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A Short History of Preston Church Bells, Rutland

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A Short History of Preston Church Bells, Rutland A Short History of Preston Church Bells, Rutland Acknowledgements We are extremely grateful to the following Trusts and charitable organisations who gave so generously to our Appeal and without whom the work on the The Church of St Peter and St. Paul Bells would never have taken place: Preston, Rutland • Church Buildings Council. • Hickinbotham Charitable Trust. • National Lottery Heritage Fund. • Peterborough Diocesan Guild of Church Bellringers. A Short History of Preston Church Bells David Audcent, Raja Bose and Bryan Howard • Rutland Historic Churches Preservation Trust. • Samworth Foundation. • The Jack Patston Trust. • The Leche Trust. • And the many, many friends and individuals who helped us reach our target. Photographs by David Audcent, Raja Bose, Bryan Howard and Patrick Nicholls. ‘Preston Church Bell Appeal’ logo by Canon Philip Spence. October 2020 Sanctus stamps, c1400 2 3 Contents 2. The History of 1. Introduction 4 Preston’s church 2. The history of Preston’s church 5 The period following the Norman Century, although in Rutland, bell- 3. Origin of church bells in the UK 6 conquest was marked by a great turrets were often constructed at 4. Anatomy of the bell chamber 7 flurry of ecclesiastical building and the west end of churches during 5. The history of Preston’s bells 9 the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul post-Norman and Early English at Preston was constructed during times. At Preston, the tower has 6. Founders of the Preston bells 11 this time - in about 1150. Henry de a battlemented parapet, which 7. Uses of church bells at Preston 12 Beaumont, 1st Earl of Warwick was accommodates the bell chamber at 8. The sound of bells and the art of ringing 13 a favourite of William the Conqueror its summit and is surmounted by a and following the death of William, tall spire. 9. Remedial work carried out 16 became a companion and friend 10. Further Reading 19 of his successor, Henry I. He was During its 900-year history, the given much land during his lifetime, church has witnessed major including the manors of Preston economic, social and political and Uppingham, rights to which he changes, but its fabric has withstood transferred to Hugh de Montfort. the ravages of time and stands as 1. Introduction Preston subsequently passed in testimony to the skill and dedication 1130 to Robert de Montfort, who of those who constructed it. A The lovely Church of St Peter and The bells were in urgent need of died about 1165; presumably, the number of significant artefacts were St Paul, Preston dates back to the repair and restoration, and thanks to church was founded during his donated during the last century, 12th Century. It has many interesting the generosity of many individuals tenure. Initially, it comprised just including chancel lamps and pieces features, including a ring of six and Trusts, we have been able to a simple nave and still retains the of mosaic pavement from the bells - in Rutland, only Oakham and have them fully restored by John characteristic carved, rounded Middle East, while the graveyard Uppingham have more. The sanctus Taylor & Co, Loughborough, who arches and massive pillars typical of incorporates cypress trees grown bell is the only surviving example had themselves installed three of the period. The walls are of coursed, from seed gathered from the Garden in Rutland and probably has not the bells and the current frames. dressed, local ironstone with a of Gethsemane. been rung since the Reformation. rubble infill. Subsequent additions Centuries later, it can now be heard This Short History of the Bells has included the North and South aisles, The voice of the church is its bells, once more. been written by members of Preston chancel, tower and spire - all built which speak to us now in ways that History Group and introduces in styles prevailing at the time have changed little over the years, The sanctus and Gabriel bells date not only the bells, their founders they were added. Later, during the bringing messages of hope and back to about 1400 - the time of and the restoration work carried 14th Century, much of the church peace. Two of these are amongst the Plantagenets. The Tenor bell, out, but also the church itself, the was remodelled and the porch the earliest in Rutland, dating from inscribed “God Save Our Queen importance of church bells, their was added. c 1400: a sanctus bell (the only Elizabeth”, is dated c1598; the characteristic sound and the art example surviving in Rutland) and 4th bell dates from 1717 and the of ringing. There is no evidence of an earlier the Gabriel Bell. Three additional remaining three are 20th century. bell tower; indeed, these were bells were added during the last This is truly a remarkable collection comparatively rare before the 14th century, making a ring of six. and a great responsibility for our small village Church. 