, 1879); hours struck on tenor. The rector informs me that the seventh bell was cracked and was held together for many years by an iron band round the waist. The inscription had been filed off, but the bell was one of the rin g cast by J. Rudhall in 1787. The new seventh has a band of vine ornament below th e shoulder inscription. The Rev. Streynsham Master, M.A., whose nam e occurs on the sixth, was rector from 1798 till his death in 1864. The Rev. A. G. Rawstorne, M.A., became rector in 1894. In 1909 he was appointed of Whalley, retaining the rectory of Croston. He is the great-grandson of the Rev. Streynsham Master. The late Rev. W. G. Procter, rector of Rufford , who had access to the churchwardens' books, has recorded that" the news of the Battle of the Boyne was announced by th e ringing of the church bells, also when the king returned from Ireland after concluding the treaty of Limerick. The capture of Namur, the 5th November, the king's coronation day, and the queeri's birthday were all observed. The ringers were liberally paid and had plenty of 'allowance' besides; in fact, they recei ved more for th eir services on each of these occasions than they did for ringing the bells on every Sunday in the year."* He gives the cost of the" recasting " of the bells as £142. IIS. 6d., which was paid out of th e surplus of money collected by a brief in 1770 for repairing the church. 1552: "One bell e." 1740 : Browne W illis about this tim e not es five bell s at Croston .

,• Truns. H ist. Soc. Lanes. &> Chesh, (1910) . CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE . 145

DOUGLAS. CHRIST CHURCH. Six bells.

1. 1beathen to ml? call On waist: THE GIFT OF MISS E · A· R· MORRIS 1908 (z6lin. diam.)

2 . (tome all }?e tattbtul On waist: THE GIFT OF MISS E· A. R· MORRIS 1908 (z8lin. diam. ) 3· 3-n Ubee G) 10r~ we trust 011 waist: • THE GIFT OF H . P. & A · I' OWEN SMITH 1908 (3olin. diarn.) 4· .magntf}? tbe 10r~ 011 waist : THE GIFT OF THE WOMEN OF THIS PARISH OF DOUGLAS 1908 (3zin. diam.) 5· l!)efen~ Ub}? (tburclJ G) 10r~ 011 waist: THE GIFT OF MR & MR.s R· B· CHAMBERS OF DERBY 1908 (36i-in. diam.)

6. 3- to tee (tlmrcb tbe It''ing call an~ to tbe gra"e M summon all 011 waist: THE GIFT OF MR & MR.S J. H.GREEN OF THIS PARISH 1908 (4otin. diam.) K CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

Hung in iron frame in south-east tower. .All by J. Taylor & Co., Loughborough. Each bell has the circular trade mark ~f the founders on the side of the waist opposite to the inscription. The bells were dedicated by the Bishop of Manchester (Dr. Knox) on November 3rd, 1908. The weights and notes, as given on a card in the ringing chamber, are as follows:-

Cwts. qrs. lbs, Note. 1 3 3 0 D sharp. 2 4 1 1 c sharp. 3 5 0 1 B. 4 5 3 15 A sharp. 5 8 0 1 G sharp. 6 ... II 3 24 F sharp.

Total ... 38 3 14

The donors of the third bell were the Rev. H. P. Owen­ Smith, M.A. (vicar, 1885-19°9), and his wife. The present church dates only from 1875, but replaces the ancient DOUGLAS CHAPEL, which stood at the bottom of the hill close to the river Douglas. The chapel was pulled down in 1878. It had an octagonal stone bell turret over the west gable containing one bell. The Eccleston churchwardens' accounts show that "Douglas Chappell bell" was recast at Wigan in 1741. This bell is said to be the one now in the new schools on Hill, near Christ Church (Trans. Hisi. Soc. Lanes. and Chesh., n.s., xi., 216). The school bell, however, is without date or inscription, but may very well be of eighteenth century date. It is 14in. diameter, and hangs against a chimney, between two roofs.

1552: "Item a Bell remaynyng at Dowglas Chapell." CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. '47

ECCLESTON. ST. MARY-THE-VIRGIN. Six bells.

