The Church of

BY

F. H. Cheetham

File – 02: Part II The Hundred of

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

BY F. H. CHEETHAM.

PART II. FOREWORD. y thanks are again due to all who have assisted me M in the preparation of this further instalment of th e catalogue of bells in the older churches of Lancashire, and especially to those incumbents who have so readily given me access to th e bells under their charge. My thanks are also due to th e Rev. H. A. Hudson, M.A., F.S.A., for permission to use his account of the Man­ chester Cathedral bells and for other information freely given ; to th e Rev. H. J. Elsee, M.A., of , for the loan of several rubbings and for criticism and help in proof reading; to Mr. Wm. Royle for particulars of th e at Platt Chapel; to Mr. J. J . Phelps for particulars of th e bell at Monton Chapel; and to Mr. H. B. Walters, M.A., F.S.A., whose knowledge has ever been at my disposal and who has been good enough to read over the proofs. Messrs. Mears & Stainbank, of Whitechapel, and Messrs . John Taylor & Co., of Loughborou gh, have kindly supplied me with the weights of various bells cast or recast by th em, and have helped me in other ways. F. H. C.

THE HUNDRED OF SALFORD. The hundred of Salford comprises th e ancient of Ashton-under-Lyne, Bolton, Bury, Deane, Eccles, B 2 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

Flixton, , Middleton, -with-, Radcliffe, and . The whole lies within the diocese of Manchester, and is divided between the arch­ deaconries of Manchester and Rochdale. .The arch­ deaconry of Manchester includes the ancient parishes of Eccles, Flixton, and Manchester, together with Leigh in , and the archdeaconry of Rochdale the parishes of Ashton-under-Lyne, Bolton, Bury, Deane, Middleton, Prestwich-with-Oldham, Radcliffe, and Roch­ dale. There were three hundred and fifty-five modern parishes within the in 1915. Of pre-Reformation chapels the principal were Ainsworth, , , Bradshaw, Chorlton, Denton, , Ellenbrook, , Littleborough, , Newton, Oldham, , Shaw, , , Turton, Walmsley, , and Whitworth. The chapels at Ashworth, Edenfield, , and Holcombe existed in the sixteenth century, but it is doubtful whether they were founded before the Reformation. Birch-in- dates from about 1580. Ringley Chapel was erected in 1625 and Salford in 1635. There are two mediaeval bells in the hundred, one at Bradshaw and the other at Clayton Hall. The former is of fourteenth century date and bears the inscription, "Ave Maria Gracia Plena." It is said to have belonged originally to a religious house in , but there is no real evidence of this. The bell is 20~in. diam eter. The Clayton H all bell is smaller (16tin.) and bears the motto, "Je atende meleor." It appears to be rather later in date than the Bradshaw bell, and belongs prob ably to the latter part of the fourteenth or early part of the fifteenth century. There is a tradition that it formerly belonged to the church of Manchester College. CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 3

No church bells of sixteenth century date have yet come to light, but the bell formerly at Turton Tower, and now at Sir Lees Knowles's residence at , is dated 1587. Seventeenth century bells are found at Edenfield (1654), Holcombe (1698), Bolton (1699), Ringley, and at Hall. The two last named are undated, but the Ringley bell appears to be coeval with the chapel (now pulled down) built in 1625. It may, however, be a few years later, as the building was not consecrated till 1634. The bell at Great Lever Hall, now on the floor of the chapel, bears the name of Ralph Ashton, and dates from about 1616-29. The Edenfield bell is by J. Scott of , and was cast in the first year of the Protectorate. There was formerly a bell by the same founder at Milnrow cast in the same year. William Scott, of Wigan, is known to have cast a bell for Denton Chapel in 1692, but this has dis­ appeared. The Edenfield bell is the only one by Scott of Wigan now known to exist in the Salford hundred, unless others should come to light in modern churches. The Holcombe bell, now at the schoolhouse, bears the initials R.A., possibly those of Ralph Ashton, of Wigan, who succeeded the Scotts at the foundry there. The Bolton bells are by Henry Bagley, of Ecton, Northampton, and are five in number. They are a year later in date than Bagley's six at Warrington Church. There was formerly a bell dated 1656 at Whitworth, but it was recast in 1775 and again in 1910. At Todmorden Chapel a bell dated 1603 was recast in 1860. The number of existing eighteenth century bells is fairly large, though many have been recast or have other­ wise disappeared. The earliest dated bells of this period are those by Abraham Rudhall at Manchester Cathedral, 4 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

1706. Six of the present ring were cast in that year, though only five bear the date. These are, as far as I know, the earliest of Rudhall's bells in Lancashire, but the famous firm supplied a large number of bells to the county for more than a century after this date. In Salford hundred the next oldest Rudhall bells are the third, fifth, sixth, and seventh at Eccles, dated 1709. Following these in order of date are Middl eton (six 1714), Platt Ch apel (1718), Prestwich (two 1721), Old­ harn" (two 1722), Bury (six 1722), Monton Chapel (1725), Didsbury (six 1727) , Prestwich (1742), Salford (five 1748), Heywood, St. James (1749), Manchester Cathedral (1749), Rochdale (five 1752), Manchester, S1. Ann (1769), Ashton­ under-Lyne (six 1779) , Ro chdale (two 1787), Ashton­ under-Lyne (1790), Chorlton (1792), and Manchester, St. Petert (1795). There are also two undated Rudhall bells at Prestwich Church, but probably cast in 1761 and 1788. At Denton a Rudhall bell dated 1715 has been recast, and at Kenyon Peel Hall was one dated 1731, but it has disappeared. The bell at S1. James's Church, Manchester (1786) , may be by Rudhall, as it bears a motto much used by the Gloucester firm, but is without a maker's name or mark. At Dean e are four bells by Richard Sanders , of Brom s­ grove (1714), the only ones by this founder in the hundred. George Dalton, of York, is represented by bells at (1756) and Littleborough (1764), and Luke Ashton, of Wigan, by the single bell at Ellenbrook (1725). It is possible th at the bell at Pe el (1758) may be by Ashton, but it bears no name or inscription. Among the eighteenth century bells the \Vhitechapel foundry is

• At St. Peter 's and St. james's churches. t Now at St. Andrew's Church, Eccles. CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 5

represented by the ring of eight* at St. John's, Deansgate, Manchester (Lester and Pack, 1786), the undated tenor at Blackrod by Chapman and Mears, th e five other bells at Black rod by William Mears, 1786, and the sixth at Deane by Thomas Mears, 1792. The disused bells at Birch -in - Rusholme (1727) and Ashworth (1774) are without founder's name or initials. The earliest dated nineteenth century bells are from the Gloucester foundry, 1806, in which year John Rudhall cast a ring of eight for St. George's Church, Bolton, three for Bolton Parish Church, and a ring of eight for Flixton. Three of the Flixton bells, however, have been since recast. Other earl y nineteenth century bells by Rudhall occur at Rochdale (tenor, 1812), Manchester Cathedral (tenor, 1815; two trebles, 1825), and Eccles (two trebles and tenor, 1825; fourth, 1828). Most of th e later nineteenth century bell s are from the foundries at Whitechapel (Mears), Loughborough (T aylor) , and Cripplegate (Warner). As regards the ancient parish churches th e Whitechapel foundry is responsible for five bells at Ashton-under-Lyne, one at Deane, and two at Middleton. The ring of twelve at Oldha m Church was cas t at Whitechapel in 1830, and there are rings of eight at Birch -in-Rusholme (1863) and Mossley (1888). Other churches founded before 1800, in which bells from th e Whitechapel foundry occur, are (St. Thomas), Blackley, Cheetham Hill (St. Mark), Heaton Chapel, Holcombe, Hollinwood, , , Stretford, Todmorden, and Turton. Messrs. Taylor, of Loughborough, have cast two bells for Bury Parish Church, two for Deane, three for Flixton, three for Prestwich, and a ring of eight for Radcliffe. Their bells also occur at Horwich, Manchester (St.

• Ten or recast in 1902 . 6 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHllI'F..

Michael), Manchester (St. Paul), Pendleton, Salford (Sacred Trinity), Shaw, Walmsley, Rochdale (St. Mary), Westhoughton, and Whitworth. Warner's bells are found at Milnrow, Rivington, Stretford, and Swinton. All of these firms are, of course, responsible for a large number of bells in churches built since th e year 1800. The present paper, as explained in the introductory chapter, is concerned only with bells in churches founded lip to the end of the eighteenth century. Only one bell by William Dobson, of Downham, Norfolk, is found in the hundred, at St. Stephen's, Salford, 1817. . At Hey the single bell is dated 1814, but there is a disused ting-tang, 1819. Neither of these bells has a founder's name or initials. Messrs. Gillett & Johnston, of Croydon, have recently recast the ring of eight at Heywood. The single bell at is by Charles Carr, of Smethwick, that at Gorton by R. Ormerod & Son, of Manchester (1841), and Ainsworth is the unhappy posse ssor of one of Naylor, Vickers, & Co.'s patent cast-steel bells (1867). At the rebuilt church of St. George, Oldham Road, Manchester, is a ship's bell from th e German steamer " Rhein," of Bremen, 1868. Tubular" bells" occur at Ashworth, Blackley, Chorlton­ cum-Hardy, Hollinwood, and .

AINSWORTH. CHRIST C HURCH. One bell.

I. CAST STEEL PATENT NAYLOR VICKERS & Co SHEFFIELD 1867

On waist: PRESENTED BY JOHN GREENHALGH 1867 (28in. diarn.) CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 7

Hangs in wooden frame in west tower. Clock strikes hours on bell. The church was rebuilt in 1831. It was formerly known as Cockey Chapel, being a chapel of the ancient parish of Middleton. 1552 : .. Cockey. A littil bell. "

ASHTON-U NDER-LYNE. ST. MICHAE L. Twelve bells. I. MEARS & STAINBANK WHITECHAPEL FOUNDRY LONDON

On waist: PRESENTED BY THE LATE SAMUEL MOSS, ON INCREASING THE FROM 10 TO 12 BELLS 1889 (26in. diam.)

2. MEARS & STAINBANK WHITECHAPEL FOUNDRY LONDON

On waist: PRESENTED BY THE ASHTON SOCIETY OF CHANGE RINGERS AND THEIR FRIENDS 1889 REVD CANON EAGER, RECTOR THOs HEGINBOTTOM} CHAs GREAVES CHURCHWARDENS JAs KERSHAW FW BROMLEY (27-!in. diarn.) 3· HEN Y LEES IONN RIDGWAY ABEL WOOD & lAS OGDEN WARDENS 1790 (28in. diam.) 4-. WH EN YOU US RI NG WE'LL SWEETLY SI NG 1779 (2gin. diam.) 8 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE .

5. T. MEARS OF LONDON FECIT 1818 (32in. dia rn.) 6. PEACE & GOOD NEIGHBOURHOOD 1779 (3 ~ i n. diam .) 7. PROSPERITY TO THIS PARISH 1779 (3Sin. diam .) 8. SUCCESS TO TRADE 1779 (38in. diam.)

9. T. MEARS OF LONDON FECIT 1818 (42in. diam.]

10. GEORGE WOOD IOH N HARRISON lAMs AI NSWORTH ROBT HALL CHURCH- WARDENS 1779 (4Sin. diam .)

II. I TO THE CHURCH THE LIVING CALL & TO THE GRAVE DO SUMMON ALL: (49in. diam.) 12. THE REV GEORGE CHETWODE RECTOR JOHN WOOD WILLIAM BENTLEY ROBERT LEES JOHN LILLEY CHURCHWARDENS JAM ES MOSS SEXTON T. MEARS OF LONDON FECIT 1818 (S4in. diam .)

Hung in west tower. The tower was rebuilt in r8I8, and again in r886-88. Although not bearing th eir nam es or ini tials th e eighteenth century bell s are by C. and J. Rudhall, of Glou cest er. On th e fourth, fifth, seventh, and eigh th th e inscription is made out with orn ament. No. II is the old tenor. In th e "Catalogue of Bells cast by the Rudhalls, of Gloucester, from r684 to r830," pr inted by Canon Ellacombe in his Church B ells of Gl oucestershire, ten bells are named for Ashton-under-Lyne, and the weight of th e tenor is given as zo cwt . This ring of ten appea rs to have been cast in r77 9, th e treble being recast in 1790. When th e new tower was built in I8r8, tw o other bell s were recast, one S OF LA NCASHIRE. 9 do ne away with, and a new tenor added, the number of th e ring bein g th e sa me. The two additional trebles were added after th e completion of th e new tower in 1889. The tenor was rehung in a new iron frame by Gill ett & Johnston, of Croydon, in July-August, 1910, with all ne w fittings and cas t iron head stock. The other bells were fitt ed with new stee l gudgeons, and the bearings, etc., refitted by th e same firm in the following October. The weights of the bells are given as follows;-

I 4cwts. zqr s, I8 1bs. 7 7±cwt s. approx, 2 s cwts. rqr. Sibs. 8 8cwts. 3 4cwts. approx. 9 IltcwtS. -+ -+ tcwts. 10 r Scwts, 5 scwts. II zocwts, 6 6cwts. 12 zScwts .

' 552: .. I n the stepl e iiij belles w h a litill bell broky n . . . ij hand be lles ." '740 : Browne 'Will is about thi s dale notes si x be lls a t Ash ton-u nde r­ Ly ne . There are rin gs of tw elve bells also at Liverpool (S t. Nicholas) and Oldham Parish Church. 'W ith the increase of the bells from six to ten in 1779 th e Ashton rin gers became fam ous all over Lanca­ , and a keen rivalry developed with the ringers of Oldha m. On August 6th, 1782, it is recorded th at " the Ashton youths ra ng a true peal of tri ples, consisting of S,040 changes in 3hrs. gmin., the weight of- the tenor being upwards of a ton. The above peal is the only one ever ye t complet ed in this county." A week later "the celebra ted youths of Oldha m" rang th e sa me number of changes in zhrs. somin., but the ten or bell was onl y a bout 8 cwt, The ac tive rivalry between Ashton and Oldha m seems to have begun in 10 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

1783 and only came to an end about 1830, since when friendly relations have subsisted. The Oldham ringers are credited with "repeatedly, arrogantly and unpro­ vokedly saying that the Ashton ringers were Rot able to ring them anywhere," and when a deputation from Ashton waited upon Oldham they were treated with something like contempt. "Instead of entering into a proper obligation to prove the superior ability of the disputants nothing was heard on their part but banter, scurrility and defamation." After this a challenge was issued on behalf of the Ashton ringers "to ring upon eight bells any set of ringers belonging to Oldham ... for any sum of money not less than eight and not more than twenty guineas." The contest took place at Leeds on September zznd, 1786, and was decided in favour of Oldham. Both the Ashton and Oldham ringers met at the opening of the new bells at Flixton in January, 1808, but at the close of the ringing the judges were unable to come to a decision and the prize money was divided. The verdict satisfying nobody a match for £40 was arranged at Flixton, and came off on June 24th, 1808, when Oldham were declared the win ners. The conductor of the Ashton ringers, Jonathan Wild, was charged with selling the match to the Oldham men, and so high was the state of feeling at the time that Wild left Ashton and went to live at , where he remained twenty-six years. The accusation seems to have been unjust and Wild was allowed to come back to Ashton before his death. After the Flixton match there was continual strife between the Ashton and Oldham ringers for more than twenty years: it is said to have been carried to such a pitch that" if one of the Oldham ringers strayed to Ashton and was recognised they ran him out of the ." James Butterworth in 1825 wrote: "The ringers of CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. II

Ashton are famous both at home and abroad for steeple harmony." On Easter Monday, April r jth, Ig14, the Ashton ringers beat the treble bob royal record on ten bells of twelve .thousand changes, which was accomplished at Shoreditch in 1784, and had thus stood for one hundred and thirty years. The peal reached fourteen thousand changes and was rung in ghrs. 24min. It was composed and conducted by Samuel Wood.

ASHWORTH. ST. JAMES. Eight tubular" bells." A ring of eight tubular" bells" was set up in the small west turret in 1895. The old bell, however, has been preserved, and now (1915) lies among the lumber below the gallery stairs. One of the cannons is broken off, but the clapper is in its right place. The bell, which has no maker's name or mark, is inscribed

SAM~ EGERTON ESQ~ 1774 (17!in. diam.) Samuel Egerton, of Tatton, bought the manor of Ashworth in 1767. In his capacity of lord of the manor he was patron of the church, which was a chapel of the parish of Middleton. Lord Egerton of Tatton is the present owner and patron. [552 : " A litill bell. "

BLACKLEY. ST. PETER. Onebell andthirteen tubes.

1. C & G MEARS FOUNDERS LONDON 1844 (21~in. diam.) Hangs in south-west corner of west tower. 12 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

A clock and thirteen tubular" bells" by Harrington, Latham, & Co., Coventry, were erected in May, 1890, at the sole expense of Aaron Howard, of the Lymes, Cheetham, formerly of Blackley parish, "on. condition that four tunes be played on the bells annually," viz. :- On Christmas morning, the Christmas hymn. Tune, "Stockport." On Easter morning, the E aster hymn. Tune, the " Easter Hymn." On May 31st, hymn, "Rock of Ages." Tune, "Navarino." On June zoth, being the anniversary of the coro­ nation of H er Majesty Queen Victoria, The National Anthem.* Twelve tubes are used for "ringing" purposes and the clock strikes on the thirteenth. The 1844 bell is rung from the porch under the tower. It is tolled for funerals, etc. The bell from the old chapel (pulled down when the pr esent church was built) was removed in 1844 to the H igher Blackley School (built in 1842). It hangs in a turret over the west gable and is inscribed-

I. GRIFFITH MIN. J. TRAVIS T. BROWN CH .WARDINS 1728 On waist: RECAST 1808 (zoin. diam.)

The R ev. John Griffith, M.A., was incumbent of Blackley from 1787 to 18°9, i.e., at the time of the re­ casting of the bell. The old chapel had been rebuilt in 1736.

•F rom board in lower porch . Aaron Howard died May loth, ISgO, the day the bells and clock were dedicated. He is buried in the churchyard. CH URCH B ELLS OF LA NCASHIRE. 13

BLACKROD. ST. CATHAIONE. Six bell s.

1. By VOLUNTARY SUBSCRIPTION. S. ELLIS MINISTER I. AINSCOUGH CH.WARDEN 1786 Wr:" MEARS OF LONDON FECIT (27tin. diam.) 2. The same. (29tin. diam.) 3. The same. (jzin. diam.)

4. By VOLUNTARY SUBSCRIPTION S. ELLIS MINISTER I. AINSCOUGH CH. WARDEN 1786 Wr:" MEARS OF LONDON FECIT (3 J~in . diam.) 5. The same, but all in one lin e. (36in. diam .)