4 5 3. Origin of church bells 4. Anatomy of the bell chamber in the UK The use of bells as an adjunct to It is interesting to note that Crown Christian worship dates back to its currently, Canon Law (Canon F8) Head early days, but was first officially instructs that every church and Shoulder sanctioned by Pope Sabinian in chapel shall be provided with at 604. He is said to have introduced least one bell “to ring the people Inscription the ringing of a bell during the to divine service”; the Minister has band celebration and at the times of daily responsibility for determining when prayer. In this country, the use of bells are to be rung. Whilst not Waist bells to announce Tierce, Mass, and requiring that the bells are actually Processions is recorded in the Ordo rung, there is an expectation that Romanus. The Rev. Bede refers to they will be if possible. the ringing of a bell at Whitby in Sound bow 608 to summon the nuns to prayer. The use of smaller bells, which By the early Middle Ages, the use featured in early Catholic worship, of bells in England was widespread h a s d e c l i n e d o v e r t h e y e a r s , a l t h o u g h and the presence of Saxon, Norman examples survive, including Sanctus and medieval bell towers attests bells, priest’s bells (or ting-tangs) to the substantial size of many and Sacring bells (small hand- of these. bells used during mass to mark the Fig 1. Parts of a bell elevation). Change ringing - using During this period, worship was in larger bells - has become a feature accordance with Catholic traditions, of British life. In the 16th Century, Headstock but in 1538, Henry VIII issued an the development of full circle bell Crown injunction banning the tolling of ringing in Britain altered the way bells at the “Aves after service and that bells were hung and required certain other times” to emphasise rings to be tuned to a common scale. Tufnol brush his break with Rome. suspension Clapper ball Fig 2. Cross section 6 7 5. The history of Preston’s bells The tower houses a ring of six bells, details of which are as follows: Bell Known as Wt. Kg Note Dia. cm Date Founder 1st Treble 183 E# 64 1964 John Taylor & Co Hastings Wheel stay 2nd 229 D# 71 1908 3rd 270 C# 76 1908 4th 293 B# 82 1717 Henry Penn Grease 5th *Gabriel 398 A# 90 C. 1400 (unknown) point Crown staple 6th *Tenor 518 G# 99 C. 1598 Newcombe & Watts Headstock *Sanctus 39.4 C. 1400 John Barber Bearings * These bells are listed for preservation by the Church Buildings Council (Church Care). In the absence of written records or conjectural. Most other bells known occasionally, inclusion of the date to be manufactured by John Barber in the inscription (as, for example, are found in the South of England. the 4th bell bearing the inscription, “1717”), the dating of church bells The method of fabricating church is largely based on circumstantial bells has changed little since the evidence, including their shape, medieval period, although more dedications, motifs cast into the sophisticated methods for tuning Bell rope metal and the design of lettering. have been introduced. Bells are cast from bell metal - an alloy of Three of Preston’s bells were copper and tin which has a relatively installed in the 20th century: two low melting point. After the bell has Ground pulley in 1908, of which one was donated been designed the next stage is to (PN) by the village and the second by prepare moulds - the inner (or core) Fig 3. Headstock and wheel Major-General Alfred Codrington, which is the shape and size of the and the third by the family in 1964 internal dimension of the bell and in commemoration of the life of the (cope) which moulds the outer William, his son. surface. Moulds are made from fire- re si s t a nt m ate ri a l s s u c h a s b ri c k , cl ay Although the sanctus bell is or loam and allowed to harden. The generally considered to date from cope usually incorporates embossed around 1400, this is somewhat or incised lettering and often other 8 9 artwork such as religious symbols, its top (the sprue hole) to fill the coats of arms etc. which will adorn space between the two. The metal 6. Founders of the the finished bell. The stamps and is allowed to cool for several days dies used for this were the property - longer in the case of large bells Preston bells of the founder and were sometimes - before being released from the John Barber (Sanctus bell) Henry Penn (4th) very ornate; they help to identify the moulds.
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