I. PROSPERITY TO THIS PARISH 1727 (zfiin. diam.)

2. PROSPERITY TO THE CHURCH OF ENGLAN 0 1727 (Z7in. diarn.) 3. A B : RUDHALL CAST US ALL 1727 RECAST 1737 (28in. diam.)

40 1 W~ B;~~s-II_WARDEN \ ! 1802 ~J (join. diam.)

5· J To THE CHURCH THE LIVING CALL & To THE GRAVE Do SUMMONS ALL 1727 (32in. diarn.)

6. No inscription on shoulder. On waist: THE WIDOW GAVE ME IN HONOUR OF GOD AND IN LOVING MEMORY OF WILLIAM HAWKSHEAD TALBOT A' D' 1888. {38in. diam.) Hung in iron and wooden frames in west tower. The tenor is by John Taylor & Co., Loughborough, and has the circular trade mark of the firm on the other side of the waist. A clock by J. Smith & Sons, Derby, 1898, strikes the hours on the tenor. The fifth bell is the old tenor, the present treble'the old second, and so on. The present tenor replaced a treble which bore the inscription "Peace and good neighbourhood, 1734, A. R." (see Canon Atkinson's notes to GIynne's Churches of Lancashire, Chet. Soc., n.s., 27, p. 68). This treble appears to have been a recasting of CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. the treble of the 1727 ring. It is referred' to in the extracts from the churchwardens' accounts (1734), given below. The fourth bell was evidently a recasting in 1802 of one of the Rudhall ring, but I can offer no explanation of the initials ~ (see illustration), nor hazard a guess as to who was the founder. There are no churchwardens' accounts for that year. 1552: .. iij belles in the stepell, ij sacrying belles," 1740: Browne Willis, about this time, notes six belIs at Eccleston . being, of course, the ring cast by Rudhall in 1727. The following extracts from the churchwardens' accounts, relating to the bells and ringing, I copied some time ago by permission of the late rector (Rev. H. W. Bretherton, M.A.):- 1727. May 24. Public meeting for confirming about repairs and other uses of the church. and for the casting anew of the old bells. and adding some new ones to them. The meeting approves that six new bells be agreed upon to be new cast at the least expense as can be contracted for with Mr Ruddal, belI founder at Gloucester. £ s. d. Paid for the carriage of the bells, old & new 6 7 1 Paid for hanging the be lIs - 10 a a Paid Francis Rigley for planks and ironwork, etc. ab ove the bells 2 16 0 Paid for the bells 57 4 0 1734. P aid for carriage of the belI to W igan 0 1 6 Paid for carriage of the bell from Wigan to Shrewsbury 0 II 0 Paid for carriage of the belI from Shrewsbury to Eccleston 0 13 0 1735. Paid for a rope which was broken when the new bell was drawn up 0 0 6 1737. Paid for carriage of the belI to and from Shrewsbury 1 8 1 Paid for taking down and hanging the belI 0 2 0 Expenses when the belI was taken down and when it was hung a 3 9 Paid for mending ironwork about the new belI a 0 9 Paid for post letters from Mr Ruddal a 0 9 Paid Mr Ruddal for new casting the belI ­ 2 II 4~ Spent upon Me Ruddall a 1 6 CH URCH BELLS OF LANCASHlRE.

1736. April 26. IJ was agreed at a Parish Meeting that for the future" no more money or expenses be allowed the ringers and charged upon the parish than the sum of 2 shill ings am ongst them all for ale for each rejoicing an d ringing da y." T he following ringing days were agreed upon:- Jan. 30 P rince of Wales born Mar. I Queen Caroline born • May 29 Restor ation of Charles II June II King' s accession Del. II King's Coronation Oct. 30 King' s Birthday Nov. 5 Gunpowder Plot Dec. 25 Christmas Day 1739· Spent upon the Ri nger s upon the news of taking Porto Bello 0 2 8 1741. Spent at th e R ejoicing of Adm\. Vern on' s lakin g Carthegena 0 2 a 1763. Spent on th e ringers &'? when th e H avana was took a 3 0