6. CHAPMAN & MEARS OF LONDON (40~in. diarn.) Hung in wooden fram e in west tower. The tenor evidently dates from the period 1782-4, when th e Whitechapel firm was styled " Ch apman & Mears." It appears to have hung by itself till 1786, when the other five bells were added. The notes and approxim at e weights ar e given on a card in the church as follows;-

I 5 cwt, D sharp. 2 st " e sharp. 3 6 ~ " B. 4 7Q- " A sharp. G sh arp. 5 9 " 6 12 F sharp. " 1552: .. ij littill sacrying bells iij small bell s an d one hande bell which are ye Townes there."

In 1820 John Popplewell bequeathed, amo ng other sum s, [I per annum to the ringers. CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

BOLTON. ST. PETIlR. Eight bells. 1. JOHN RUDHALL GLOCESTER FECT 1806 (ztiin. diam.)

2. The same. (z7in. diam.)

D 3· THE REV . T . BANCROFT VICAR 1806 I. RUDHALL FEU (join. diam.)

4. HENRY BAGLEY OF ECTON BY NORTH­ AM PTON MADE MEE 1699 (jzin. diarn.)

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

6. The same. (36in. diam.)

7. The same. U9in. diarn.)

8. I TO THE CHURCH THE LIVING CALL AND TO THE GRAVE DOE SUMMON ALL HENRY BAGLEY MADE MEE 1699 (43!-in. diarn.) Hung in wooden frames in west tower. Rehung 1896. The weight of the tenor is given as 15! cwts. Key of E. These bells hung in the tower of the old church, which was pulled down in 1866. The present church was erected 1867-71. The inscriptions on the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh bells are made out with ornament between the words. The form er bell s were recast into five in 1699. Browne Willis, how ever, about 1740, notes six bells at Bolton-Ie­ Moors. It is, therefore, clear that one must have been added before 1806, being probably recast in that year, when the ring was increased to eight. The Rev. Thomas Bancroft, M.A., was vicar from 1793 till his death in 1811. He is noticed in the Dictionary of CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 15

N aiional Biography, and is described as "one of the most distinguished Vicars of Bolton." J552: ,. iij greate bells . .. . a c1aper off a bell & other eine off small value." Whittle, in his History of Bolton, p. 74, quoting R ecords Ashmolean Museum, No. 2,464, however, gives inscriptions on seven bells at Bolton church in 1535 as follows:- (1) Laudate pueri Domini. (2) Coget omnes ante Thronum. (3) Requiem eternum dona ei Domine. (4) Parce Domine, parce populo tuo. (5) Exaltabant sancti in gloria. (6) Ut intercedente beato Petrae Martyre tuo. (7) Ut unus omnes unicum ovile nos Pastor regat.* From the following extracts from the" Churchwardens' Accounts and Vestry Books," printed in Scholes's History of Bolton, 1892, pp. 183-5, it will be seen that Geoffrey Scott, of Wigan, recast the great bell in 1659, and William Scott the little bell in 1668. Presumably the metal of both of these was used in the general recasting by Henry Bagley in 1699:- £ s. d . 1654. Pd for Ringing yc sth of November 00 O( 0 8 Pd. for 2 bellropes and 3 hempen traces ­ 0 0 08 00 1655. Pd. to the Clerke for his wages & repaire of ye Bells OJ 00 0 0 Pd. for Ringing the 5th of November 00 01 0 0 1659. June 17. Resolved yt ye great Bell whi ch is now burst, shall be maid new this year with all the spee de may be. That thirty-sixe pounds be assessed vppon the parishoners of Bolton according to the antient p'portion s for the new casting of the sai d bell, and the repaire of the walls & gate of the churchyard, and levelling the flags of the church.

• I give these inscriptions for what they are worth, doubting very much their genuineness. at any rate as applied to Bolton. Whittle's note as it stands certainly states that there were seven bells at Bolton in 1535 so in scribed. But it seems very unlikely. as there were only three in J552 and five at the end of the seventeenth century. 16 CH UR CH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

FI'O/ll the account of Roger , churclnoarden: When I made the bargaine with Jeffery Scott, the bell founder, to cast the bell I paid a sh ott for beare of 00 00 09 I paid Jeffery Scott in Ralph Norres hou se 01 09 00 When I paid the same Jeffery Scott in Ralph Norres I paid ashott for beare of ­ 00 or 00 Paid more to Jeffery Scott 0 2 Ol 00 1660. To John Muchell for worke done about the bell an d flour inge the bell hou se 00 0 8 0 0 To George Smith, of Halliwell, for 3 new ropes & peeceinge of others 00 09 03 To Abraham Holme for his charges to about the bell caste 00 04 ro To John Greenhalgh, blacksmith, for mend ing the clapper and other worke about tbe bell s 00 07 au 16us. April 28. Resolved that fifty six pounds be assessed vppon the inhabitants of the parish of Bolton for the making of a new frame for the bells, and other necessaries about the church. 1668, January 29. Resolved that William Scott, bell founder, shall have for the new casting of the Little Bell the sum of eight pounds at or upon the ffirst day of May next insuing. June 2 6 . Resolved that James Howell, ch urchwarden, be authorised to give notice to the fonnder of the Little Bell, that he, before this day three weekes, come to Boulton Church and give ye parishoners sufficient securitie to make good the Little Bell accordinge to his bond , otherwise the bond to be put in sute. 1677. A stay for a bell 0 0 01 0 0 Far mending a cock for the Great Bell 00 oo of For mending the Great Bell head 00 r5 00 Pd. for a man's paines & byre of a horse to look for a piece of wood to be a headstock for a bell 00 or 06 A Bell rope 00 03 02 Oyle for the bells in the whol e year 9 tym es at 4d. a tyme - 0 0 03 00 For a box for the clapper of the little bell 00 02 OU A Rope for the great bell . 00 03 0 8 1678. Paid to the ringers for gunpowder treason 00 IO 00 1679. Paid to James Muchell for mending wheeles of bells 00 or 00 Paid to Ringers for powder plate 00 02 06 1681. Worke done in skrues 00 02 au More skrueing of bells, in wegis, in col rills 00 r6 00 More for taking the greate bell twice up , for hanging of the greate belle and for leyin g th e greate belle step - 02 05 00 CH URCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 17 l s. d . More the grea t belle steay - 00 02 00 1685. Payed to the Ringers for the 29th of May ­ 00 04 00 1689. Pd. to th e rin gers May roth for their ringing on Sabboath dayes 00 10 00 Pd. to th em for ringinge on his Majest y's day of arriva1l in and the day of th e anni­ versary deliverance of ye po wder plot - 00 r2 00 Pd . to Thom as H orrobin for collari ng g re a te Bell Clapper, and mak ing three scru pins 00 08 00 Pd . to George Holte and Gryme Smithes for hanging the third bell new - 00 r6 00 Paid for hoopeinge a clapper boxe, scrupin s and catter els 00 02 00 Paid for cr owing of a gugon, taki ng u p th e bell, and other things - 00 05 00 Paid for steps wedgeing and a bell whee l mendinge wit h iron 00 05 00 Spent on them doeing the worke 00 02 00 Pd . to Thomas Boothe for a box for the bell clapper 00 or 06 1690. To Henry Sharrock for belropes 00 10 00 To Tho : H orrobin for col oring great be1l clapper & 3 scr upins 00 08 00 To Grym e & H oult, smiths, for han gin g 3 bells new 00 16 00 for crow ni ng a gudgeon on taking vp p the bell and other things - 00 05 00 1691. Paid to the Ringers at Aster and on the y ih ofNovr. 0000 06 Paid to the r ingers at severall other times 00 r6 06 1699, August 22. Resolved that an assessmen t of an hundred and forty pounds bee assessed & raised for the casti ng th e Bells of th e parish into five bell s. Septem ber 4. It was agreed th at th e sum of [IlOand no more, be raised for bo th c hurc h repairs and newly castin g of the bells. 1700, June 6.I t was agreed at a meeting of parishoner s th at "a sett of Ringers & a saller y for them " be arran ged for. 1783, April 22. At a parish meeting it was ordered by th e Vicar, Churchwardens, and other Parishoners presen t, That whereas the Ringers are allowed in their turn th e be nefit of T olling at Funerals, the R inge r whose turn it is shall as soo n as the corpse arrives at th e Church Gates, com e down out of the and re ma in in the Church while the Funeral Service is perform ed, a nd do his e ndeavour to prevent noise and di sturbenc e thro' crying childre n or rude or d isorderly boys an d mothers wh o too ofte n crowd the Church on these solemnities. And that the Hinger who neglects or ref uses so to do shall forfeit his said privilege. c 18 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

" Before the running of trains between Manchester and Bolton a packet was worked on the canal by the Bolton and Manchester Canal Packet Company, starting from the wharf at the bottom of Church Bank. Passengers were regularly summoned every morning at a quarter before six o'clock by a veteran campanologist known as Old Bob Astley tolling one of the parish church bells. The company gave him a remuneration" (Scholes, Hist. of Bolton, p. 185).

BOLTON. ST. GEORGE. Eight bells.

1. THE GIFT OF IOSEPH GRISDALE 1806 IOHN RUDHALL FECT (28!in. diam.)

2. THE GIFT OF THE REVD R. SNAPE 1806 IOHN RUDHALL (2gin.diam.)

3· THE GIFT OF WILLM & BETTY COCKER 1806 I Ru DHALL FEU (31!in. diam.)

{. THE GIFT OFTHE BOLTON VOLUNTEER CAVALRY 1806 -;- I. RUDHALL FEU (32in. diam.) 5· THE GIFT or los, HORROCKS CHAMBER HALL I Ru DHALL FEU 1806 (36in. diarn.) 6. THE GIFT OF P. AINSWORTH & D. BENTLEY I RUDHALL FEU 1806 (38in. diam.) 7· THE GIFT OF THOs & BETTY AINSWORTH 1806 I RUDHALL FEU ({lin. diam.) 8. THE GIFT OF PETER AINSWORTH ESQR HALLAWELL 1806 -;- IOHN RUDHALL GLOCESTER FEC T (46tin. diam.) CH URCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

Hung in wooden frames in west tower. A complete ring by John Rudhall, of Gloucester, 1806. This was the same year that Rudhall cast the three treble bells for the Parish Church. The bells were rehung in J nne, 1894, at the charge of J. B. Crompton, of Thorncliffe, Heaton, in memory of his father, Robert Crompton (d. November 3rd, 1893). The name" Hallawell" on the tenor is an error for Halliwell. The church was built in 1794-6. The weights and notes of the bells are as follows :-

Cwts. qrs. lbs. Note. I S 3 14 E flat. 2 6 0 0 D. 3 7 0 0 c. 4- 7 I 14 B flat. S 8 3 14 A flat. 6 10 3 21 G. 7 13 0 0 F. 8 18 3 21 E flat. ----- Total 78 0 a The following notes are taken from F. W. Briscoe's History of St. George's Clvurch, Bolton, 1893:- 1810. In the accounts presented at the Easter Vestry Meeting appears the first payment to Ringers, £g. 13. 6., .. paid at sundry times." 1817. The bells were repaired at a cost of £12. g. o. 1821. Clock erected. The Ringers received £8. II. 6. for the year and a set of 21 in c was purchased. These handbells are still in the belfry. I1l48. " The ringers, in addition to their salaries of £15. 13. ad. for the year, were allowed £1. 6. 6. for ringing on the Queen's Birthday, and similar amounts for ringing on .. Restoration of King Charles," and again for .. Gun ­ powder Plot," whilst for ringing in the .. Birth of a Princess,..• they were paid £1. 4. o. Subscriptions

• Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyle, born March rSth, 1848. 20 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

towards ringers' salaries amounted to £I5. 5. o. this and following year. The sum of {3. was paid for ringing at the Duke of Wellington's funeral. The ringers' resignations were accepted at the Vestry Meeting and a teacher appointed to teach an honorary set of new ringers.

BOLTON. ALL SAINTS. No bell. The church was built in 1726, a plain rectangular building with west doorway and a bell cot over the west gable. It is illustrated in Scholes's History of Bolton, p. 229. There was evidently one bell in the bell cot. The building was pull ed down and a new church erected on the site in I87!. It is without tower or bell cot, and possesses no bell.

BRADSHAW. ST. MAXENTIUS. 1+1 bells. The church was rebuilt in 1872, and has a bell cot containing one bell over the west gable. The bell is inac­ cessible, except by means of a long ladder, and as I am assured it dat es only from the tim e of th e new church I have not examined it. In the churchyard, to the north-east of the present building, stands the late Perpendicular west tower of the former church . It contains a medirevaI bell of great interest. For some years this bell lay on th e ground, but the tower has been restored and the bell rehung. It bears the inscription-

-1- Me MARIA GRACIA PLeNA (20~in. diarn.) The initial cross and each of the letters is on a separate patera, except R I, which are cast together. The v in

CHURCH BELLS OFL ANCASHIRE . 21

" Ave " is upside down, and the L of " plena" is of a very nondescript character. The bell has metal cannons, and th e inscription spa ce is enclosed by double bands. A " tradition " st at es th at th e bell belonged originally to Yorkshire, but no evide nce appears to be forthcoming as to th e truth or otherwise of the st ory. From the sty le of th e lettering (see facsim ile) th e bell may be assigned to the fourteenth century. Some account of this bell was given by Mr. Robert Langto n in the Transactions of this Society, vol. xii., pp. II5-6. Mr. Langt on 's not es were made about 1882.

BURY. S T. MAI{Y. E ight bell s.

1. RECAST BY JOHN TAYLOR AND CO LOVGHBOROVGH 1892

On waist : SOLI DEO HONOR DONO DEDIT OLIVERVS ORMEROD (27in. diam.) 2. RECAST BY JOHN TAYLOR AND Co LOVGHBOROVGH 1892

On waist : LAVS DEO DONO DEDIT RICARDVS WALKER ARMIGER (28in. diam.) 3· RICHARD BOOTH CH .WARDEN OF TOT- TI NGTON A. (bell) R. 1722 (3Ii n. diam.)

4· DIO NISIVS HAW ORTH CH.WARDEN OF T OTTI NGTON A. (bell) R. 1722 (32in. diam .)

5· T HOMAS PLANT CH.WARDEN O F ELTON A. (bell ) R. 1722 (35in. diam.]

6. EDWARD HOLT CH. WARDEN OF HEAP A. (bell) R. 1722 (36in. diam.) 22 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

7· THOMAS HAMER CH.WARDEN OF WAL- MERSLY A. (bell) R. 1722 (42in. diam.)

8. JAMES BANKES RECTOR JOHN KAY CH.WARDEN OF BU RY A. (bell) R. 1722 (43~in. diam.) Hung in iron fram es in west tower. The older bells are a complete ring of six by Abraham Rudhall, of Gloucester. The weight of the tenor is given as r j cwt. Two trebles were added in 1843, but were recast in 1892, when the whole of the bells were rehung. This is recorded on a tablet in the ringing chamber as follows :- "This peal of eight bells was rehung, the treble I bells recast, and the fittings and framework J renewed, as a gift to the church by subscription I A.D. 1892 I Rev. F. E. Hopwood Rector I Thos. Nuttall & Wm. Barritt, Church­ wardens." The weights of the two recast trebles are 4cwts. 1qr. 181bs. and 4cwts. zqrs, z4lbs. resp ectively. The bells are also used for a clock and chimes, the hours striking on the tenor. The clock and chimes were the gift of Henry Whitehead, of Haslam Hey, High Sheriff of Lancashire, June, 1903. The Rev. James Bankes, M.A., whose name occurs on the tenor, was rector from 1710 till his death in 1743.

155 2: .. iij grete belles in ye steaple w I a lyttle sanctus bell. ij hand belles & a sacryng bell. " 1740. Browne Willis about this date notes six bells at Bury.

BURY. ST. JOHN. One bell.

I. Blank. (zrin. diam.) Hangs in an open wooden turret on top of roof at west end of church. The turret replaced an older octagonal CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. one about ten years ago. The church was built in 1770, and the bell is probably of the same date. It has old-fashioned cannons and an inscription band, but no inscription or date.

CHORLTON-CUM-HARDY. ST. CLEMENT. One bell.

1. I. RUDHALL FEeT 1792. (zr in. diam.) Hangs in small west tower or turret. The church dates from 1780, but it was enlarged in 1837. In 1887 a brick lych gate, surmounted by an octagonal belfry containing eight tubular "bells," by Harrington Latham & Co., Coventry, was erected by Sir William Cunliffe Brooks. In the new church of St. Clement (1862-5) are five bells as follows:-

1. MEARS & STAINBANK FOUNDERS LONDON On waist: THESE BELLS WERE SUBSCRIBED FOR BY THE CONGREGATION OF THIS CHURCH AND ERECTED TO THE GLORY OF GOD ANNO DOMINI 1869 J. E. BOOTH M.A. RECTOR (jzin. diam.)

2. M'EARS & STAIN BANK FOUNDERS LONDON 1877 On waist: GEORGE MACBETH CHURCH WARDEN (34in. diam.) CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

3. Same as No. 1. (36in. diam.) 4. Same as No. I­ (4oin. diam.) S. Same as No. T. (43in. diam.) Hung dead in wood en fram es in south-west turret, in three tiers: first and second at bottom, third and fifth middle, fourth at top. The Rev. J ohn Edmund Booth, M.A., was rector from 18S9 to 11)93· The new church of 51. Clement, built 1862-5, but not consecrated till 1896, is technically a chapel of ease to the old church, which is still used.

DEANE. S T. MARY. E ight bells.

1. JOHN TAYLOR & Co + FOUNDERS + LOVGH- BOROVGH A.D. 1896 (26in. diam.)

2. The same. (28in. diarn.]

3· IOHN BLYTOCK IOHN DUDSON 1718 RS (2gin. diam. }

4 + HERMON HOLCROFT IOHN MARSH 1718 (3Iin. diam .)

5· + ROBERT BU LLOUGH THOMAS SEDDEN 1718 (33in. diam.)

6. THOS. MEARS LATE LESTER PACK & CHAPMAN OF LONDON FECIT 1792 (3Sin. diam.)

7· T. MEARS OF LONDON FECIT 1831 (38in. diam-] 8. + lAMES ROTHWELL VICAR W. WORTHINGTON C.W. Richard Sanders made us all 6 1718 (42in. diam.) CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 25

Hung in two tiers in west tower-the first, second, fourth, and sixth in the upper tier, the third, fifth, seventh, and tenor below. Richard Sanders, of Bromsgrove, as stated on the tenor, cast a ring of six bells in 1718, of which four remain. The fourth (present sixth) was recast in 1792, and the fifth (present seventh) in 183I. The" lower case" lettering, often used by Sanders on his bell inscriptions, appears here only on the tenor, and only on the latter part of the inscription. This type of letter is, however, less characteristic of Sanders than of the Ashtons of Wigan. Sanders' bells occur also in Lancashire at Farnworth, near Widnes (1718), and Winwick (17II). The Rev. ] ames Rothwell, B.A., was vicar from]anuary, 1712-13, till his death in May, 1766. He purchased the advowson of Sefton (q.v.), to which his son and grandson succeeded. The grandson's name IS on the two trebles (1815) at Sefton. About 1875 Taylor & Co., of Loughborough, "quartered" or quarter turned the bells, which neces- sitated the removal of the cannons. In 1896 the bells were taken down and rehung, and two new bells added. The" opening" service was on May zoth, 1896. The weight of the tenor is given as 12cwt. The notes of the bells are as follows :-

I F sharp. 5 13. 2 E. 6 A sharp. 3 D sharp. 7 G sharp. 4 c sharp. 8 F sharp.

1552: "iij Create Bells. iiij Sacryng bells." 1740. Browne Willis about this time notes six bells at Deane. 26 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

DENTON.· ST. LAWRENCE. One bell.

1. RT BRIDGHOUSE IN HARDEY CH . WARDENS A (bell) R 1715 * RECAST 1896 * P. ROTHWELL * . J . BEVAN WARDENS (zain. diam.) Hangs in wooden turret at west end of nave. The original bell, the inscription on which has been retained, was by Abraham Rudhall, of Gloucester. The present inscription is in two lines. There is no founder's name or mark. In 1692 William Scott, of Wigan, cast a new bell for Denton chapel. The following extracts from the chapel­ warden's accounts, printed in Booker's Hi story of Denton Chapel, p. II6, refer to this;- t s. d. [Pd] William Scott for the new Bell . bein g 2261b. The old 2231b. att 6d a pound for cast ing and I2d a pound for new 05 14 06 F or carrige of ye Bell to and from Manchester 00 01 00 For expen ses in Waying ye Bell old and new - 00 01 00 For spent at hanging ye Bell by order of ye Chappell W arden - 00 01 00

DIDSBURY. ST. JAMES. Six bells.

1. LET VS RING FOR THE CHVRCH & THE Kl NG 1727 (26~i ll . dia m.)

2. ABR RVDHALL OF GLOCESTER CAST VS ALL 1727 (27~in . diarn.)

3· PROSPERITY TO ALL OVR BENE- FACTORS 1727 (2 8~in. diam.)

4· W M TWYFORD & THO: WH ITELEGG CH -WARDENS 1727 (29tin. diam.)

5· ROBERT TWYFORD MINISTER 1727 (32in. diarn.) CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 27

6. LADY AN N BLAN D & SR fOHN HER SON BART BENEFACTORS 1727 (35in. diarn.) Hung in wooden frames in west tower. A complete ring by Abraham Rudhall, of Gloucester. The inscription on the fifth is made out with ornament. The Rev. Robert Twyford, B.A., was curate of Didsbury from 1726 to 1747. He was nominated by Lady Bland, whose name is on the tenor. The patronage belonged to the warden and fellows of the Collegiate Church, Man­ chester, but was conceded to Lady Bland in 1726 on her undertaking to improve the endowment. Ann Lady Bland was widow of Sir John Bland, Bart. (d. 1715), and daughter of Sir Edward Mosley (d. 1695), lord of the manor of Manchester. She succeeded her father in the lordship of Manchester, but on her death in 1734 the manor passed to a second cousin, Sir Oswald Mosley. There is a monument to her in Didsbury Church, as well as to her husband. The notes and approximate weights of the bells are given as follows on a card in the ringing chamber, signed by Mears & Stainbank:-

I 4tcwts. Note E 2 J) 5 " " 5~ c 3 " " 4 6 B 8 A 5 "" 6 10 G " The following extracts from the chapel wardens' accounts are printed in Booker's History of Didsbm'J Chapel, 1857:- c s. d 1652. Spent upon the ringers ye fifth of November ­ 0004 06 1671. Spent on ye ringers on ye 29 of May beinge ye King 's birth and restauracon daye 00 03 00 28 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

[ s. d. 1702. Paid to th e ringers when the Queen was proclaimed - 00 03 01 1704 . Paid when we went to Manchester about changing the bells 00 01 06 1706. Paide when the bell s were taken down 00 0 5 00 Paide to yc Man ch ester churchwardens for change of bells - 20 0 2 00 Paide when ye bell s were fetched from Man ­ chester - 00 10 00 Spent when ye bell s were hung - 00 08 00 1717. Spent for ringing on King George's return 00 01 00 1743. Given June 26 to ye ringers on ye approach of ye new s of ye victory we obtained at Dettingen 00 01 06 1745. Ga ve to ye ringers when news was brought of ye conquest over ye rebels 00 04 00

Referring to the entries under the year 1706, Booker says: "In thi s year a question arose as to the re-casting of the Manchester Collegiate Church Bells in consequence of one or more of th em being cracked, and at a meeting of the parishoners, convened by the churchwardens, it was resolved at once to carry the proposition into effect. From this entry it appears that the inhabitants of Didsbury selected certain of the now condemned Man­ chester bells, for which th ey gave in return a part of their own peal and the further sum of £20. 2S. The inhabitants of Didsbury do not appear to have been long contented with their bargain, for in 1727 the whole peal was re-cast" (History of Didsbury, pp. 92, 94).

ECCLES. ST. MARY. Eight bells.

I. IOHN RUDHALL FECT 1825 ( 27~in. diam.) 2. IOHN RUDHALL FECT 1825 (28~in. diarn.) 3· ABR: RUDHALL CAST US ALL IN 1709 (zqin. diarn.) CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

4· IOHN RUDHALL GLOUCESTER FECT 1828 (jrin. diam.) 5. PROSPERITY TO TH IS CH U RCH 1709 (33in. diam.) 6. MR RICo UALENTINE PARISH CLERK 1709 (34~in. diam.) 7· THO: HALL M.A. U IC DE ECCLES [709 (37in. diam.) 8. I TO THE CHURCH THE LIVING CALL AND TO THE GRAVE DO SUMMON ALL. \. R UDHALL FECT 1825 (42in. diam.) Hung in wooden frames in west tower. A clock strikes the hours on the ten or and chimes the quarters. Before 1709 th ere were four bells in the tower. On November arst, 1709, six bells were ordered " instead of the old peal of four only." The metal of th e old four was probably used in th e new ring, which wer e cast by Abraham Rudhall, of Gloucester. Four of th ese bells still remain. One seems to have been replaced in 1737, when a new bell was bought, "which cost th e parish [ 24."* This "new bell" evidently replaced one of the old ones, as Browne Willis, about 1740, not es only six bells at Eccles, and th at was the number down to 1825. In that year two new trebles were added, bringing th e rin g up to eight, and th e tenor was recast. The notes and approximate weights of the bells are given on a card in the ringing chamber, signed by Mears & St ain bank, as follows:- I 4:1 cwt. F sharp. S 7 cwt, B. 2 E sharp. I 6 8 A sharp. 5 " " 5~ D sharp. g~ G sharp. 3 " 7 " 6 c sharp. I 8 F sharp. 4 " 13 " •J. Harland, Eccles. Church N oles (1%4). p. 77. 30 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

There were "extensive repairs" to the bells and belfry by Leach Brothers & Co., of Manchester, in 1905. About 1812 the ringers were paid £8 yearly, and £1 was paid for the ringing of the eight o'clock beH. The Rev. Thomas Hall, M.A., was vicar of Eccles from 1678 till his death in 1721. 1552 : .. iiij Greyte Belles. a lyttell Sanctus Belle, a bell yt serveth the pyshe for corses." 1693, November 20. The great bell ordered to be rung at 8 p.m. from September 29th to March 25th . 1694. Aprilg. To the Clerk. for ringing the curCew on the 4th bell, 20S.· The curfew is rung at Eccles Church, and has been for an unknown time past, from 7-45 p.m. till 8 o'clock. In late years, however, it has not been usual to ring it during the months of June, July, and August, and during Christmas and New Year's weeks. The ringing was stopped at the instance of the military authorities at the end of March, 1916, for the period of the war.

ECCLES. ST. ANDREW. Two bells.

1. J. TAYLOR & co FOUNDERS 1878 (zoin. diam.)

2. CAST BY I. RUDHALL FOR ST. PETER'S CHURCH MANCHESTER 1795 GLORY BE TO GOD ON HIGH (49in. diam.) Both bells stand on the floor of the bell chamber in north-west tower in separate wooden frames. Thelarge bell is from St. Peter's Church, Manchester(con­ secrated 1794, demolished 1907). The inscription is in two lines, each made up with ornamental borders. The letters in the upper line are tin. high, those in the lower l *in. St. Andrew's Church was consecrated April rfith, 1879.

• This and the previous entry are taken Cram Harland's Eccles Church Notes (1864). p. 76. CH URCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 31

EDENFIELD. One bell.

I. GLORIA IN EXSELSIS DEO CW IW 1554 On waist immediately below date: W J S (27in. diarn.) Hung in wooden frame in west tower. Carved on one of the beams in a sunk panel is the date 1 ~6~B J. On the outside of the tower is a stone dated 1618. The bell is from the Wigan foundry, as shown by the initials of John Scott on the waist. The foundry at this time appears to have been in the hands of Geoffrey (or jeffery) Scott, but he continued to use the old initial stamp of his predecessor, who died in 1647. Each letter of the inscription is on a separate stamp, and the in­ scription space is made up with an ornamental border. The numerals 16 of the date are cast together on one stamp, the others being separate. The inscription is between double bands. The diagonal stroke of the N is reversed. 1552. .. A bell ."

ELLENBROOK. One bell.

I. mEllen Brooke 1725 Below shoulder: • Scroop Egerton ye most Noble Duke of .Bridgewater Marq& of Brackley and Barn of Ellesmere (rSin..diam.) Hangs in wooden turret near middle of nave roof. The bell is very much weathered and the inscription not very distinct. After the date there appears to have been an 32 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. oblong panel, the. rest of the inscription space being made out with ornament. The panel, if such existed, probably bore the name of Luke Ashton, of Wigan. That the bell was cast by him is shown by the "lower case." lettering, which he invariably used, and the heart-shaped stop at the beginning of the inscription below the shoulder. This inscription is in two lines, the B of Brackley coming immediately below the S of Scroop. Scrape Egerton, fourth Earl of Bridgewater, succeeded his father the third earl in 1701. He was created Duke of Bridgewater in 1720, and died in 1745. He devised a navigation system for , but it was left to be carried out by his second son Francis, third Duke of Bridgewater, the" canal maker." Ellenbrook was a chapel in the old pari sh of E ccles, but is now included in Worsley parish.

FLIXTON. ST. MICHAEL. Eight bells.

I. THE GIFT OF RICHARD YATES ESQ OF FLIXTON On waist: I. RVDHALL FECIT 1806 Other side of waist: 0 RECAST 1888 (zfiin. diam.)

2. J. GREAVES IVNIl ,:; W. HARRISON 2~ T. BElLEY MINISTER 1806

On waist: I. R. FECIT Other side of waist: o RECAST 1888 (27in. diam.)

3· THESE BELLS WERE CAST AT GLOVCESTER BY I. RVDHALL 1806 CH URCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 33 011 waist: o RECAST 1888 (join. diam.) 4. THE GIFT OF R.OWEN ESQR OF MOIRA IN IRELAND RUDHALL FECIT (33in. dia m.) S. THE GIFT OF THE WELL DISPOSED YOUNG MEN OF THIS PARISH 1806 1. RUDHALL (3Sin. dia m.) 6. THE GIFT OF RALPH WRIGHT ESQR OF FUXTON 1806 IOHN RUDHALL FECT (36in. dia m.) 7. BY THE SUBSCRIPTIONS OF THE PARISHON ERS IN GENERAL 1806 IOHN RUDHALL FECT (39~ i l1 . diarn.) 8. THE G IFT OF THE FU XTON UNION SOCIETY 1806 IOHN RUDHALL FECT (43in. diam .) Hung in iron fram e in west tower. There were only four bells down to 1806. Three of them are said to have been inscribed " J esus be our Speed," and th e fourth " Lawrence Asshawe, Pe ter Egerton Esq. 1624''' * These bells were recast in 1806 and four new ones added, at a total cost of £627. The weights of the 1806 bells are given as follows :- Cwts. qr s, lbs , Cwts . qrs . lb s. I 7 I 8 5 9 I 23 2 7 2 IS 6 9 2 20 3 8 0 7 7 10 0 S I 2 4 '" 8 10 8 14 24

T ot al 75 I 3 •D . H. Langton, H istory of Fli xton (I8g8), p. 74. Most of the par ti­ cular s following are taken from Mr. Langton 's book. D 34 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

A clock strikes the hours on the tenor, and the quarters on the second, third, fourth, and seventh bells. The principal subscribers were the Union Society of Flixton, £150, Ralph Wright, Esq., of Flixton, £100, Richard Yates, Esq., of Flixton, £84, Richard Owen, E sq., of Moira, £75, John Greaves, jun., of Manchester, £21, Vv. Harrison, of Manchester, £21. (The 2~ after the names on the second bell refers to this gift.) There were two subscribers of ten guineas each, two of five guineas, one of £5, one of four guineas, and" 375 others." The new bells were hung by Joshua Wrigley, of Manchester, and" opened" on January 25th , 1808. The cost of the bells is thus set out :-

Dr . THEA5URIiR. C ONTRA. Cr. t: s. d. c s. d. T o Amount of Sub- By Joshua Wrigley's scription - - - 730 6 6 No te 55 15 8 InLerest on ditto A. Banister 's do . 0 " 34 3 with John J. Spencer's do . U 0 " 5 Greaves --- 2 0 I I 6 .. G. Knight's do . 8 18 0 .. Carriage of Bell s - 10 17 of Rudhall's Note " J. for New Bells - 627 0 0 ,. Ralph Wright,Esq., for the Ringers of Fli xton 5 5 0 Publishing the Ac- " counts - - - - 3 3 0 Balance in Trea - " sur er 's Hand o 10 0

£7 50 18 0 £750 18 0 RICHARD Y ATES , Treasurer.

About 1863 the tower became unsafe and th e ringing of the bells was stopped. They were taken down in 1887, and the first three recast by J. Taylor & Co., Lough­ borough, in the following year, when the tower was rebuilt. Each of these bells bears th e circular trade mark of Messrs. Taylor & Co. on the waist. The ringing CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 35 of the bells was resum ed aft er the rebuilding of the tower. The Rev. Thomas Beiley, or Beeley, was curate of Flixton from 1771 till his death in F ebruary, 1807. Ralph Wright, the donor of the sixth bell, was a justice of the peace for both L ancashire and Ch eshire, and used to hold his court at th e Dog and Partridge, a public­ house, which stood" about the centre of th e churchyard wall " before the erect ion of the Church Inn. He was a grea t lover of bell ringing.

1552: "ij belles." 1558 : "The will of La wrence Assb awe, of Shaw, in th is pa rish , dated 4 July, 1558, directs that 20 marks sho uld be given by his execut ors .. towar de ye byen g of bells to ye sayd p'Ish e church of F lixton and makyng of a p 'c1osse or trav 'se of tymber ."T his was pro bably done, as one of th e bells, as sta ted above, is said to have borne th e nam e of L awrence Asshawe. As, however, it also bore th e nam e of P eter Egerton and the da te 1624, it had apparently been recast in th at year. Peter Egerton became lord of Fli xton by right of hi s wife Elizabeth Asshaw e in 1633. and was Jater the General E gerton to who m Lathom H ouse sur rendered in December, 1645. 1740. Browne Willis about this time notes four bells a t Flixton, The following account of the arr ival of th e new bells at Flixton in 1808, copied from the Bailey MS. at the Ch etham Library, is printed by Mr. Langton (p , 75) :-

On Saturday last, January 9th [1808J a complete new Sett of E ight Bells arrived at the Severn Wareh ouse in th is town [Manches terJ from Glouces ter for Flixton Ch urch near th is town an d early on Monda y morning eight carts arrived with pendants and th e Union Society of F lixto n, flags flying , to convey them to their des tination. A great nu mber of people asse mbled on the occasion, to sa tisfy th eir curi osity an d pass their opinion on the eigh t musical pieces of met al. As soo n as they were loaded, in each cart a l3ell, the flags were unfurled a nd a large concourse of people followed in an ir regular procession untill th ey arrived at Stretford whe re th ey were met by - T rafford Esq' s Volunteer Ban d of Musicians and from th ence a regul ar procession took pl ace, the band play ing all th e way , headed by the Church wardens, par ish overseer s, principal inhab itants and strangers of the adjoining pari shes, On thei r ar ri val at F lixton the ten or bell was taken into a field belongi ng to Ralph Wright Es q . an d dep osited in a small hole made for that purpose , an d turned mouth upwards when T CII Guineas worth of Double Strong alewas put CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE . in for th e populace to Regale themselves with and in little more than one hour the whole of the" Good old Stingo" disa ppeared, and the whole of the Bells were deposited in th e Church. The ope ning of th e Peal takes place on Monday th e 25th inst. when the am ateurs of th e art may re pair to tr y their skill and pass their judgment upon th e To ne and Time of th e Bells . [T he inscript ions are then given.] See al so Cowdroy's Mal/chester Gazette, J an uary 16th, 1808.