The following extract from Mr. A. Hewitson's 01t1' Country Churches and Chapels, written in 1871, gives a picture of bell ringing troubles not only at that time, but in the year of Waterloo :-

There are six bells in th e tower, but they did not sound very well when we visited the church . It was said that the rin gers were " on stri ke," and there was evidently" so methi ng up. " for only fou r of th e bell s were rung. A notice in th e ch urch porch stated that, at a vestry meeting, it had been resolved th at each ringer on ab senting himself from du ty, morn ing or evening, unl ess sick or un able to find a substitu te, would have to submit to a deduction of threepence from his salary. The ringers, som e of whom had been in th e habit of" slipping out" during service tim e, would not sta nd thi s, an d he nce a sort of stri ke ensued . A minute fixed below the noti ce nam ed clearly showed th at there had been trouble in pa st times through this " slipping out" bu siness. It was dated September 17th, 1815. and stated th at a representation had been made to the minister and churchwardens that som e of th e ringers. after pulling the bells prior to service in the church, went away; that this was very indecent and prejudicial to religion; an d th at in future th e ringers must attend divine service morning an d evening. The curfew bell used to be rung at the church ; but the pract ice was given up some years ago "becau se of th e expense of pa ying the bellringers" (p. 247).

------_.. --_ .... ------

•Scored th rou gh in original. She died in 1737. 150 CHURCH BELLS OF L~NCASHIRE.

EUXTON. One bell.

The vicar informs me that the bell is inscribed "J. Taylor & Co., Loughborough, 18g8." It hangs In a turret over the west gable and is acc essibl e only from the outside. The old bell, displaced in 18g8, is now at the school­ house, and is by Abraham Rudhall, of Gloucester. It is inscribed-

COME AWAY MAKE NO DELAY A (bell ) R 1723 (rfiin. diam.)

HEAPEY. ST. BARNA BAS. One bell.

1. C & G. MEARS FOUNDERS LONDON 1853 (zoin. diam.)

The bell hangs from an iron bracket, against the nave wall, over the north porch. It is rung from the porch. The church was rebuilt in 1752, and was then a plain rectangle with apsidal east end and west bellcot contain­ ing one bell. The nave has since been extended westward, the bellcot destroyed, and the chancel and transepts built. There is no tower.

H ESKETH-CU M-BECCONSALL. One bell.

The bell hangs in a turret over the west gable and is accessible only from the outside. It is 14.tin. diameter, but is without date or inscription. It has old-fashioned cannons and wooden headstock, and is probably the same date as the present church, 1764. CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

HOGHTON TOWER. In the roof of the gable over the entrance to the great hall, on the north side of the upper courtyard, there hangs a bell with this inscription: + BeNeOICCA : SIC SANCCA CRINICAS (r ain. diam.) The bell is a recasting in 1902 of a mediseval bell said to have belonged originally to the chantry at Ashton­ under-Lyne, from where it was brought about 1564 to Hoghton Tower by William Allen, afterwards cardinal. Thomas Hoghton, whose arms and initials, with the date 1565, appear over the archway in the upper courtyard, and who built the great part of the older portion of the house, held a moiety of the manor of Ashton-under-Lyne in right of his mother Alice Ashton, one of the daughters of Sir Thomas Ashton, who died in 1514. There is, therefore, nothing improbable in the story that the bell came from Ashton-under-Lyne, though there seems to be no real evidence that it did. From the style of lettering of the inscription (which was reproduced in the recasting) the old bell would appear to have been of fourteenth century date, and, therefore, could not have been given to the Ashton chantry by Sir Thomas Ashton, as local " tradition" states. The lettering is very similar to that on the fourteenth century bell at Colton in North Lonsdale." Each letter is on a separate patera. A rubbing from the original bell, made October 25th, 1817, by the Rev. T. A. Turner, of Burnley, is now in the posssesion of Mr. H. B. Walters, M.A., F.S.A., who has al~owed me to make a tracing, from which the

• For the Colton bell see Transactions Cumberland and A nti­ quarian and Arckaological Societv, new series, ii. 282. CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. accompanying illustration is taken. The bell is said to have been cracked before 1902, hence the recasting in that year. Mr. W. A. Abram, writing of Hoghton Tower in the eighteenth century, when nonconformist services were held there, says the place of worship was "the large apartment which had formerly been the dining hall, and an ancient bell, with a Latin inscription upon it, fixed in the roof of the chapel, was rung to call the nonconformist farmers and peasantry of the neighbourhood to Sabbath worship." In a list of Presbyterian chapels drawn up between 1717 and 1729 Hoghton Tower is given with a congregation of 180. In the library at Hoghton Tower is preserved a hand­ bell, 7~in. diameter, with the inscription; H 1 6 RS I _~~:st I 5 3 i ~ I Each letter and numeral is on a separate stamp. The initials are those of Sir Richard Hoghton, third baronet, and Sarah his wife. Sir Richard succeeded his father in 1647, and died in February, 1677-8. The Hoghton crest, which divides the date, is a bull statant guardant. The bell is badly cracked, the crack extending through the numeral 6 to the rim. It has a wooden handle of later date.

HOOLE. ST. MICHAEL. One bell. T 1. JOHN RUDHALL GLOCESTER FEC 1813 (24in. diam.) Hung in west tower. Clock (by J. Simpson, of Preston, 1859) strikes hours on bell. The main part of the fabric dates from 1628, but the tower is an addition in 1720. Before that date there was probably a west bell cot. CHURCH B EL L S OF LANCASHIRE. 153

LEYLAND. ST. ANDREW. Eight bells.

1. MAY JESUS CHRIST BE PRAISED' 1897. On waist: THE GIFT OF MARGARET KELLETT (30in. diam.) 2. LET GOD BE FEARED CHR: SVDELL VICAR 1722 (3Iin. diam.)

3· THE CHVRCH PROSPER A (bell) R 1722 THO: BLACKLACH W~ OAKENSHAW ROB' SIBAR1N IN° MORRIS CH: WARDENS (3zi n. diam.) 4· IOHN STEVENSON FOUNDRY PRESTON 1835 S.M. H.B. J.M. CH.WARDENS. (3Sin. diam.)

5· QUATUOR NOS ANTE FUIMUS 1722

0 11 U' ll ist: RECAST BY THE LOUGH BOROUGH TAYLORS 1897. (37~ i n . diam .) 6. M~ GARDNOR BALDWIN VICAR LANCELOT LAWRENSON CH:WARDEN IOHN STEVENSON CANAL FOUNDREY PRESTON 1835. (39in. diam.) 7. MAGISQVE QVOTIDIE DELECTABIMVS 1722 (.+3 in. diam.)

8. MORNING EVENING NOON AND NIGHT PRAISE GOD On waist: THE GIFT OF JOHN STANNING. Other side oj waist: 0 1897

Hung in wooden frames in west tow er. Clock chimes quarters and strikes hours on ten or. The second, third, and seventh are by Abraham Rudhall, of Gloucester. The inscription space on the second and seventh is made up in both lines with orn am ents, th e dat e in the seventh bein g alone in the lower line. The first , fi fth, and tenor are by John T aylor & Co., Loughborou gh, the treble and tenor added to the old ring of six in 1897, each ha ving th e circular trade mark of th e firm on the waist or th e side opposite to the inscripti on. The fifth preserves the motto of the old bell. The fourth and sixth, as the inscri ption states, are by J ohn Ste venso n of Preston. On th e s ix t ~ " foundry" is spelt "foundrey." The lettering is in large ugly typ e, standing out boldly from th e surface of the bell. The Rev. Gardner (not Gardnor, as on bell) Baldwin, M.A., was vicar from 1824 till his death in 1852. On th e north side of th e wooden fram e is cut this inscripti on :

Thomas Armetriding: Vicar William Briscow: lohn Croston Church lohn H'odson : Oliver Martin Wardens

At a lat er date has been added M· B.L 1845 T he Rev. Thomas Armetriding, B.A., was vicar from October, 1689, to J anuary, 1719-20. The weight of th e ten or is given as 21 cwt.