E XTRA CT S FROM THE CHURCH W ARll E N S' ACCOUNTS REL AT ING TO TIl E BEL LS AND RI NGI NG .·

1690 • 11 m to ye Ringer s on ye 5th of Novemb 00 02 06 11m for ha nging the grea t bell clapper and given to a B riefe 00 01 00 Pd for Ringin g on th e 5 of No vember 00 08 04 Itarn pd for bell rope s 00 05 00 P d to Joseph Par for timber for ye 1"1 bel wheel an d beer 00 II o lj F or Nails for wheel and beer 00 01 03 Sp ent at ye Cler ks at ye hanging 00 01 09 F or Leather and Cho Jering ye Be lls 00 02 00 p d for ringing at ye pro claiming ye peace · 00 02 00 [Treaty of U trech t] Pd for R inging when ye King came to E ngland 00 03 06 Pd for rin ging at ye Coronat ion 00 06 00 Pd for Ringing on ye thanksgiving day 00 02 06 1715. Paid for ringing at Preston figh t 00 0 1 00 1716. pd for ri nging at King George's retu rn 00 04 00 1718. p d for ri nging King Charles Restoration 00 01 10 172 5. paid for rin gin g on the Kin g's birthd ay 0 2 (1 pai d for ringing on Ki ng Charles restoration 4/-. on the Prince of Wales birthday 4/- on the proclama tion day 4/- S: on the Kings Coronation day 4/- in all o 16 0 For R ingin g on 291h of May & 5th of Nov. 0 9 0 F or rin gin g on the King's Birthday and P roc la­ 0 5 6 For ri nging on Coronation Day 0 10 0 For ringing on 5'h of No v - 0 5 7 Sp ent on Easter Tuesday & ringing on 29th May 0 6 6 F or ringing on the II th of J une ] 0 5 0 For ringing on Xmas and Newyear's da y 0 2 II For rin ging on the Kin g's birthday - 0 0

• From the selection print ed in Mr . Langton's History of Fli xton , The wardens' accounts ex tend from 1706 to 1764, but th ere is a loose leaf belonging to th e yea r 1690'91. There are no acco un ts for the yea rs 17 19, 1721-2 3. of Accession da y. CHU RCH BEL LS OF LANCASHIRE . 37

1734· F or new Ropes and putting th em up ­ 090 1739· F or r inging on 5th of Nov. o JJ 0 1741. F or Ri nging for ye goo d news from ye war 0 0 5 6 pd for Be ll Ropes 00 16 6 1743 · for Hinging upon the JJth of October to the honour of King George 0 0 5 a 1744· Pd at 5th of No vember for ringing 00 12 0 1745- [T he items for rin ging are very numerous thi s year] 29'h May - 00 03 00 a t the K ing's Co rona tio n day 0 0 02 00 Kin g's Bir thday 00 0 2 00 5th of Nov - 0 0 II 06 for Ri nging at the Duke's Comeing for his vic tory over the Rebels at Carli sle & other tim es 00 10 05 for Rin ging at the last vic tory over ye Re bels 00 07 0 0 for R ingi ng & spen ces at the day of thanksgiving for our deliverence from ye R eb els 00 17 00 for Ringing for ye Vict ory of taking those Ships a t Seas 0 0 02 06 1749· for Ri ngi ng at 5th of Novr . o 14 6 1751. Spent a t the Cor onation day, for Ri nging 05 0 1756. for Ri nging at 5th of November IS 0 1757· for R ing ing on the 24th May farran News ­ 3 6 29 May 3 0 22 June 2 a 22 Oct - 4 0 5 No v - I S 0 King's Birthday 3 a Ch ristmas day Ne w Years day 3 a 1759· for R inging Prince of W ales bir thday 4 0 for R ingi ng on Kin g Geo rge Inaugoration day ­ 4 0 P aid for R ingers Art icles - 4 0 for R inging on Su nd ays and Holidays 2 0 0 for R ing ing that th e French wer e defeated before Q uebec k 4 0 for R inging for tak in g Montreal 5 0 for R inging for th e Bi r th of the Young P rince'­ I 0 for Ringing at the Vict ory of taking Havannah] 5 0 for Be ll Ro pes & fetching 10 10 for R inging on Sundays & Holidays ­ I 10 a for R inging when Mr Lawton came 5 a

" George IV. t Havanna, in th e I sland of Cuba, was taken by th e English on August r jrh, 1762, after a lon g siege. CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

Many other items-for example, "for News for Prince Ferdinande'sVictory (1759)"-nodoubt refer to the ringing of the bells, but nothing definite is specified. In the tower are two peal boards, recording rung in 1861 and 1894. On the latter it is stated that" the Curfew is rung on the 6t h bell, the pudding bell on the treble, and for services the s" is used." The Pudding Bell here mentioned is rung at one and two o'clock on Sunday. It was formerly for the purpose of notifying the people of Carrington, on the other side of the Mersey, that there was service at Flixton at two o'clock. This was before Carrington Church was built and services at Flixton only inter­ mittent in the afternoon (Langton, Hist, of Flixton, p. 100). The ringing match at Flixton between the Ashton and Oldham ringers on June 24th, 1808, has been already referred to under ASHTON-UNDER-LvNE. For this great event both companies went into training and a record of their feats has been kept. The ringers went to Flixton the day before the contest accompanied by their sup­ porters, and the number of visitors to the village was so large that some had to sleep in the open air, in carts, &c. The success of the Oldham ringers at Flixton was after­ wards celebrated in verse.

GORTON. ST. JAMES. One bell.

1. R. ORMEROD & SON MANCHESTER 1841. (rqin. diarn.) Hung in north-west tower. The old chapel of Gorton, to which this bell belonged, was pulled down, and the present church built, in 1871. CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 39

From the 111ancliester Directory, 1841: "Ormerod, Richard, brass and ironfounder, steam engine maker, millwright, brazier, etc. Minshull-st.: house, 3, Portland­ place, Piccadilly."

HEATON CHAPEL. ST. THOMAS. One bell.

The bell is by Mears & Stainbank, 1870, and is rSin, in diameter. It hangs in a turret over the west-gable and weighs I cwt, I qr. 7lbs. For this information I am indebted to the rector and to the founders. The church was consecrated in 1765 and enlarged in 1839.

HEY. ST. jOHN-THE-BAPTIST. I + I bells.

The bell hangs in an open turret at the west end of the church and is r8in. in diameter. It has four iron cannons, and on the waist is the date 1814 with the crest of th e second Lord Suffield above (on a chapeau gules turned up ermine a lion couchant argent), surmounted with a baron's coronet. William Assheton Harbord succeeded his father, the first Baron Suffield, lord of the manor of Middleton, in 1810, and died in 1821. His mother was a daughter of Sir Ralph Assheton, baronet, the last of the Asshetons of Middleton. The turret also contains a priest's bell or ting-tang, 14in. diameter, with the date 1819 near the bottom of the waist. It is suspended by six iron cannons, but is no longer rung. The clapper is nearly worn away. The church was built in 1742, consecrated 1744. CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRJ<:.

HEYWOOD. ST. LUKE. Eight bells. A ring of eight bells. was cast for Heywood Church in 1863 by G. Mears & Co., of London. These were recast in April, 19II, by Gillett & Johnston, of Croydon. Each bell is inscribed on the waist-

RECAST BY GILLETT &JOHNSTON CROYDON 1911.

In addition there are the following inscriptions, also on the waists :-

r. .. ONE WAS GIVEN BY THOMAS WILD." (28I ilin. diam.) 2... ONE WAS GIVEN BY THE WORKPEOPLE OF JAMES KERSHAW & SONS." (29l1fin. diarn.) 3. .. ONE WAS GIVEN BY ABRAHAM ." (3Itin. diam.) 4. ., ONE WAS GIVEN BY JESSE LEACH." (33!in. di a1l1.) 5... ONE WAS GIVEN BY THE WORKPEOPLE OF WILLIAM SMITH & BROTHERS." (37in. diam.)

6. "ONE WAS GIVEN BY JOSEPH FENTON." (39tin. diam.) 7. .. ONE WAS GIVEN BY WILLIAM SMITH & BROTHERS." (H in. diam.) 8. THIS PEAL OF BELLS WAS RECAST AND REHUNG IN THE YEAR 1911 AS A MEMORIAL OF KING EDWARD VII . OF BELOVED MEMORY WHO REIGNED FROM 1901 T01910. (49in. diarn.)

The bells are hung in the north-west tower in a steel and iron frame with entirely new fittings, and are tun ed on the five-tone Simpson principle. CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 41

The weights and notes are given on a card In the ringing chamber as follows :-

CwIS . qrs. lbs , 1 5 o 16 D 2 5 0 9 c sharp. 3 6 0 2 B 4 7 0 16 A 5 9 0 8 G 6 10 2 16 F sharp. 7 IS 2 18 E 8 21 3 0 D ---- . Total 80 2 1 There is a clock which strikes the hours on the tenor and also chimes the quarters. 1552: .. One bell." The old chapel was pulled down' in 1860, and the present church erected 1860-2. The bell from the old church is said to have been taken to St. Luke's Schools. A humorous legend relates that in June, 1815, when news arrived in Heywood of the great victory of Waterloo, the bell was rung with such frantic violence that it was cracked• .Mr. William Livsey, of Coach Turning, better known as Bill Blacksmith, achieved unenviable notoriety by the utter failure of his attempt to hoop it. The chapel wardens, how ­ ever, re solved to have it recast. This was done at Bury, and Messrs. John Fenton, of Crimble, and Robert Kay, of Wrigley Brook, had a quantity of silver added to it, to the value, it is said, of £25 (J. A. Green, Scen esand Incidents ~1t the History of Heyuood, 1899, p. 7). The last service in the old chapel was on Christmas Day, 1859. The taking down of the building was com­ memorated by ] ohn Heywood in some verses entitled " St. Luke's Old Church":- How oft on old December's eve Thy bell hath tolled a farewell note­ The waning year has made me grieve, While all my soul was wrapped in thought, Near that old church. CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE .

Beside my door, in thoughtful mood, I heard the knell of '59- Knell of the parting year, I stood Regretting that 'twas also thine, St. Luke's Old Church.'

HEYWOOD. ST. JAMES. Three bells.

1. J. TAYLOR & CO. FOUNDERS LOUGHBOROUGH 1866 (23!in. diarn.) 2. The same. (27in. diarn.)

3. WM : SWAN INc SHARPLES IMS MILLaR ROBT; DICKSON CH· WARDENS 1749 Below date: A (bell) R (33!in. diarn.)

Hung in west tower. The first and second are clock bells and are hung dead from a beam without clappers. At present (1915) the apparatus for chiming the quarters is out of order and these bells are not in use. The hours are struck on the large bell. No. 3 is hung in a wooden frame, with iron cannons and wooden headstock. It is by Abraham Rudhall, of Gloucester, but for wh ere it was originally cast and how it came to find its way to St. james's Church I have as yet been unable to discover.r The church was built in 1838, and probably the bell was acquired at that time, but the vicar, Canon Redman, informs me that there is no record of its purchase, or oral tradition as to its previous history.

•J. A. Green, Scenes in Hist . of Heywood, p. 7. t By diligent search it ought to be possible to discover from where this bell came from the names of the churchwardens. A query in the Manchester City N ews, March 13tb, 1915. brought forth no response . CHURCH BEL LS OF LANCASHIRE. 43

HOLCOMBE. EMMANUEL. One bell.

1. C & G. MEARS FOUNDERS LONDON. 0 11 waist : EMMANUEL CHURCH HOLCOMBE A' D' 1852 T' B: CoW Other side of waist: PURCHASED BY SUBSCRIPTION PRINCIPAL CONTRIBUTORS BETTY ROSTRON AND RACHEL, MARY & HANNAH WOODCOCK DEO GLORIA (39in. diam.)

Hung in wooden fram e in west tow er. T·B: c- w stands for Thomas Barcroft, churc hwarden. The church was rebuilt in 1852-3. 1552: .. A bell in ye chappell en d S: a sacryng bell. " The bell from the old chapel (pulled down 18sr) is now over th e gable of the village sch ool. In the old chapel it hung in an open cupola over th e west gable. It is inscribed:

RICHARD,~FLETCHER ~ WARDEN ~ 1698 (oj 011 waist below date: @R A~ ~~ (r8tin. diam.) The sto ps between the words enclose a rat her nondescript trefoil. (See illustration.) The initials R. A . may indicate Ralph Ashton, of Wigan , but the letterin g is unlike that on any known bells by the Ashtons, whose chief 44 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. characteristic is the use of lower case type. Their known bells, however, are all of eighteenth century date, and it is quite possible- that Ralph Ashton in his earlier years used a different type of lettering, perhaps taken' over from John Scott.

HOLLINWOOD. ST. MARGARET. I bell and 10 tubes.

1. G. MEARS FOUNDER LONDON 1858 (zqin, diam.) The bell is suspended from a cast-iron girder in the north-west tower above the tubes, and is not rung. A clock strikes the hours upon it. The tubes are by Harrington, Latham & Co., of Coventry, 1905. The church (1766) was rebuilt in 1879, but only the bottom of the tower was then erected. The tower was completed in 1905, when the tubes were hung.

HORWICH. HOLY TRINITY. Eight bells.

1. Floral band below shoulder. On waist is th e circular trade mark of TAYLOR I LOUGHBOROUGH with Agnus Dei and date 1913. (23iin. diam.)

2. The same. (24lin. diam.)

3. A PEAL OF SIX BELLS WAS PRESENTED BY JOSEPH RIDGWAY ESQ OF RIDGMONT 1831. Second line below: RECAST 1913 AND TWO NEW BELLS ADDED and oblong trade mark of TAYLOR I LOUGH· BOROUGH (z6tin. diam.) CHURCH B ELLS OF L ANCASHIRl ~· . 45

4. The same. (28! in. diam.)

5. A PEAL OF SIX BELLS WAS PRESENTED BY JOSEPH RIDGWAY ESQ OF RIDGMONT ANNO DOMINI 1831 S econd line below as NO. 3. (3Ii}in. d iarn.)

6. The same. (33tin. di arn.)

7· T he sa me. (36tin. diam.)

8. The sa me. (.pin. d iarn.)

Hung in iron fram e in west tower. The six bells give n in 1831 were by T. Mears, of London. The notes and ap proximate weights of th e old ring are give n on a ca rd in the vest ry, signed by Mea rs & Stainba nk, as follows:-

I 5 cwts, Note E z D 5t " " c 3 6t " " 4 7 " " H ,. A 5 9 " IJ II (; "" T he weights and notes of th e new ring are as follows :- Cw ts. qrs. lbs. Note. I 3 0 13 G 2 3 I 4 F sharp 3 3 3 21 E 4 4 2 4 1) 5 6 0 2 C 6 6 3 13 H 7 <) 0 18 A H 12 3 13 (; Total ' ... 49 3 4 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

Joseph Ridgway, th e donor of the bells in 1831, in his will proved January 25, 1843, directed that a sum of money be invested to produce [10 a year" as a salary for the person who shall wind up and regulate the clock and who shall also ring one of the bells in the tower at the hour of six in the morning and eight in the evening for the space of fifteen minutes." (T. Hampson, Horwich, 1883, p. 77·) The old chapel was pulled down and the present church built in I83!. 1552: "A lyttill Sacryng bell ... iij Bells which are ye poore menes off ye Towne, bought wt theire owne money and the saidc bells not yeti bonged uppe."

LEVER, GREAT. In the chapel of Great Lever Hall is preserved a bell, r yin. diameter, with the inscription-

RAF ASH TON CS IX The bell has iron cannons and appears formerly to have hung from a beam over the entrance on the north side of the chapel. It is now (19I4) on the floor at the east end. The inscription (see illustration) is cast on the bell; the letters are not on separate stamps. The bell is almost certainly of seventeenth century date, and the name on it is probably that of the last Ralph Ashton of Great Lever, who was born in 1586, succeeded his father in 1616, was created a baronet in 1620, and sold Great Lever to Bishop Bridgeman in 1629. There were five Ralph Ashtons before him at Great Lever, the first having married Margaret Lever at the end of the fifteenth century. But the bell can hardly be earlier than about

CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 47

1600. It may possibly have been cast during the life of the Ralph Ashton who was lord of the manor from 1587 to 1616. I can offer no satisfactory explanation for CS IX. NIr. Henry Taylor, in his Old H all: in Lancashire and , p. 73, says the inscription shows that " Ralph Ashton, to whom the Hall once belonged, caused this bell to be cast in the ninth year (1633) of King Charles 1." But Ralph Ashton had sold Great Lever to Bishop Bridgeman four years before this date, and it is hardly likely a bell cast by him for some oth er place would be brought back to Great Lever Hall. Mr. H. B. Walters, to whom I submitted a rubbing of the inscrip­ tion, writes, "I have been trying to get a date out of the CS IX but without success-nor can I make anything else of it." At that, I think, we must leave it. It has been suggested to me that that the final hieroglyphic may be a mutilated M, but a careful examination of the bell shows th is to be impossible. The letters are cast on the bell, as before stated, not applied, and are quite clear and sharp. Nothing is missing (see facsimile). I do not think the Ralph Ashton here named can be identified with the Wigan bellfounder of th e same name. The bell is certainly older than his time, c. 1698-1720. There are two modern bells at the modern church (1851) of St. Michael, Great Lev er, hung in a bellcot over the west gable.

LEVER, LITTLE. ST. MATTHEW. One bell.

1. MEARS & STAINBANK, WHITECHAPEL FOUNDRY LONDON On waist: 1892. (27t in. diarn.) Hangs in unfini shed south-east tower. The church (1791) was entirely rebuilt in 1865. CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

L1TTLEBOROUGH. HOLY TRINITY. One bell.

I. GLORIA IN EXCELSIS DEO 1764 (z.7in. diam.) Hangs in wooden frame in west tower. By George Dalton, of York. Each letter is on a separate patera, and the space between the words is filled in with ornamental bands. Below is a second band of beautiful ornament made up of oblong pieces with the name DAL<;'ON on a medallion between two bells. EBOR Clock strikes hours on the bell. The church was entirely rebuilt in rSz r .

1552: .. One bell.'

MANCH ESTER. CATHEO[{AL. Ten bells.

T I. I.R. FEC -I- R SMITH B. TURNER R. ORMROD C.WARDENS 1825 (28tin. diarn.)

2. IOHN RUDHALL FECT 1825 (28tin. diam.)

3· A:R (28iin. diam.)

4. GIVEN BY MANCHESTER R: D G: C I: L 1706 (30in. diarn.)

5· SOLI DEO GLORIA 1706 (32tin. diam.)

6. RECAST BY ABEL RU DHALL 1749 (36-rrin. diam.) 7· Bbrabmn lRll"ball neu jfolln"er GOl' Sa"e rbe G\llleen & cburc» 1706 (38!in. diam.) CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 49

8. PROSPERITY TO ALL OUR BENE­ FACTORS & THIS CHURCH. LET ALL SAY AMEN. WE WARE ALL CAST IN GLOUCESTER 1706 (arin. diam.)

9· 1706 A· R (bell) Ubo Garnet jfran l3eswlcJt !o\bra

10. I WAS RECAST AT GLOCESTER AT THE EXPENCE OF THE PARISH 1815 THOS SALTER JOSIAH THOS. BRIERLEY CHURCH WARDENS (Slin. diam.)

Hung in a wooden frame in west tower. The two trebles were originally placed on a frame above the rest, but when the tower was rebuilt in 1867 the whole of the ring was arranged in one frame on the same level. In 1895 the frame was repaired, the bells quarter turned, a hand­ chiming apparatus provided, and the ringing chamber improved, at a total cost of £120. The history of the Manchester Cathedral Bells has already been given in the Transactions of this Society, vol. xvii., pp. 75-86, by the Rev. H. A. Hudson, M.A., F.S.A. For th e sake of completeness, however, it is necessary to give the facts again in this place, and with Mr. Hudson's permission I have made use of his paper, abbreviating it in places, but otherwise making little or no alteration. Use has also been made of an article by the same writer on " Old Ringing Customs at Manchester Cathedral," in the Manchester Guardian, January rst, 1900. Six of the present bells belong to a ring of eight cast in 1706 by Abraham Rudhall, of Gloucester. The old fourth E 5° CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

(now sixth) was recast by Abel Rudhall in 1749, and the tenor by John Rudhall in 1815. Two trebles, also by John RudhaIl, were added in 1825. As far as my investigations have gone the 1706 bells are the oldest dated bells by Abraham Rudhall in Lancashire. The notes and estimated weights of the bells are as follows :-

Cwt. Note. Cwt. Note. I. 5 F sharp. 6. 9 A. 2. 5t E. 7· 12 G. 3· 6 D. 8. 14 F sharp. + 7 c sharp. 9· 18 E . 5· 8 B. 10. 25 D.