1552 : .. Faure Grelle belles . . . one lytle belle called a sac keryng belle... 1740 . Browne Willis, abou t this tim e, notes six bells at Ley land.

Mr. A. Hewitson, writing in 1871, says: "What may be te rmed a remnant of the curfew bell syste m exists at Leyland. In summer, every morning at six and everv CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 155 evening at nine-in winter, each morning at six and each evening at eight, a bell in the church steeple is rung " (Om' Country Churches and Chapels, p. 46).

LONGTON. ST. ANDREW. One bell.

1. On waist : THOS GARSTANG CHAPEL WARDEN 1817 (zr in. diam.) Hangs at the top of the newel stair of th e unfinished north-west tower. There is no inscription band, but there are lines above th e sound bow. Old fashioned cannons. The letters of "Thos. Garstang" and the num erals are Ifin. high, the smaller letters ~-in. The bell formerly hung in a west turret of the old chapel, built 1770, and pulled down in 1886. The present church was consecrated December rfith, 1887; tower added 1892. There is nothing in the bell to suggest who was the founder. Mr. A. Hewitson, writing of the old chapel in 1871, speaks of ., an antiquated turret of the fire brigade station typ e containing a bell" (OlW Country Churches and Chapels, p. 272). 1552: .. j bell & j sackryng bell."

PENWORTHAM. ST. MARY-TH E-VIRGIN. Six bells.

I. TAYLOR AND SON, LOBORO. 1858 On waist: RECAST BY MEARS & STAIN BANK LONDON AT MARY RAWSTONE'S COST 1891. (zfiin. diam.) 156 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

z, GOD SAUE QUEEN ANN A {belll R. 1712 (27in. diarn.) 3. PRO S PER ITY TOT H E C H U R C H 0 F ENGLAN 0 1712 (z8in. diam.) 4. ABR: RUOHALLCAST USALLANNO OOM. 1712 (zqirn diam.)

5. RALPH LOXAM MIN ISTER A (bell) R. 1712 (jr in. diam.) 6. WM: SLATER EUAN MAU OSLEY WM FAR I NGTON WM BICKERSTEFF WARDENS 1712 (36in. diam.) H ling in wooden frames in west tower; rung from the back of west gallery in tower. A ring of five by Abraham Rudhall, of Gloucester, 1712, to which a treble was added in 1858. The number is given as five in the Catalogue of Bells cast by the Rudhalls,* and Willis Browne notes five c. 1740. The name Rawstone on the treble is an error for Rawstorne. The Rev. W. E. Rawstorne, M.A., was vicar from 18S8 to 1889. The Rev. Ralph Loxam was vicar from 1712 to 172S. He was also rector of North Meols, 1708-26. He is buried at Penwortham. The weights and notes, as given on a card in the belfry, are as follows:- I 4cwts. I qr. 121bs. Not e F sharp 2 scwts. approximate " E o 3 st " " " c sharp 4 6 " " " 5 7 " " B 6 g" " A 1552 : .. Thre bells, ij sackryng bell s." 1740. Browne Willis, about th is lime, note s five bells at Penwortham.

• Appendix B . to Ellacombe' s Church Bells of Gtoutestcrshire, p. 75 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 157

Mr. A. Hewitson in 1871 wrote: "There are six bells, and they form by far the sweetest sounding peal of any in this part of th e country. On an evening, when the wind sweeps gently across the valley of the Ribble, there is a charm in their silvery melody, a pensive echoing beauty in their music, which when once felt will always be remembered. Many of our local poets have sung the praises of Penwortham bells, but the verses of none have equalled the charms of the original articles" (Our Country Churches and Chapels, 1872, p. 10).

RUFFORD. ST. MARY-THE-VIRGIN. Two bells.

1, :.: Euan· Caunce . Chapell . Warden . 1746

Luke Ashton I I Wigan Fecit (rqin. diam.)