Ralph Langley, warden of Manchester (1465-81) and rector of Prestwich (1445-93), gave the church a new set of bells and "made the clock and with his own handes." Langley's bells are probably those referred to in the inventory of 1552, when there were" in the steple v belles and one litill bell." Though their confiscation was intended they appear to have escaped the fate of many other bells at this period, as (with possibly one exception) they seem to have remained in the tower till 1679. In 1659 the Constable's accounts show that a tax was assessed for various repairs in the church including the "casting of a Bell." Presumably this refers to the recasting of one of the old bells, but whether the work was carried out, and if so, by whom, is not known, as the churchwardens' accounts do not begin till 166+ On August rSth, 1679, the churchwardens, "consideringe the decayes of the Church & the Bells, one beinge Burst & the rest not Tuneable, and Agreeinge to cast them being five into six, the repaire of the leades the windowes CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. the floores and other its appurtenances did conclude and agree of ffive church layes towards repaireing thereof and casting the said Bells into six." The blame for the break down was laid at the door of the clerks, and a resolution was passed which declared that "by Reason of the neglect, And thorough the carelessness of the Clerks belonging to the said church, who for their owne gaine And advantage have frequently suffered Young youthes And prsons wholly inexperienced in Ringing soe that here to fore the bells have been much damaged burst And spoyld whereby the parish have been put to great charges in Repairing of them, Wee have therefore upon Sundry and many complaints made that soe more care might be taken for ye future to Avoyd ye like dammage; We ye Church Wardens, and othrs of ye parish According to Ancient Custome have made choyce of A certaine number of Ringers who are conceived to be men expert in Ringing, and they are to be allowed for evry peall they ring 4<1 being not under one quarter of An houre. And likewise whereas the said Clerks have for many years past Contrary to Ancient Costom Advanced ye Rate for ye Ringing of the greate bell, most of the inhabbittants of the said parrish doe greatly complaine thereof, the said Bells being their proper gooods And wch they are obliged to Repaire when need requirs, vVe are therefore agreed that for the future the said Clerks are to be allowed According to the Rate of eightpence ye houre for Ringing of the sd. great Bell, And not to require more, And further it is Agreed that noe pentioner being relieved by the sd parish, ye clarks are not to Receive more than after 4<1 ye hour And soe 2'[ ye halph hour." The recasting of the bells into six was done by William Noone, of Nottingham. Noone had been foreman to the Oldfields, and may have been employed by them to CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. carryon the foundry after the death of George Oldfield and during the minority of his grandson and successor. The cost of the bells is given in the churchwardens' accounts :-

1679. Pd. Mr . Wep. Noone an pt of New casting all ye Bels 71 00 00 Jan. 24· Pd. James Boardman for iron & working to accommodate ye new bells 12 00 00 Mar. 29. Pd and spent on Goodman Henshawe & Company at ye Bringing of 4 Bells backe 00 02 00

About 1702 or 1703 the fifth bell" burst," and in 1705 both it and the fourth were defective:-

July 26. To Joseph Wrigley for 4 men for ~ day for takeing up the fourth & fifth bells & chi ping ye steps & ale Gd 2 10

In 1706 the tenor" burst," and the wardens decided to recast the whole of the six bells "for ye making 'em tunable," assessing six church leys for the cost. The vestry meeting to authorise this was held on May 17th, 1706, when, having inspected the bells, "which had been taken down in order for ye p'ishioners' view," th ose present, by a majority of sixty-six to one, agreed to support the wardens' decision. The town of Manchester, as distinct from the parish, having offered to advance, "over and above their quotas of church lay £100 to provide two additional bells," the wardens ordered a ring of eight, and they were cast at Gloucester the same year. Before this, in 1704, there had been negotiations with the chapelwardens of Didsbury (q.v.) with a view to an exchange of some of the bells, but they had apparently come to nothing. The negotiations, however, were resumed in 1706 and an exchange was effected. The CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 53

Manchester churchwardens took down the six old bells and "exchanged the four good ones for other four that did belong to another place and broke up the four so taken."* Didsbury paid £20. 2S. od. for the exchange (see Didsbury). Although the Manchester Vestry had been practically unanimous in assessing the church leys much difficulty was encountered in collecting them. Several persons refused to pay and were prosecuted at Chester. "The special expenses relating to this' contest' during the years 1706-8 occupy four folio pages and amount to the large sum of £418. 14s. 3d.," but finally the wardens triumphed, the last instalment being paid in 1709.t Mr. Hudson prints the following estimate of the cost of the 1706 bells furnished by the bellfounder. This refers only to the six bells provided by the parish, and does not include the two given by the town:-

THE CO~PUTED CHARGE OF CASTING YE SIX BELLS. Imp. Their carriage to Atcham Bridge t 6scwI. 3qr. Sibs. Ii 8 d at 2S. gd. pr 1201bs. • - 08 og 00 Their addition of weight gcwt. oqr. ralbs , @ s1i 128pr cwl. 51 00 00 Allowance of 48 pr cent for waste of melting zcwt. 1qr. r rlb, at s1i 12 - 13 03 00 Their carriage from Salop 78cwt. 1qr. 271b. @ 38 pr rzolbs - II 00 00 Their charge of casting • 70 00 00 The Frame & han ging - 60 00 00

213 12 00 Mem.-Towards yo frame will gett something from town of Manchr for rooms of two new bells to lessen this charge.

• This quotation is from some MS . notes, without name or reference, Jent to me by William Farrer, Esq., D'Litt. The reference is apparently to Didsbury. It is not in Mr. Hudson's paper. t For a full account of this .. contest" see Booker's H istory ofDidsbury Chapel, p. 92 (note). t On the Severn, near Shrewsbury. 54 CHURCH BELLS OF LA NCASHIRE .

Other expens es in connection with the new bells in 1706 occur in the churchwardens' accounts as follows:-

pd for drink for tenn men when Bells was wayed 18, pd Hallas I S 00 02 0 0 pd at takyng do wne ye Be lls 2 5, Drink & for waying them 55, Samll Negh had 6d . - 00 07 06 pd Mr. Bostock for Carredge of Bell s 8 10 0 pd Mr. Worsley & Mr. Bost ock for Carredg of ye Bells - 5 10 0 pd Statham carredg for One bell I. 17.00 . pd for drinck If. 2 17 0 pd Broadbanck for Rope for Bells 1. 04. 00. for wayi ng Bells 58 • I 9 00 pd Thomas Harrison for carredg of 2 Bells £2. 03. 06. pd Mr. Scoles 16. 7. 6. - 18 II 00 pd Lightbound for Rope for the Bells I I 6 pd Mr. Alexander for head stocks 48 pd Mr. Sarnl l H yde for works at bell s 125 - 00 16 00 pd P eetter Madd ock for leading Timber to y" towne for bells - 01 9 10 pd William Broadbanck for eight Ro ps to yc Bell s - 01 01 00 pd Mr Joseph Hooper part of th e bill that ye bellfoun der charged - - 04 15 00

The fourth bell (present sixth) was recast in 1749 by Abel Rudhall, but as the churchwardens' accounts are missing from 17II to 1766 it is impossible to give any particulars about it. . In 1815 th e tenor was recast by John Rudhall, for which the accounts show th e following payments :-

1814. Oct. 6. pd John R udhalls exps to take ye key of ye bells 8 8 0 1815. Feb. 27. By Peel Williams & Co. for taking down the Tenor Bell 10 17 a April 1. By James Winkle for Rudhalls recasting the Ten or Bell 77 18 0 May II. .. Benjn Evans for Bell metal & work I 19 .. 24. .. Worthington 8: Co . for Carriage of the Tenor Bell from Glos'ter - 4 2 0

At a parish meeting held on November 3rd, 1824, it was proposed that it was "highly desirable that an increase of Two Bells should be made to th e peal." An CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 55 amendment was, however, moved that there was no neces­ sity to provide the additional bells at the expense of the parish. The objectors consisted not only of Dissenters but of Church people not worshipping at the parish church. The amendment was, however, negatived by a very large majority, and the original motion afterwards carried with only one dissentient. The cost of the new bells is set out in the churchwardens' accounts as follows :-

1825. Feb. 5. By Geo. Gillebrand, on ale for hanging two additional Bells - 10 a a Mar. 25. .. Geo. Gillebrand on ale for hanging 2 Bells - 15 a a April 30. Jobn R udhall for two new Bells - 82 a a May 2. .. Geo. Gillebrand on ale for hanging new Bells 10 a 0 Regarding the inscriptions on the bells Mr. Hudson has the following notes :- " First: Richard Smith, Beresford Turner, and Richard Ormrod were churchwardens in 1824. "Fourth: The inscription shows that this was one of the two bells given by the town as distinguished from the parish of Manchester. Possibly the initials are those of the borough-reeve and the two constables. Unfortunately, the Court Leet Records and 'Constables' Accounts are both missing for this period. The initials correspond to the names of Robt. Delves, Geo. Corbishley, and Jn" Lees, which appear amongst the first twelve in the majority of sixty-six who voted at the parish meeting. "Ninth: All these names are amongst the signatories to a memorandum of November 24th, 1706, in the Wardens' Meeting Book. " No clergyman's name appears on the bells. The reason of this is that the bells belonged to the parish as distinct from the collegiate church, there being no rector CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. of Manchester. In 1706 the warden of the college was the Rev. Richard Wroe, D.D. (" silver-tongued Wroe"), and in 1825 the Rev. Thomas Calvert, D.D. The parish was served by two chaplains or vicars. The black-letter inscriptions on the seventh and ninth bells are to be remarked, their type of lettering being very rarely used at the Gloucester foundry.

One of the earliest references to the Manchester bells occurs in the will of William , of Garrett Hall, Manchester, gentleman, who died in 1545. In it he directed that" immedi ately after his death the great bell should be rung; that so soon as his body sets forward towards the church the great bell should begin to ring and continue ringing until evening; and that no oth er bell should be rung for him on the day of his burial but the great bell."* 1552: .. In the Steple v belles and one HtiII bell ." In 1592 the Bishop of Chester excommunicated George Bibbye, parish clerk, and Philip Goosnell, who rang more than was necessary at Burialls.t In September, 1642, when the attack on Manchester by Lord Strange was expected, it was ordered that the bells were to be rung backward to call in the country people. "On Sunday morning, September 25, while the people were in church about nine o'clock, the bells rang back­ ward. Morning prayer was over. One of the fellows was preaching. We may be sure there was a sudden pause, a dead silence, a momentary shudder. In a few minutes the drums beat in the church porch."t The siege of Manchester had begun .

• Chetham Society, vol. cvii., page 8 (note). t Bishop of Chester 's Visitation Book, qu oted in Transactions,1895. p. 63' t Halley, Lancashire,its Puritanismand N onconformity, i. 340. . CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 57

We have seen that in 1679 "a certain number of Ringers conceived to be men expert in Ringing" were appointed by the churchwardens, and that they were allowed fourpence for every peal rung "being not under one quarter of an hour." From this time forward, apparently, there was a regular band of paid ringers. Mr. Hudson gives the following extracts from the churchwardens' accounts for 1766-7:-

1766. April 1. Paid the ringers 0 5 0 June 4. Paid ringers at Bishop's visitation, three days 2 IO 0 Sept. 25. Paid ringers for Coronation Day I 0 0 Oct. 25. Paid Ringers [Accession Day] I 0 0 Nov. 5. Paid ringers - roo Dec. 25. Paid the ringers I 0 ° 1767. Jan. I. Paid the ringers II ° Jan. 30. Paid ringers - ° 50 April 16. Paid for ringing 5 o'clock I 10 ° The last-named item was a yearly payment to the clerks for ringing the daily early morning bell. The ringers' regular wages are given in the next year's accounts under date June 24th:- Paid one years wages to the ringers, omitted by last churchwarden - - £4 0 ° As recently as the early years of the nineteenth century, in addition to the forenoon and afternoon daily prayer bells, which are still rung, a bell sounded daily in the old church tower at six and eight o'clock in the' morning, at one o'clock, and at eight o'clock in the evening.*

MANCHESTER. ST. ANN. One bell.

I. ~~ T (bell) R 1769 ~~ I TO THE CHURCH THE LIVING CALL &, TO THE GRAVE DO SUMMON ALL. (36in. diam.)

• JWallchesler Guardian, Jan. rst, 1900. CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

Hung in wooden frame in west tower. By Thomas Rudhall, of Gloucester. The maker's initials and date are in an upper band below the shoulder, the space being made up with orna­ ment. The inscription goes round the bell immediately below. It is very much weathered. The church was begun in May, 1709, and consecrated in July, 1712.

MANCHESTER. ST. MARY. One bell.

The church of St. Mary was built 10 1754-6 and pulled down in 1890. It contained one bell in the west tower, the present whereabouts of which I have been unable to discover. In the vestry of St. Ann's Church is a diagram of the bell of St. Mary's, cast in 1856 at the Whitechapel foundry by C. and G. Mears. Its weight is given as 6cwt. oqrs. glbs. Its diameter was, therefore, probably about 3lin. This bell may have been a recasting of the original bell of St. Mary's.

MANCH ESTER. ST. PAUL, NEW CROSS. One bell.

I. JOHN TAYLOR AND Co BELLFOUNDERS LOUGHBORUOH 1879 On waist: THIS EMBODIES THE BELLS OF OLD S. PAULS TURNER ST 1765 & S. CLEMENTS 1793 W. MARSHALL B.A. RECTOR 1879 Other side of waist: W. BAMFORD ' P. H. HUTCINS} WARDENS MANCHESTER 1879 (57in. diarn.)

60 CHURCH BELLS OF LA NCASHIRE.

7· PROSPERITY TO THE TOWN OF MAN­ CHESTER. LESTER & PACK OF LONDON FECIT 1768

YE RINGERS ALL THAT PRIZE YOUR HEALTH AND HAPPINESS BE SOBER MERRY WISE AND YOU'LL THE SAM E POSSESS (43in. diam.)

8. ST JOHNS CHURCH MANCHESTER + LESTER & PACK OF LONDON FECIT 1768 I N WEDLOCK BAN OS ALL YE WHO JOIN WITH HANDS YOUR HEARTS UNITE So SHALL OUR TUNEFUL TONGUES COMBINE TO LAUD THE NUPTIAL RITE On waist : RECAST 1902 and circular trade mark of John Taylor & Co., Loughborough. (48in. diarn.) Hung in west tower. The church was built in 1768-9, but the tower was not finished till May, 1770. The bells were rung for the first time on November 30th, 1770. The tenor was recast by John Taylor & Co., of Lough­ borough, in 1902, when the bells were rehung in iron frames. They are in two tiers, the first, second, and third being in the upper tier. The mottoes on the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth occur on the second, fourth, fifth, and seventh bells at 51. Peter's Church, Sandwich, by Pack & Chapman, 1779 (Stahlschmidt, Church Bells of Kent, 391). CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 61

The weights are given on a card in the ringing chamber, signed by Mears & Stainbank, as follows:-

CW1S. qrs, lbs . Cwts. qrs, lbs. I 6 0 3 6 II I 10 Z 6 I 6 7 15 0 1Z 3 6 3 Z 8 19 3 0 4 8 I 0 Total 0 5 9 0 9 83 14 Edward Byrom, whose name occurs on the treble, was the founder of the church. He was the son of the celebrated Dr. John Byrom, of Kersal, and died in 1773, aged 49. Ann and Eleanora Byrom were his daughters. From the Palatine Note-book, iv. zoo (November, 1884) :- "Some few years since, when obtaining information respecting the Bells of Cheshire, I was favoured with the following from the then Vicar of Mottram: The Mottram ringers went to Manchester on a Sunday evening, and ascended SI. John's tower and rung a true peal, and seut their account to the Manchester papers. Instead of inserting it, the editor at the week-end stated that they had ascended the tower of SI. John's to the great annoyance of all that were peaceably disposed to worship God, and added some verses, of which one stanza was as follows :- 'Ye rascals of ringers, ye terrible foes, Disturbers of those that are fond of repose, I wish in my heart for the peace of the land. That ye wore round your necks what ye pun with your hand. Scarborough. R. M.' ''

MANOHESTER. ST. JAMES. One bell.

I. PROSPERITY TO TH IS PARISH 1786 (z8in. diam.) Hangs in turret over west gable. There is no maker's name or initials. The church was consecrated in 1788. It is a plain red brick building with galleries. 62 CHURCH BELLS OF L.ANCASHIRE.

MANCHESTER. ST. MICHAEL. One bell.

The bell hangs in the west tower, but there is no approach except by rearing a ladder from the inside. I have been unable to see this bell, but the rector (Rev. J. J. Wilson) informs me that its weight is about 21 cwt. and that it bears the inscription-

-l- I. H. S. Nazarenus - Rex Judeorum Fili Dei miserere mei John Taylor & Sons Founders Loughborough 1848• The church was consecrated in 1789.

MANCHESTER. ST. PETER. One bell.

St. Peter's Church (built 1788-94) was pulled down in Ig07. The single bell was taken to St. Andrew's Church, Eccles (q.v.).

MANCHESTER. ST. GEORGE. One bell.

The church was originally built in 17g8 and consecrated 1818. It stood on the site of Oldham Road Station. The present church was built in 1871. In the lofty south-west tower is a single bell, rqin. diam., inscribed-

A ship's bell, evidently belonging to the German vessel Rhein, of Bremen. It was given to St. George's Church by a Mr. Mason, general broker, who had pur- CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 63 chased the ship's fittings. It stands on the upper floor of the tower, hung in its original frame. The inscription is nearly illegible.

MANCHESTER. ST. THOMAS, ARDWICK. One bell. 1. MEARS & STAINBANK FOUNDERS LONDON On waist: 1866 ME AUDITE VENIAS UT DOCTRINAM SANCTAM DISCAS N. W. GIBSON RECTOR EDWYN OFFER CHARLES POOLEY } CHURCHWARDENS (39in. diam.) Hangs in west tower exposed to weather. The church was built in 1740, but was enlarged in 1777 and 1831. The tower dates from 1836.

MANCHESTER. ST. MARK, CHEETHAM HILL. One bell.

I. THOMAS MEARS FOUNDER LONDON 1842. (27in. diam.) Hangs in west tower. The church dates from 1794, but the tower was an addition in 1894 to commemorate the centenary.

MANCHESTER. CLAYTON HALL. One bell. At Clayton Hall, in township, there is a mediaeval bell which is said to have come from the Collegiate Church, Manchester. It hangs in an open turret above the south-west gable of the house. This CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. portion of the building dates from the seventeenth century; the present turret, however, is modern. The inscription is- + ie atenoe meteor '*' (16iin. diam.)

The bell is thus described by the Rev. H. A. Hudson in the Transactions of this Society (vol. xvii., p. 76): "It is a small bell, measuring not more than twelve inches high and one foot four and three-quarter inches in diameter. Like most early bells, it bears neither date nor founder's name, nor have I been able to identify its stamps, viz., a foliated cross at the beginning of the inscription and a crown at the end. The legend, in Old English characters, is a remarkable one, being written in Norman French.;' Mr. Hudson, basing his argument on a statement by Professor Freeman that French gave way to English in court pleadings in the year 1363, assigns the bell "to a period not later than the fourteenth century." Black letter type, or Gothic smalls, is not, however, usually met with on English bells before the first quarter of the fifteenth century, and if the bell is English I do not think it can possibly be claimed for the fourteenth century. The bell, however, may be French. Mr. H. B. Walters, to whom I sent a rubbing of the inscription, is of that opinion. "It is quite impossible," he writes, "that an English black letter bell (especially without initial capitals) should be so early as the four­ teenth century. I do not myself think it could be earlier than 1500. On the other hand, I am inclin ed to think that this bell was imported from France, and there is, I believe, evidence that black letter smalls were used there earlier than in England. Therefore, if the bell is of CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

French make it might be fourteenth century. But there is no evidence for putting it so early, and on the face of it we must accept a later date. The initial cross is certainly foreign in character. I only know of two English bells with French inscriptions, one at Long Stratton, Norfolk, c. 1330, and the other at Bitterley, Salop, which must be dated about 1410.* But I do not think the Clayton bell can be of English make, and I see no reason for assigning it to the fourteenth century. The most likely date would be about 1450." Discussing the question as to whether this bell ever belonged to Manchester Church Mr. Hudson says: "How it came to Clayton does not certainly appear. That it ever belonged to Manchester we have only the testimony of tradition, but from the connection of the Byrons of Clayton with the Old Church, where they possessed a chantry, and later the Chethams, it appears likely that the transfer, if such there were, took place during the fifteenth or the seventeenth centuries. Both have been asserted." The second date is the most likely. It is possible that the" litill bell" mentioned as being in the steeple of Manchester Church in 1552 is the bell now hanging at Clayton Hall. It cannot, however, be too often pointed out that there is no real evidence that the Clayton bell ever did hang in the Collegiate Church of Manchester. But it is quite likely, and the dedication of the church to the Virgin and the patron saints of England and France is interesting taken in conjunction with the supposed French origin of the bell. The De la Warres, lords of Manchester, fought at Crecy, Poitiers, and generally in the French wars of the fourteenth century.

• For inscriptions on these bells see H . B. Walters' Church. Bells of England, p. 3:a7. F 66 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

The bell has had more than one coat of paint and the inscription is unfortunately becoming obscured. It has not been rung since 1900, when Clayton Hall was restored. Before that date it was rung from th e staircase by a rop e passing through a hole in the gable roof. This was done away with at the time of the restoration, and there is now no way of ringing th e bell. Since 1893 Clayton H all has belonged to the Corporation of Man­ ch ester and is under th e care of th e Parks Committee.

MANCHESTER. See also BLACKLEY, CHORLTON-C UM-HARDY, DENTON, DIDSBURY, GORTON, H EATON CHA PEL, NEWTON HEATH, R USHOLM E,SALFORD, and STRETFOIW , all origina lly in the ancient parish of Manchester.

MIDDLETON. ST. LEONAR D. Ei ght bells.

1. MEARS & STAINBANK WHITECHAPEL FOUNDRY LONDON On waist : THERE SHALL BE UPON THE BELLS "HOLINESS TO THE LORD " BY SUBSCRIPTION 1891 (27tin. diam.)

2 . MEARS & STAIN BANK WHITECHAPEL FOUNDRY LONDON On waist : HENRY H. MELLALIEU J.P. OF STANNICLIFFE HOUSE MIDDLETON GAVE ME 1891 (zqin. diam.) CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

3· PEACE & GOOD NEIGHBOURHOOD A (bell) R 1714 (30in. diam.)

4· PROSPERITY TO ALL OU R BENE- FACTORS A (bell) 1714 (30 ·~in. diam.)

5· ABR. RU DHALL CAST US ALL 1714 (33in. diam.) 6. SAML SIDEBOTTOM RECTOR A (bell) R 1714. (3Sin. diam.)

7. ROBT LEACH IN LEACH EDND FITTON CH-WARDENS A (bell) R 1714 (38in. diam.)

8. WM WHALLEY ROBT COLUNGE IN CH-WARDENS A (bell) R 1714 (4rin. diam.)

Hung in wooden frame in west tower; rehung 1913. The weight of the tenor is given as IZlcwt. A complete ring of six by Abraham Rudhall, of Gloucester, 1714, to which two new trebles were added in 1891. The third bell (original first) has cabled cannons, but those of the five other old bells are moulded. The weights of the two trebles are 5 cwt. a qrs. z6lbs. and 5 cwt. z qrs. 141bs. respectively. The inscription on the waist of the treble bell is a paraphrase of Zechariah xiv. 20, "In that day there shall be upon the bells of the horses HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD." 68 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

The Rev. Samuel Sidebottom, M.A., was rector of Middleton from March, 1714, till his death in May, 1752. 1552: .. In the steple v belles and one litill bell, ij hand bells." The bells hang in a wooden gabled belfry built on top of the old tower in 1709. The late Canon' Cleworth, M.A. (rector 1888-1909), in his Sketch of the History of the Parish Church. of St. Leonard, Middleton (1904), states that this was added" when the old bells were hung a storey higher." These old bells, he proceeds, "were removed by Sir Ralph Assheton to Radcliffe Church, it is said, in order to make way for six new bells cast by Rudhall, of Gloucester, in 1714." I have not been able to discover the authority for this statement, which, from the expres­ sion " it is said," appears to rest on no sure foundation. The present eight bells at Radcliffe date only from 1861, and their predecessors were a ring of six cast by Rudhall. THE NOWSTER.-" At the beginning of the roth century the Rector ordered a bell to be rung at ten minutes before ten, as a signal for the dosing of shops, and that all who were abroad might hasten home and get to bed. In time this bell took the place of the curfew. Old people tell with relish how they fled homewards at the sound of the' nowster,' lest they should be locked out by their stern fathers. . The name of this bell is familiar to every Middletonian, and yet none can give a satisfactory explanation of its meaning. It was once the nickname of a man who rang the ten o'clock bell, but whether he conferred it upon the bell, or the bell upon him, deponent sayeth not. 'Now stir' is the popular rendering, and to this day, when the warning tones ring out, those who have been kept late in our meetings begin instinctively to get ready for departure" (Canon Cleworth, op. cit., p. 14). CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 6g

MILNROW. ST. JAMES. Eight bells.

I. A.D. 1869. FOUNDERS AND DONORS JAMES SCHOFIELD ESQR OB 30 NOV. 1863 JANE HIS MOTHER WIDOW OF JOHN SCHOFIELD SENR JAMES HIS NEPHEW ONLY SON OF JOHN SCHOFIELD JUNR DECEASED (30in.diam.)

2. PROSPERITY TO THE CHURCH AND PARISH OF MILNROW (3lin. diam.] 3. TE DEUM LAUDAMUS TE DOMINE CONFITEMUR (33in. diam.) 4. THE RINGERS ART OUR GRATEFUL NOTES PROLONG JEHOVAH LISTENS AND APPROVES THE SONG (3Sin. diam.] 5. INTACTUM SILEO PERCUTE DULCE CANO (38iin. diam.)

6. LET SCHOFIELDS BELLS CONTINUALLY BE RUNG THE TRUTH STILL PREACHED AND HALLELUJAH SUNG (4-0in. diam.) 7. VOX MEA VOX VITJE VOCO VOS AD SACRA VENITE (Hin. diam.) 8. REVo CANON RAINES M.A., F.S.A. VICAR REVo JOHN SMITH DOXEY, OXON, CURATE JAMES SCHOFIELD ESQR FOUNDER}CHURCHWARDENS MR WILLIAM CLEGG MR JAMES HEAP } MR JAMES WHITWORTH SIDESMEN (48in. diam.)

The inscription on the fourth bell is a Christianized version of "Apollo listens," etc., as used by Thomas Janaway, of Chelsea (1762-88). A complete ring by John Warner & Sons, of London, hung in iron frames in west tower. The inscriptions are all on the waists, the shoulder spaces being blank. On 7° CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. the other side of the waist is the trade mark of Messrs. Warner, a quatrefoil within a circle containing the initials and date w s 1869t According to a church book the sum of £782: 14s. od. was paid to Messrs. Warner for the bells. The present church was built in 1869, replacing an old chapel lower down the hill. The bell belonging to the old chapel appears to have been by J. Scott, of Wigan. In the church book above mentioned is a note on the old bell in the writing of Canon Raines, who states that it bore the inscription- 1654 W 1. S I. D and on the opposite side the letters R. u. Canon Raines conjectured that w stood for" Wardens," and I.S and 1.D for James Scholefield, of Scholefield Hall, and James Dawson, of Turnough. R. B., he thought, meant Robert Bath, vicar of Rochdale (in which parish Milnrow was situated). This is possible, but the combination of letters ,"'s, as given by Canon Raines, naturally suggests the well- known mark of John Scott, the Wigan founder, who cast a bell for Edenfield in this same year. As the Milnrow bell no longer exists, and, as far as I know, no rubbing of the inscription has been kept, it is impossible to come to any definite conclusion on the subject. Canon Raines proceeds: "It is thought [the bell] was only recast in 1654, and that it was the original bell known to exist temp. Ed. VI. In December, 1864, the old bell was cracked owing to a too heavy clapper having been added. It was replaced by a new and somewhat lighter bell cast at Birmingham with the above date and initials, which, CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. instead of being raised like the old ones, have been sunk in the metal. The following was also inscribed :- F. R R W. E. M. R.A. 1864 F. R. Raines, incumbent, Edmund Milne of and Robert Ashworth of Belfield Mill, Wardens. When the new church was consecrated [August 21, 1869] this bell was sold and broken up by Messrs. Petrie of Rochdale, and I had a small part of it let into the base of the Font and a monumental inscription engraved upon it." This is a small plate 6iin. by 3iin. The inscription records that the font was erected by her two sisters to S. A. R. Raines, who died in 1841 at Milnrow Vicarage. A fragment of the bell is also in the possession of the Vicar of Milnrow. It is part of the sound bow and measures about 6iin. by 4in. . From the BENEFACTION BOARD in Milnrow Church:- A.D . 1851. Mrs. Mary Mills of Stonepit-field, widow. left by Will £50, to be devoted to the Glory of God and the Honour of His House, to which the Revd Canon Raines M.A. Vicar, added at her death £60, and bought a chief rent of £5 a year, to be paid by the Vicar and Church­ wardens to the Bell Ringers of Milnrow yearly on the 21S1 August, who are required to ring a special Peal on that Memorable Day. Secured on land at Lark Hill, Tonge, near Middleton £5 0 0

MONTON. UNITARIAN CHURCH. One bell.

I. COME AWAY MAKE NO DELAY A (bell) R 1725 (16Mn. diam.) By Abraham Rudhall, of Gloucester. Hung in west tower. Inscription space made up with ornament after date, about 4 inches. CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

The present church was built in 1875, but it is the successor of a nonconformist chapel erected in 1697. This chapel was attacked in 1715 by a "Church and King mob," and there is a tradition that "the·bell was thrown by a member of the congregation into a neigh­ bouring pit or pool, whence it was afterwards fished up." The chapel was repaired by the Government, and was rebuilt in 1802. Whatever may be the truth as regards the removal of the bell in 1715 and its recovery, it is obvious that the bell was replaced by the present one-possibly a recasting-ten years later. I am indebted to Mr. J. J. Phelps, of Eccles, for parti­ culars of this bell and for a rubbing of the inscription.

MOSSLEY. ST. GEORGE. 8 + I bells. 1-8. MEARS & STAINBANK WHITECHAPEL FOUNDRY LONDON

In addition there are the following inscriptions on the waists:

I. THE YOUNG MEN OF ST GEORGE'S SUNDAY SCHOOL MOSSLEY A.D. 1888 (26lin. diam .)

2. EMMA KERSHAW EARNSHAWS STALEY A.D. 1888 (27!in. diam.)

3· ANTHONY HALL M.A. VICAR OF MOSSLEY A.D. 1888. (29tin. diam.)

4· HUGH KERSHAW EARNSHAWS STALEY A.D. 1888. (3Ilin. diam.) CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 73

5· MARY WRIGLEY HEY A.D. 1888 (331in. diam.)

6. COUNCILLOR JOHN MAYALL J.P. MAYOR OF MOSSLEY A.D. 1888 (36in. diam.)

7· JOHN KNOTT MOSSLEY A.D. 1888. (38in. diam.)

8. COUNCILLOR ANDREW BESWICK .I.P. MOSSLEY A.D. 1888 (,pin. diam.)

Hung in wooden frame in north-east tower. The weights are as follows :-

Cwt. qrs, lbs. Cwt, qrs . lbs, I 435 5 7 1 8 2 5 03 6 7 3 25 3 5 2 22 7 9 I 4 4 60 9 8 12 2 14

The present church was built m 1882, but replaces a plain rectangular building, with west bell turret, erected in 1757. The bell from the old church, by George Dalton, of York, 1756, hangs in the tower above the others, and is used as' a priests' bell. It is also rung daily at twelve o'clock noon. It is 2otin. diameter, and has one of Dalton's characteristic ornamental borders below the shoulder with the date" 1756." The name DAL<;"ON on a YORK kind of medallion occurs twice in the border. The numerals of the date are on separate paterze. CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

NEWTON HEATH. ALL SAINTS. 1 bell and 8 tubes. 1. C & G. MEARS FOUNDERS LONDON. On upper part of waist: RECAST A.D. 1854 AT THE EXPENCE OF W. SIMPSON (frin. diarn.) Hangs in west tower. The eight tubular" bells" are by Harrington, Latham & Co., Coventry. A clock strikes the hours on the bell and the quarters on the tubes. The weight of the bell is given as II cwts. 2 qrs. a lbs. There is a mural monument at the east end of the nave to William Simpson. H e died December roth, 1866. The original Newton Chapel was a rectangular timber­ and-plaster structure with a turret at the west end con­ taining a single bell. The building was enlarged in 1738, but fell down in 1808. The present church was begun on the sa me site in November, 1814, and was finished in August, 1816. From Mr. H. T. Crofton's History of Newton Chapelry (Chet, Soc., vol. 52, new series) I take the following particulars concerning the old bell and a ring of eight intended for the new church but never hung:- Nothing is known concerning th e earliest bell or bells at Newton, nor is there any tradition about them. When the chapel at Clayton Hall (q.v.) was demolished c. 1750 one of its four bells was said to have been given to Newton Chapel (Higson, Hist. of Droylsden, p. 35). The four bells were said to have been originally in the Collegiate Church, Manchester. When the old chapel at Newton and its bell cote fell in 1808 the bell was uninjured and stood in the churchyard for over eight years. It was sold in 1833 to Messrs. Todd, of Culcheth, and was used for summoning their workpeople. About CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 75

1871 it was sold for old metal to a broker when the Culcheth works were broken lip (Local Gleanings, i. 37-46). On September 28th, 1817, the trustees for rebuilding Newton Chapel obtained tenders for a rin g of eight bells. They accepted the tender of William Dobson, of Down­ ham, Norfolk, at £650 less £5, and on November 8th, 1819, he agreed to accept £600 on condition th at he should be paid £50 for hanging the bells. It was doubted whether the tower was capable of standing the strain of so heavy a peal. On September 15th, 1819, Mr. T aylor, a Leeds architect, estimated th at for £79. 12S. od. the tower could be strengthened sufficiently to bear th e bells. Nine days later Mr. Cowley stated th at Mr. Taylor's plan would not answer, as the tower base was not broad enough. He suggested adding large stone buttresses at each corner, but considered it would be best to take the tower down, as the small space rendered it necessary to hang the bells in two tiers, which would be more injurious than if th ey were in one tier. Several years elapsed and nothing was done. On January 5th, 1824, Messrs. Brownsworth & Keeling estimated " for han ging the bells at Newton," and on March 27th, 1824, they took an inventory of the bells and hangings then in the warehouse of Buckley & Co., who had carried the whole peal to Newton by canal, and, after leaving them exposed on the canal bank for some time, had taken them back to Manchester. They remained in Buckley & Co.'s warehouse till May znd, 1828, when th ey were sold by auction, along with the fram ework and apparatus, to Frederick Fincham, of Manchester, gent. Their weight was 67 cwts. a qrs. 3lbs. They realised £397. 7s. od., and are now hung in St. John's [sic] Church, Liverpool (pp. 41-2). CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

In 1827, when a new peal of bells was supplied to Oldham Church, one of the old bells was secured for Newton Heath.* From the above statements by Mr. Crofton it would appear that the present bell is a recasting in 1854 of the bell brought from Oldham in 1827. This would apparently be one of six cast in 1722 for Oldham Parish Church by Abraham Rudhall, of Gloucester (see under OLDHAM). The eight bells cast by Dobson in 1818 are apparently those now in the tower of 51. Luke's Church (not St. John's), Liverpool.t 51. John's Church was demolished in 1899, five years before Mr. Crofton's book was pub­ lished, and had only four bells. The Newton Heath bells are said to have been sold to the Liverpool Corporation at 13d. a pound. They were first rung in Liverpool on April 23rd, 1829.

OLDHAM. ST. MARY. Twelve bells.

1.-12. T. MEARS OF LONDON FECIT 1830 Hung in tw o tiers in west tower. The bells were first rung September znd, 1830. The weights are given by Messrs. Mears & Stainbank as follows:- Cwts, qrs. lbs. Cwts. qrs, Ibs. I 6 0 21 7 10 I 4 2 6 1 I 8 12 2 7 3 6 2 1 9 14 3 17 4 7 0 3 10 17 0 16 5 7 3 14 II 25 2 25 6 7 3 17 12 32 2 16 Total weight, 155 cwt. 0 qrs. z lbs. - ' - --_._.._- • Mr. Crofton says 1817. but this is apparently a printer's error. The old church of Oldham was pulled down in 1827; the new bell s were cast in 1830. t See Transactions, xxxii. 124. CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 77

The old church was pulled down in 1827, and the present structure erected. It was opened December rath, 1830. lila printed statement of accounts for the rebuilding of the church, dated February, r834, is this item:-

Pd Thos. Mears for Bells on account - £655 12 3" and on the other side :-

By Cash. Sale of Old Bell £58 13 5 When the first part of the restoration of the church was undertaken in r897 the bell frame was found to be unsafe, and the bells were accordingly rehung in an iron frame. This is recorded on a tablet in the ringing chamber:- "The twelve bells of Oldham Church were re-hung in a new frame and the tower substantially restored in r897 , at a cost of £641. 14S. 6d., and were re-dedicated on August 14th the same year."