2. TAYLOR & Co FOUNDERS LOUGHBOROUGH 1869 (27in. diam.)

Hung in north-west tower. Clock strikes the hours on the larger bell. The smaller bell formerly hung in a turret over th e west gable of the old church, built 1736, and pulled down when the present building was erected in 1869. The inscription is in Luke Ashton's characteristic "lower case" type with heart-shaped stops, with an initial device of five such stops arranged as shown. This device is used in the Formby bell of the same date, and at Melling, 1748. After the demolition of the old chapel, the bell was taken to Rufford Hall, where it hung for some time in the turret of the more modern part of the house. It was IS8 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHiRE. there in 1884.* I have not been able to ascertain when it was brought back to the church, but it was in its present position in 1908.

STANDISH. ST. WILFRID. Eight bells.

1. MEARS & STAIN BANK FOUNDERS LONDON 1913

On waist : AD DEI GLORIAM, ET IN PIAM MEMORIAM JOHANNIS PENDLEBURY ET MARGARETA:: UXORIS D: D: FILII ET FillA:: (z6in. diam.)

2. C & G. 'MEARS FOUNDERS LONDON 1846 On waist: RECAST 1913. On sound bow: MEARS & STAINBANK LONDON (z7in. diam.) 3· PROSPERITY TO THIS PARISH A (bell) R 1714 (z8in. diam.)

+ PEACE AN 0 GOOD NEIGHBOURHOOD A (bell) R 171 5 (31in. diam .)

5· PROSP ERITY TO TH E CHVRCH OF ENG LAN 0 A (bell) R 171 4

On waist : RECAST 1913 (33in. diarn.)

6. lAMES HOULCROFT JOHN CROOKE CH- WARDENS A (bell) R 1714 (34in. diam.)

• Henry Taylor, Old Halls ill Lancashire <50 Cheshire (1884), p. 80. CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 159

7. lAMES BLUNDELL RALPH LOW CH ­ WAR DEN SA (bell) R 1715 (38!in. diam.) 8. MEARS & STAINBANK FOUNDERS LONDON 1913 (42in. diam.) Hung in iron frames in two tiers in west tower, the second, fourth, and sixth in upper tier. The first, second, and fifth have the trade mark of Mears & Stainbank on the waist-three bells within a circle, with the initials A.H.* The same mark is also on the tenor in the inscription space. Nos. 3 to 7 formed the old ring of five cast by Abraham Rudhall, of Gloucester, in 1714-5. In 1846 another bell was added, cast at the Whitechapel foundry. This and the old third (now fifth) were recast by Mears & Stainbank in 1913, a new treble and tenor added, and all the bells rehung. The treble was given by the family of John Pendlebury, formerly of Highfield, and the tenor by the family of Nathaniel Eckersley, formerly of Standish Hall. The bells were dedicated May loth, 1913. A clock and chimes were given at the same tim e by James Maitland . The weights, kindly supplied by Messrs. Mears & Stainbank, are as follows:- Cwts. qrs.Tbs. '1 3 3 22 2 4 1 16 3 4 a 10 4 6 0 7 5 6 1 4 6 7 1 6 7 10 a 19 8 12 I 12

• A. Hughes, head of the firm of Mears & Stainbank. 160 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

1552: .. iij great belles, iiij sacryng bell es." 1740 : Browne Willis about th is time note s five bells . In th e ringing chamber is a printed set of rules and fines, dated March zfith, r88 8, sig- ned by the Rev. C. W. N. Hutton, recto r, and H. Ackerley and W. H . Horrocks, churchwardens. The fines are as follows ;-

(a) Swearing or Qu arrelling in Belfry 3d . (b) Smoking 3d. (e) Bringing Ale, Beer, or L iquor into the Be lfry 6d . (d) Untidiness zd. (e) Abse nt without notice at practice 3d . (f) Late at practi ce zd. Do. on Su nday 6d . Do. if qu ar ter of a n hour la te IS. Do . at any extra ringin g 6d. Do. a t Sunday 8 a .m. bell 3d. Do. at chiming zd. (g) Disobeyin g an order of the leader jd. N .B .-If any ringer be guilty of drunkenness, habitual quarrelling, swearing, neglect of public worship in ch urch , or a ny ot her immoral or irre lig ious conduct, he shall be liabl e to instant dis missal.