1552: .. Faure great bells, one Anterne bell & ij hand bells." There appears to have been a singl e bell at Oldham Chapel down to 1486, in which year three new bells were purchased. Ralph Langley, rector of Prestwich (1445-96), is often said to have given the three new bells in 1486, but a deed relating to their purchase shows that certain of the parishioners subscribed for the bells and put the money into Langley's hands. If the bells cost more than a stated sum the parish was to pay the extra cost, but if less Langley was to give back the balance. For a copy of this deed I am indebted to the late Mr. Giles Shaw, author of A nnals oj Oldham. It is as follows:- This endenture was made ye xxiiij day of September in ye year of our Lord xcccclxxxvj witnesseth yl Ranfe Langley p'son of P'stwich has resayved by ye handes of John Miln, John Hepe, James Bukley, Ricd Smyth, James Nield, James Mellor, Robt. Tayleor, Philip Wild, Robert Okedene of Glodike, Edmund Leghue, Hughe Whitehed, Rogr Okedene

• The cost was to be £1,100. CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. ye junr. Xli in pte of payment of XXii to the entent to bye iij belles for Oldarne Chapell to be boght in maher & forme yt folowes yt is to say the sayd Raufe to bye ye sayd iij belles & cape thayme, stokke thayme, claper thayme, & heng thayme & make thaym redy to the ringing and yf so be yt cost come to more than xxiiijli ye said poch to pay ye overplus and if y. happen ye iij belles in all costes be under xxiiijli yen the said Raufe ye remaynder of ye said xxiiijli to pay againe to the poch - and other Xli to be payd to the said Raufe wych in half a year after ye belles be able to be renged and to all thi s countes to be well & trulei p'forrned as wele ye said Raufe as ye said John Mil ne, J ohn Hepe, James Bukley, Ricd Smyth, James Nield, James Mellor, R obi Tayleor, Philip Wild, Robert Okedene, Edmonde Leghue, Hugh Wbitehead & R oger Okedene ye junr bynden th aym & each one of thaym be thayrne selfe in ye hole. In 1617 three bells were" new cast" for the steeple by William Oldfield , of Nottingham, at a cost of £60.* In 1722 the four bells were recast by Abraham Rudhall, of Gloucester, and two new ones added. These bells hung in the tower of the old church till its demolition in 1827. The tenor is now at St. Peter's Church, Oldham (q.v.), and another at St. James's, Oldham (q.v.). A third is said to have gone to Newton Heath Chapel (q.v.), but has since been recast. The churchwardens' accounts for the year 1722 record an assessment within the parish of Oldham" for Repair of the Church of Oldham, with other necessaries in and concerning the same, and for the Running down of Four Old Bells with th e Addition of Two New Ones." This is dated February 22nd, 1722. The cost of the bells is afterwards set out :-- £ s. d. Imprimis New Metal for the Bells 139 16 3 Item the Hangin g of the Bells ­ 28 5 0 For the Carriage of the Bells 13 10 a For our E xpences and other matters ­ 153 For Church Expences 23 6 More in th e Church Expences ­ 5 18 a Wine for the Church - 600 For Bred, Carriage, and Bell Ropes 200

• V. C.H. Lancs., v. 104, quoting P al. of Lanes. P lea R. 319, m 16d. t Perry-Gore, Ol dham Chapetry ; P: 53. CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 79

The following extracts from the churchwardens' ac­ counts relating to the bells and ringing are given by Mr. Perry-Gore :- £ s. d. 1734· Pd. to the Rin gers their wages 03 10 00 Thomas Davenport's Bill, Bell Stepps 093 Thomas Lightbown for a set of Bell Ropes o 16 2 1740 • Ringers' 'Wages (for the year) - 4 a 0 1753· F or Rin ging for prayers - 060 1754· F or helping Ogden and Lees to Repair 6tl.' Bell 006 1776. P aid the Ringers for Ringing when the nues came of the King's Troops having landed at Long Iland 03 6 Paid the Ringers for Ringing when the nues came of King's Troops took possession of New York - o 3 6

RI NGERS' ARTICLES. In 1745 articles were drawn up and signed between the Vicar and Wardens and the Ringers. For a copy of this agreement, dated June nth, 1745, I am indebted to Mr. Giles Shaw. It is as follows:- It is this Day agreed by and between Samuel Townson of Oldham, Clerk, John Woolfenden, John Wallwork, Ralph Brown, and Jonathan Taylor, Churchwardens of the same, up on th e one part, and Robert Dalton, Abraham Milns, James Milns, Isaac Gartside, jno Wallwork, and John Mellor as Ringers are to Ring the Ringing for the whole service for one whole year from the 13 instant till the 12 day of June 1746 Ringing upon IIth and 30th Days of October the 5th Day of November the 25th Day of De cember 1745 the 29 Day of May and the lIth Day of June 1746 together with all Sundays and other Sermon Days whatsoever that shall happen in the said year. And the aforesaid Samuel Townson Minister John Woolfenden, John Wallwork, Ralph Brown and Jonathan T aylor Churchwardens for and in Consideration of the said premises Do Promice unto the said Ringers for one Whole Year as aforesaid the Sume of Four Pounds of good and Lawfull Money of Great Brittan at two Severall Payments usu all. In Con sideration of which Sume the said Ringers shall and will Ring and Towl half. an Hour each Sermon day always beginning at such a time as publick Notice is given in the Church by the Min ister excepting upon Sacrament Days when they shall begin to Ring Half an Hour Later in the afternoon than usual And also the sa id Ringers Shall and will forfeite and Pay to John Mellor the sume of Two Pence Each that is not Ready in the Steeple or otherwise provide one in his room Except some reasonable Excuse to be approved on by the Church-Wardens for the time being And to Ring the said half Hour both before and after noon and Also the llo CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

Whole Set of Ringers Shall and will forfeit and Pay for any Gross or Bodily neglect the Sume of Twelve pence to the said Church-wardens Except some Reasonable Excuse to be approved of by the Minister and Two Inhabitants Constantly or Commanly atending the Church And it is further agreed that any Four of the said Body of Ringers Shall have a power to turn out anyone of the Same Ringers for any Misbehaviour when and as often as they Please. Similar articles were drawn up on June r rth, 1746, and signed by Benj, Dawson, John Taylor, Thomas Kershaw, and James Buckley, churchwardens; and Robert Dalton, Abraham Mills, Isaac Gartside, Peter Leese, John Wallwork, John Mellor, and Ralph Jackson, ringers. When the new bells were erected in 1830 there was only one other ring of twelve in the county-St. Nicholas, Liverpool (1812-13). There were only ten bells then at Ashton - under- Lyne, but in 1889 the Ashton ring was increased to twelve. Ashton, Liverpool, and Oldham are the only towns in Lancashire having a ring of twelve bells. Mr. Perry-Gore (Oldham Chapelry, p. 56) gives the following extracts, apparently from local newspapers, relating to the 1830 bells ;-

.. June z r, r830. BELLS FOR OLDHAM CHIJRCH.-A new peal of twelve bells for Oldham Church are now on the road from London, where tbey have been founding since about last August, by Messrs, Mears and Co. They are expected to arrive here at the commencement of the ensuing week, when a merry feast will take place on the occasion. The weight of the tenor bell is 33 cwt." ••June 28, r830. OLDHAM CHURCH BELLs.-On Monday morning last this new peal of bells, 12 in number, arrived by a fly boat from London, at Pickford 's Warehouse, Manchester. from whence they were conveyed to Oldham, which place they reached about six o'clock in the evening, by two carriages, drawn each by four horses. On entering Oldham a band of music and a vast crowd of spectators met and preceded them to the churchyard, where they now lie, awaiting the completion of a month or two, to raise and ring them in the noble steeple." The tenor bell was tolled in the churchyard on the day of the funeral of George IV., July 15th, 1830. References to the rivalry between the ringers of Oldham and Ashton will be found under ASHTON·UNDER·LvNE. CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 81

OLDHAM. ST. PETER. One bell.

I. ~~ 1722 A (bell) R vG">(~ (36in. diam.) Hangs in north-west turret. By Abraham Rudhall, of Gloucester. This is the tenor of the ring of six cast by Rudhall for Oldham Parish Church in 1722, and removed in 1827, when the old church was taken down. The bell has two bands of ornament below the shoulder, the date and founder's initials being in the upper band. St. Peter's Church dates from 1768, but was rebuilt in 1901.

OLDHAM. ST. JAMES. One bell.

I. THO BENT GEORGE TRAVIS lAMES SCHOALES IN WILDE CH.WARDENS 1722

Hangs in west tower. The bell is one of the ring of six cast by Abraham Rudhall, of Gloucester, in 1722, for Oldham Parish, and removed in 1827, when the old church was taken down. Thomas Bent was churchwarden for Oldham township, George Travis for Royton, James Schoales for Chadder­ ton, and John Wild for Crompton. St. James's Church was built in 1829.

PEEL. (). ST. PAUL. One bell.

I. 1758. (rqin. diam.) Hangs in west tower. The bell is from the old chapel built in 1759, where it hung in a bell cote over the west gable, The church was altered and enlarged in 1828, G CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. and pulled down in 1875. The present church stands on a site slightly to the south of the old chapel. The numerals of the date are similar to those used by Luke Ashton, of \Vigan, and the bell is probably one of his. But it is without lettering or ornament. .

PEEL. KENYON PEEL HALL. One bell. There was formerly a bell in the turret over the gate­ house at Kenyon Peel Hall inscribed-

COME AWAY MAKE NO DELAY A.R. 1731

It was by Abraham Rudhall, of Gloucester. When the hall was being restored about 1883 the bell was taken down and stored in a shed in Little Hulton village, with the intention of taking it back when the repairs to the gatehouse were finished; but it disappeared from the shed, and is supposed to have been stolen by an itinerant dealer.

PENDLETON. ST. THOMAS. Eight bells.

I. THE GIFT OF RINGERS. (Z7tin. diam.)

2. Floral band below shoulder. On waist: "5 was glal) wben tbc)2 salt! unto me ilUle will go Into tbe 1bouse of tbe :lLort!," (z8tin. diam.) 3. Floral band below shoulder. On waist: "!Dralse tbe :!Lorl) ll) tn)2 soul ant! torner not all 1bls beuents," (3o!in. diam.) 4. THE GIFT OF THE CHOIR. (ntin. diam.) CH URCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

5. THE GIFT OF BRINDLE HEATH CHURCH FRIENDS (35tin. diam.)

6. THE GIFT OF THE MOTHERS. (37-fr in. diam .)

7. THE GIFT OF A.W.R. AND H.W.R. (4Itin. diam.) 8. THE GIFT OF THE PARISH CHURCH SUN DAY SCHOOL TEACHERS AND SCHOLARS On waist : W. G. EDWARD REES, VICAR R. WINSTANLEY } CHURCHWARDENS W. PICKUP 1906 (47in. diarn.) Hung in two tiers in iron fram es in west tower. On th e waist of each bell is the circular trade mark of JOHN TAYLOR & co. LOUGH BOROUGH with the date 1906 below. On the tenor th e mark only. The seventh bell was t he gift of Art hur Wroe Roberts and Humphrey Wroe Roberts. The weights and notes ar e given on a card in the ringing chamber as follows :-

Cwts. qrs. lbs. Note . I 5 0 0 E 2 5 o 12 D sharp 3 5 2 25 C sha rp 4 6 2 14 B 5 7 3 5 A 6 9 I 2 2 G sha rp 7 1 2 2 19 F 8 18 o 10 E

The tenor is fling every day at 1 2 o'clock noon and is known as the " Prayer Bell." 114 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

The bells are a re-casting by Messrs. Taylor of a ring of eight cast in r844 by C. & G. Mears, of London, and opened on December 8th of that year. The cost was defrayed by subscription. The old tenor is said to have weighed 14 cwt.

PRESTWICH. ST. MARY. Eight bells.

1. THE GIFT OF BENJAMIN CARVER NOVEMBER 1910 (28in. diam.)

2. THE GIFT OF DORA CARVER NOVEMBER 1910 On 'Waist: SVRSVM CORDA (2gin. diarn.)

3· WHEN YOU ME RING ILL SWEETLY SING A.R. 1742 (32in.diam.)

4. J. TAYLOR AND Co FOUNDERS LOUGH BOROUGH 1883 (34in. diam.) 5· PEACE AND GOOD NEIGHBOVRHOOD 1721 (35!in. diarn.)

6. ABR : RVDHALL OF GLOVCESTER CAST VS ALL 1721 (37in. diam.)

7· GLORIA DEO IN EXCELSIS IN TERRA PAX (4oin. diam.)

8. JOHN HOPE THOs SCHOLS PETER ASTLEY I N° RAMSDEN MILES MATHER & WI:f GRUNDEY CHURCH WARDENS (43in. diarn.) CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 85

Hung in iron frames in two tiers in west tower: Nos. 3 and 4 in upper tier. There were four bells till the year 1721, when Abraham Rudhall, of Gloucester, recast them into five and added a sixth. Of th ese the treble was recast by Rudhall in 1742, and the second by Taylor in 1883. The weight of th e latter is 7 cwts. 2 qrs. 22 lbs. The old second bore the in­ scription PROSPERITY TO THE A.H. 172I. Thisis engravedon a small plate fixed to theheadstock of the new bell, together with the words RECAST 1883. Booker (Memorials of Presttoicb Church) states that the tenor was recast in 1791, but this may possibly refer to the seventh bell, which bears no date. The names of th e churchwardens on th e tenor show it to have been recast at a later date, in 1788. There was one warden for each of the six townships of Prestwich, Great Heaton, Little Heaton, , Tonge, and Pilkington. Two trebles by J. Taylor & Co., of Loughborough, were added to the ring in 1910. Ea·ch has two orna­ mental bands below the shoulder, with the inscription on one side and the oblong trade mark of Louci~~6~~UGH on the other. Their weights are 5 cwts. 2 qrs. 3Ibs. and 6 cwts, 0 qrs. r lb, respectively. The other bells were re­ hung at the same time. The approximate weights of the Rudhall bells (now Nos. 3-8) are given on a card in the ringing chamber as follows :-

I approx. 6 cwt. Note D. 2 c. " 6t" " 3 8 B flat. " " " A. 4 " 9 "" 5 II G. 6 " "" F. " 15 " " 1552 : .. Faure greate belles, too handde belles." 86 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

CHURCHWARDENS' ACCOUNTS. The following extracts from the churchwardens' accounts relating to the bells are taken from Booker's Memorials of the Church in Prestwi ch (r852) :- £ s. d. 1661. pd to Richard Mason ffor tow hundred and tow ffootee of timber for bell frames 02 15 00 1663. pd ffor swines grase and sallet oyle - 00 01 05 1673. P d ffor ringinge the 5 of November - 00 06 00 pd ffor ringinge at bringinge in of Christmas 00 03 06 1684. Pd to rin gers att crownation da y 00 03 06 1688. Pd to Thomas Kershaw ffor make inge a new wheele ffor ye greate bell 02 01 06 1702. Pd for ringing on the crownation day 00 0S 00 1703. p d to the ringers for good news 00 01 00 1705. Pd for rin ging for ye new s of our victory in Germanyv as. 1708. May 1. Pd for ringing for ye union 5';. 1709. Pd to the ringers for victory 7s. Pd. for rin ging on every Sunday in the year before morning and evening service I2S. IId. 1713. Pd for rin ging for ye news of peace 2S. 1715. Pd for ringing at the landing of King George 35. Pd for ringing at the coronation I DS . 1716. Pd to the ringers for ye news fro P eston 25 1717. Pd for ringing on the thanksgiving day for putting an end to ye rebellion 55. 1721. It is agreed by us whose names are subscribed .... to make one peal of bells being now four into six. 1721-22. pd to Mr~ Abr~ Ruddal's order his charges for recasting ye 4 old bells into 5. and adding a sixth new of his own metal. £125 - I- 5 Pd for carrying the old bells to Salop & bringing the new bells back £16 - 8 - 6 Pd Joseph Wrigley for taking down the old bells and hanging the new £38 - 0 - 0 Pd for bell ropes weighing 31 pds , at 6d per pd. 15s. 6d. pd spent when the new bells were first rung IDS. 1722. Pd the ringers for ringing before morning and evening service ye whole year £1 - 10 1730. Pd for ringing when Unsworth Chapel was consecrated 5s. 1740. Pd for ringing for the new s of laking Porto Bello 2S. 6d . 1741. Pd for ringing for the taking of Carthagena 1742. Pd for a new bell casl £17 - 9 . 0 Pd to Fras. Wrigley for hanging it £2 . 2S. 1743. Pd for ringing for ye Victory at Detlingen 2S. 6d. 1745. Pd for ringing twice for victory over ye Scotch rebels I8s. CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE .

1758. Resolved at a vestry meeting (June 4) th at no addition should be ma de to the salary of th e rin ger s, which was to rem ain as heretofore £4 per ann. 1759.Pd to the rin gers when French ships were taken 6s. Pd to th e ringer s when Quebeck was tak en 6s. Pd to th e ringer s when Thurot was defeated 3s. 1761. Tenor [IJ bell re-cast by Tyler & Ruddall of Shrewsbury Cos t of re-casti ng the bell, including all expe nses, £ 58 - 19 - 6 1762. Pd . for ringi ng for tak ing th e Havannah 9s. 1763. Pd . for rin ging for th e Peace 9S. 1765. Pd. th e ringers their wages £6 1776. Pd. ringers on the news of taking New York, etc . £1 - 6 - 0 1777. Pd. rin gers on taking of Philadelphia £r - 1 - a 1797. Pd . rin gers for ringin g for Admiral Duncan 's Victor y 5s. 1802. Ri nger s' wages advanced from £6 to £9 per ann . and the ir duty defined ;- to ring half an hour before service ; al so to rin g besides service days on 29 May, 4 Jun e, 25 October, 5 Nov., and 25 Dec. 1806. Rin ger s' Wages ad vanced to £12 per an n. 1813. pd rin gers for good news for downfall of "Buonaparte £1 - 10 • 0 1818. Pd ringer s & Q ueen Charlo tte's burial & minute bell , £ 2 - 7s.

RADCLIFFE. ST. MARY. Ei ght bells.

I. JOHN TAYLOR & Co FOUNDERS LOUGHBOROUGH A.D. 1861 On waist: IN MEMORY OF JAMES MATHER OF CROW OAKS STAND BY HIS WIFE AND FAMILY A.D. 1861 (27!in. diam .) 2. >I< J: TAYLOR & Co FOUNDERS LOUGH BOROUGH A.D . 1861 (28in . diam.)

3. 'JOHN TAYLOR & Co FOUNDERS LOUGH BOROUGH A.D . 1861 (j rin. diarn .) 4. The sam e. (32tin. diam.) 5. The sam e. (34in. diam.) 6. The same. (3Sin. diam.) 7. The same. (39in. diarn.) 88 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

8. JOHN TAYLOR & Co LOUGHBOROUGH LATE OF OXFORD & ST NEOTS HUNTS

On waist: IN THE PLACE OF SIX THIS PEAL OF EIGHT BELLS WAS ERECTED BY VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS A.D. 1861 (42in. diam.) Hung in wooden frame in west tower. The weights and notes of the bells are given on a card in the ringing chamber, dated 1896, as follows:-

C wts. qrs . Jbs. Note. I 4 3 21 F. 2 4 3 4 E. 3 5 2 18 D. 4 6 2 0 c. 5 6 3 19 B flat. 6 7 1 24 A. 7 8 3 25 G. 8 12 o 20 F.