TARLETON. ST. MARY. One bell.

I. T. MEARS OF LONDON FECIT 1824 (24in. diam. ) H angs in west turret. The church was built in 1719, but th e turret was heightened and two new bells provided in 1824. On e of th ese was taken to th e new church of th e Holy Trinity, which replaced St. Mary's in 1887-8. It bore th e same inscription as that still at th e old church, and hung in a bellcot above th e unfinished tower at Holy Trinity till 1913, when th e complet ion of th e tower was begun.

TARLETON. H OLY TRINITL Ei ght bells. The new church was begun in October, 1886, and consecrated June 7th, 1888. The tower and spire were CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 101 completed in 1914, and the ring of eight bells by]. T aylor & Co., Loughborough, provided. Each bell has a band of leaf ornament round th e shoulder with the maker's trade mark l ~f[5~~~1 except the tenor, in which the mark is a large circle wit h the Agnus Dei in the middle, and the names JOHN AND DEN ISON TAYLOR LOUGH BOROUGH in th e circumference. Each bell has on one side th e waist this inscription :-

A'M ·D ·G · ET IN VSVM ECCL : PAROCH : DE TARLETON IN MEM : N.H'F MCMXIV

On the other side of the waists are th e following inscriptions:-

1. EVilS ET SEPIBVS CONVOCEMVS ET COM PELLAMVS INTRARE VT IMPLEATVR DOMVS DOMINI (z4tin. diam.)

2. VENITE EXVLTEMVS DOMINO : IVBILEMVS DEO SALVTARI NOSTRO (zstin. diam.)

3. IVBILATE DEO TOTA PAROCHIA OMNES SERVITE DOMINO IN L~TITIA (z7 ~in. diam. ) L 162 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

INTROITE PORTAS EIVS IN CONFESSIONE ATRIA EIVS IN HYMNIS (z9iin. diarn .)

5· BENEDICITE OMNIA OPERA DOMINI DOMINO; LAVDATE ET SVPEREXALTATE EVM IN SJECVLA (3Tiin. diarn.) 6. VENITE AD ME AIT IESVS DOMINVS OMNES QVI LABORATIS ET ONERATI ESTIS ET EGO REFICIAM VOS (33tin. diam.) 7. DIXIT IESVS EGO SVM RESVRRECTIO ET VITA, ET OMNIS QVI VIVIT ET CREDIT IN ME NON MORIETVR IN JETERNVM (37!in. di arn. )

8. GLORIA PATRI ET FILIO ET SPIRITVI SANCTO SIC ERAT IN PRINCIPIO ET NVNC ET SEMPER ET IN SJECVLA SJECVLORVM AMEN

Hung in iron frames in two tiers in west tower, th e second and third in upper tier. Clock by J. Smith & Sons, Derby, chimes quarters, and strikes hours on tenor. CHURCH B EL LS OF L ANCA SHIRE. r63

The weights and notes as given on card In nngmg cham ber are as follows:-

Cw rs. qr s. lbs. Note. I 3 2 ° F sha rp :! .) 3 1 E sharp 3 4 a 27 D sharp 4 4 3 a c sharp 5 5 3 27 B 6 7 ° 6 A sharp 7 9 1 2 G sha rp 8 13 I 4 F sharp - --- T ot al 51 3 II

The completed tower and spire and th e bells are a memorial to Nina Helen Fletcher (N.H.F. ), th e wife of th e Yen. Archdeacon Flet ch er, M.A., rect or , 1875-19°7, by th e family and pa rish . The bells were dedicated and first rung July nnd, 1914. The first peal (grandsire triples, 5,040 changes) was run g on Saturday, April loth, 1915, with th e bells half­ muffled as a token of respect to Bishop Moorhouse, who died the previous day. 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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