Total ... 57 I 19

I552: "iij belles, ij hand belle s." I740 : Browne Willis about th is year notes live bells at Radcliffe. It is stated, but as yet I have not found evidence, that when the new ring of six bells was erected at Middleton Church in 1714 the old bells were taken to Radcliffe. There were five bells in the steeple at Middleton in 1552, and, as this is the number given by Browne Willis at Radcliffe, there seems some reason to credit the popular belief. These five bells were, however, apparently recast by Rudhall of Gloucester some time after 1740, and a new bell added. In the" Catalogue of Bells cast by the Rudhalls of Gloucester," printed by Canon Ellacombe in The Church Bells of Gloucestershire, Radcliffe, in Lanca- CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 89 shire, is included with a ring of six, the weight of the tenor being Scwt. The notes and approximate weights of Rudhall's ring are given on a card in the ringing chamber, signed by Mears & Stainbank, as follows;-

T 3t cwt. approximate. Note F sharp. 2 4" " E. :3 4t" "" D. 4 5" "" c sharp. 5 6" " " B. 6 8" "" A. No date is given.

RINGLEY. ST. SAVIOUR. One bell.

T...... 6X~v6'><~ SR EK .....€XJ.<"&...... €X~ (rSin. diam.) Ringley Chapel, in the parish of Prestwich, was built in 1625 by Nathaniel Walworth, but not consecrated till 1634. In the Abstract of Sentence of Consecration signed by Bishop Bridgeman, June rst, 1635, it is stated that Walworth had furnished the chapel with a pulpit and communion table, a bell, seats, and other things necessary. The existing bell is no doubt the one provided by Nathaniel Walworth, but what is the meaning of the letters I am quite un- (C 1i5)[ V able to say. The bell has a fieur-de-lys ~ ~ ~ border below the shoulder, broken only · by the -initials. There is no founder's mark nor date. The old chapel has been pulled down and a new church erected on a site further east. The bell, however, hangs in the now isolated tower of the old church, rebuilt in IS26. It acts as a clock bell. The bell has old-fashioned metal cannons, but has a hole below the shoulder on the side 90 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. facin g east. The inscription faces north. The present clock dates from Ig07. The bell is undoubtedly of seventeenth century date, and may be as old as 1625. At any rate it is not later than 1634.

RIVINGTON. One bell.

1. CAST BY JOHN WARNER & SONS LONDON 1873 Ot: ioais; :

PATENT. Hangs in octagonal stone turret over west gable. Very difficult of access owing to th e position of the organ at th e west end of the church. For the diameter of the bell and the inscription I am indebted to the Vicar (Rev. W. Ritson, B.A.) and the Rev . H. J. Elsee. In 1542 Oliver Brooke, Ralph Whittle, Hugh Whittle, and Richard Pilkington purchased"one certain Bell lat ely belongin ge unto the Church of \iVigan of the weight of 1080 pounds [gcwt. z qr s. 16Ibs.] from Sir William Hindley, prie st of W igan, and John Pennington of Inc e," for which they gave £15.* 1552: .. iij bells, ij Sacrying bells & iij other Iityll bell s to go nil to ye ptsh e wt." One of these bells, weighing 3 cwt. and valued at 45s., was kept back by the chapel wardens for the use of th e pari sh, and so the Treasury was short to th e value of this bell. At Queen Mary's Commission in April , 1554, Ralph Whittle and J ohn G re~n, " chyrche reves of the Chapell

• W. Fergusson Irvine, History of R ivington, p. 35. qu oting Towneley MSS. Nos . 1,970 and 1.724. Most of the particulars following ar e from Mr. Irvine's book. See also Raines. His t . of Chantries, pp . 258, 260, 274. 280. and Bailey. I nuentories of Church Goods. 39 . CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 9 1 of Rivington, deposed 'that there ys one belle yette remayninge at the said Chapell specified in the saide sedule which was seased to th' use of our late Kynge of famous memorye Kynge Edwarde the VP~ by Auctorytie of the said former comyssion.' " In 16II, when the manor of Rivington pass ed from the executors of Robert Pilkington to Robert Lever and Thomas Breres, there is mention in the deed of con­ veyance of the" Church and Chapelyard and Bell House in Rivington." "This reference to the Bell House," says Mr. Irvine, "is interesting. It is possible that the great bell, pur­ chased in 1542, even if it did not weigh quite as much as Towneley's transcript of the documents seems to make out, was altogether too heavy for the little chapel belfry, and consequently a detached Campanile, or Bell Cote, was built to the west of the church, and that this is the little building still standing, though its object has been often overlooked and misunderstood. A further reference to this occurs in the inquisition post-mortem of Robert Lever in 1621, when it is called dotnus campanarii, and it is enumerated among the possessions of which he had enjoyed a moiety." I think there is little doubt but that the building to the north-west of the church is the donuts catnpancrii here referred to. Probably it would be built to receive the old Wigan bell in 1542. It is a rectangular stone structure, with two floors, measuring externally 13ft. Sin, by rzft. 6in. Itwas re-roofed about fifteen years ago, ·and is now used for the storage of tools and coke. There are references in the churchwardens' accounts to the "Bell house" as late as 1825. There is a detached bellhouse of similar character at Middleton-in-Teesdale, co. Durham, but this at Rivington is the only one in Lancashire. CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

Mr. J. Eglington Bailey in a note in the Inventories of Church Goods (Chet. Soc., cvii. 1879) says that"the date of the present bell is 1705." This is obviously wrong as regards the bell in 1879, when the book was' publi shed, but Mr. Bailey's note may have been written before 1873, when the bell was re-cast.

E XT RACTS FROM CHURCHWARDENS' ACCOUNTS. £ s. ti . 1782. T o Cleaning th e Bell house 010 1783. Ju ne 18 . A lock for the Be ll hou se door ­ o I 10 1786. T o opening windows at Bell hou se - 006 1790. May 30. Repairing Bell Wheel and other work o I 9 1795· R ep airing the Bell wheel . o I 3 1796. To repairing th e Bell wheel o 1 0 1801. To repairing the Bell wh eel 0 2 0 180 2. To repairing the Cupola. Church Roof, BpJJ house, etc. - 2 6 6 1804 . April 3. To R . Marsden for repairing the Be JJ I 7 7 To mending the Bell hou se door 0 1 6 1 8 09. T o clea ning the lower Bell room 0 1 6 1810. To Larg lock for the lower Bell room 0 I 0 18Il. T o new lock for th e Bell house - 0 3 0 1825. Oct. 4. Cleaning the Bell house 0 1 3 1863. New bell clapper 0 12 6 From 1807 to 1820 or thereabouts there is a yearly charge of IIS. gd. for " washing Surplice and Ringing." From 1841 to about 1856 there is a yearly cha rge of lOS. for" ringing."

ROCHDALE. ST. CHAD. Ei ght bells.

1. IN. RUDHALL FEeT 1787 (ellgraved) (30in. diam.)

2. Robs Bell, In o Crorbey, lame Longden & Lawrence Lord, Church Wardens 1787 (m graved) (3otin. diam .)

3· PROSPERITY TO THE TRADE OF THE TOWN A (bell) R 1752 (Fa-in. diam .) CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 93

4· PEACE & GOOD NEIGHBOURHOOD A (bell) R 1752 (ntin. diam.)

5· ABEL RUDHALL OF GLOUCESTER FOUNDER 1752 (36tin. diam.)

6. SAMUEL DUNSTER D.D. VICAR A (bell) R 1752. (38in. diam.)

7· THOs WOOD. IOHN SCHOLFIELD. IOHN SMITH, EDMUND REDFEARN. CHURCH WARDENS A (bell) R 1752 (4I!in. diam.) s. THIS BELL WAS RECAST By IOHN RUDHALL GLOCESTER 1812 On waist within a shield:

SUCCESS TO THE TOWN & TRADE OF ROCHDALE T. DRAKE D. D. VJCAR T. STEELE. A. B. CU RATE S. NEWALL. T. HEAPE. E. DAWSON. J . CHADWICK CHURCH WARDENS D. NIELD CLERK 181 2

(46in. diam.), 94 CHURCH B ELLS OF LA N CASHIRE.

Hung In wooden fram e in west tower. The frame bears the name of H ooper, Exeter, 1872. Nos. 3 to 7 belong to a ring of six cast by Abel Rudhall, of Gloucester, in 1752, the tenor of which was recast in 1812, To this ring of six two trebles by John Rudhall were added in 1787. The inscriptions on the two trebles are engraved below the shoulder, not cast on the bell in the usual way. On the second bell the name of the second warden is wrongly spelt. It sh ould be Crossley, and the third should be Longden. The Rev. Samuel Dunster , D.D., was vicar of Rochdale from 1722 till his death in 1754. He is noticed in the Dictionary of N ational Biography. The notes and approximate weights (calculated by Mears & Stainbank) of. the bells are given on a printed notice in the ringing chamber as follows:-

I 5t cwt, appro ximate. Note E Bat. 2 6 D. " " " 6,1 C. 3 -1 " " " B flat. 4 7t "" " A flat. 5 8! " " 6 G. 9:1- " " " J2 F. 7 " " " 8 E flat. J7 " " " Before re-casting the tenor IS said to have weighed 20 cwt. Its present weight is said to be 17 cwt. 3 qrs. q lbs." In the" Catalogue of Bells" cast by the Rudhalls, of Gloucester, printed by Canon Ellacombe in Churcli B ells in Gloucestershire, the weight of the Rochdale tenor is given as 17 cwt.

1552 : .. F yve grete belles & ij hand belles."

• Fi shw ick, Hist ory of Rochdale, p. 140. CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 95

The following particulars concerning the Rochdale bells are taken from Canon Raines' MSS. in the Chetharn Library, vol. xv., pp. 180-3:- Prior to 1719 there were only five bells. A sixth was ordered on November 4th of that year. In 1745 there was a great difference of opinion about having a new first treble bell. Notice was given on ] uly 14th to meet on the following Tuesday to consider the matter. The meeting was of the inhabitants of the parish, who there voted For a Bell 18s-against 397. On August t Sth notice was given that any inhabitant who would have given a vote (for a Bell or No Bell), who was refused to give a vote, or who could not get up to give their vote, was desired to appear in the church the following Friday, when th e inhabitants were to see the seals on the vestry books opened. On the Friday the additional votes were, For a Bell 4­ against 142. The total vote, therefore, was 189 for a bell, and 539 against, "so that the question was de­ cidedly lost." In ]une, 1751, a new bell was ordered at th e expense of Dr. Dunster, vicar, and the five others were ordered to be recast. It seems that one of the old ones had been broken. On]uly 17th there was an agreement respecting these bells. In ]uly, 1787, two more bells and a set of chimes were ordered, making the ring up to eight. Mr. Rudhall's charge for the two new bells was £100. On February rjth, 1812, the tenor "was ord ered to be replaced with a new one," and the old one was to be sold, Dr. Drake, the vicar, was directed to write to Gloucester thereon. RINGING, etc. There is an order dated February 15th, 1715-6, that the ringers are only to have £5 per annum 96 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. for ringing on Sundays, holidays, and on public occa­ sions, and their payment seems for the most part to be regulated by the vestry. A similar order is dated June 1St, 1746. 1752, August 25th. The six ringers are to have {,6 per annum during pleasure. 1762, June loth. Seven ringers were appointed by name for the present year under good behaviour. 1763, October r jth. The ringers were to have yearly during pleasure {,7. lOS. to ring on all Sundays, fasts, and festivals, the King's Birthday, Accession, and Coro­ nation days, and all Publick Rejoicing days. 1789, April rjth. It appears that the clock and chimes had been made by Mr. John Barnish, of Rochdale, and that the charges for the same had exceeded the price stipulated for. At a meeting this day, however, the parish on consideration voted John Barnish the difference, and ordered him twenty guineas as a compliment for the great merit and ingenuity displayed in constructing the machinery of the chimes. 1789, October 6th. One guinea addition to the sexton's wages was ordered for his winding up the chimes, but this was taken off on November 29th of the same year, and four guineas per annum was ordered to Mr. John Barnish for his care of the clock and chimes. 1820. Immediately on the arrival of the news of the death of King George III. were muffled and continued so till after the funeral. The bell tolled four hours every day from 8 to 12 at noon and a peal from 12 to 1. On the day of the funeral the bell tolled from 6 in the morning till 12 at noon, at which hour the funeral was to take place. 1837. The same form was observed on the death of King William IV. CHURCH B ELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 97

RINGERS' RULES. The following undated rules are painted in "lower case" letters on a board in the ringing chamber ;-

.. You Gmllemm that Ringers are, Please read these Rules & take great care. No bell o'erturn for if you do Si xpence you pay before you go. lf you brawl, sware, ill words express, Your forfeit then shall be no less; Who offend s by tongue or Fingers Must forfeit pay to th e Ringers. Then meet in love and part in peace, It will your comfort much increase; Observing Time, your Peals to Ring, And humbly pray for GEORGE our KING."

CHURCHWARDENS' ACCOUNTS. Canon Rain es made some extracts from the wardens' accounts, and from his MSS. at the Chetham Library, Manchester, the following items relating to the bells are taken. The accounts begin in 1640.

c s. d. J642. The old Bell Ropes given to Chappells. 1643. Pd for Ringing the 5th of November - 00 05 00 1649. Pd for Ringing on th e Rushbearing day - 00 01 00 1657. pd for Wringinge at Rishbearinge (disallowed) 00 01 00 1665. Pd Clarke for Ringinge 8 of Clock 1666. pd Clarke I S 8d more for rin gin g 8 in the winter season Pd ringers uppon Thanksgiving Day 00 02 00 1670. Pd to the Rin gers for ringing on the 29th of May 00 02 06 1695. Pd Rin gers when Lord Derby was at Castleton 00 03 00 16g6. Pd Ringers when Bish op came - 00 05 00 1706. Pd Ringers for the news of Turin 00 06 00 Pd them at Thanksgiving by order of Mr. H olt & Mr. Pi gott - 01 04 00 1717. Pd more to Ringers by Mr. Entwistles orders 00 IO 00 1757. A letter from Mr. Rudall - 00 00 04 1787. Pd to Mr. R udall for two new bell s - - JOO 00 00 1788. P d to Mr. Joh n Bar nish, Clock Maker, for a set of Ch.imes - 193 00 00 H 98 CHURCH B EL LS OF LANCASHIRE.

ROCHDALE (WAR DLEWOHTH ). ST. MARY. One bell.

1. John t'aylor & Co. )..oughborough-I-191O (t qin, diam.) Hung in open turret at west end of church. There is a vine leaf border below th e inscription band. The weight is 1CWt. 1qr. z6lbs. The church dat es from 1740, but was almost entirely rebu ilt in Ig10.

ROYTON. ST. PAUL. Ei ght tubes. A set of eight tubular" bells" by Harrington, Latham, and Co., of Coventry, hun g in north-west tower. The tower and nave were rebuilt in r Sqo, and th e tubes are probably of this dat e. The wherea bouts of th e old bell I have as yet been un able to disco ver. Royton Church as built in 1754 was a rec tangular struct ur e with a bell turret at the west end. In 1828 a west tow er was erected and a clock purchased. In 1854 the building was lengthened, and in 1883 the present chancel built. The nave and tower followed in 1890. \ Vriting to me in June, 1916, about the old church bell the vicar sta tes: " As far as I can get to know the general impression is th at it is in St. Anne's School, Longsight, Oldham. " But on visiting Long-sight I found th at the general impression there was th at th e bell at the school was the old Royton fire bell. Possibly the bell at the old church was used as a fire bell. The bell at St. Anne's Scho ol is witho ut dat e or inscription, and is 17in. in diameter. It has old-fashioned metal cannons, CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 99 but no inscription band below the shoulder. St. Anne's is a new parish (1910), but the school was erected in 1878 as a branch school of St. Paul's. A new school is in course of erection (july, 1916).

RUSHOLME. ST. JAMES, B IRCH. Eight bells.

1-8. G. MEARS & Co FOUNDERS LONDON 1863 In addition each bell has on th e waist an inscription as follows :-

1. GIVEN BY THE CONGREGATION PRAISE HIM ALL YE ANGELS OF HIS PRAISE HIM ALL HIS HOST (26in. diam.)

2 . GIVEN BY THE PARISHONERS PRAISE THE LORD OF HEAVEN PRAISE HIM IN THE HEIGHT (27in. dia rn.) 3. GIVEN BY CONGREGATION & PARISHONERS PRAY ONE FOR ANOTHER (2gin. dia m.)

-4 . GIVEN BY THE CONGREGATION WATCH AND PRAY (30!in. diarn.)

5. GIVEN BY THE RECTOR 'REJOICE WITH THEM THAT DO REJOICE AND WEEP WITH THEM THAT WEEP (32in. dia m.) 6. A. F. WATCH YE, STAND FAST IN THE FAITH ( ~ 4in. diam .) 100 CH URCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

7. A. F. AWAKE THOU THAT SLEEPEST ARISE FROM THE DEAD (3ain. diam.) 8. FROM BEQUEST OF ALICE FLETCHER HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD (43in. diarn.) Hung in iron frames in west tower. The third bell is hung by itself above the others. The bells were first rung on July 25th, 1863. Rehung 1900. The weights are as follows ;-

Cwts. qr s. lbs . Cwts. qrs . lbs. 1 4 3 0 5 6 ° 22 2 4 3 7 6 7 2 2 3 5 0 8 7 9 3 26 4 5 2 4 8 13 2 19 ---- . Total 57 2 4

The present church was built in 1845-6, replacing the old chapel of Birch, pulled down at that time; The bell from the old chapel is now (1914) on the floor of the bell chamber. It is inscribed- WM BIRCH ESQR HIS GIFT m 1727 (15in. diam.)

It originally hung in an octagonal turret over the west gable of the old building, but was transferred to the new church in 1846, where it was the only bell until the new ring of eight was obtained in 1863. Mr. Wm. Royle informs me that after that date it was used to summon the ringers, and so continued till the bells were rehung in 1900. The bell h as no founders' initials, but there is a fleur de 1ys before the date. CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. IOI

RUSHOLIVI E. PLATT CHAPEL. One bell. At Platt Chapel (now Unitarian) is a bell by Abraham Rudhall, of Gloucester, inscribed :-

COME AWAY MAKE NO DELAY A R. 1718 (rSin. diarn.) The original chapel was opened in 1700 and pulled down in 1790. The present building was opened in May, 1791. The chapel stands due north and south, and the bell is hung in a bell cote at the south end. In I9II, when the bell was taken down and rehung, the in­ scription was noted by Mr. Vim. Royle, to whom I am indebted for the transcript.

SALFORD. SACRED TRINITY. Six bells.

1. WILLM BARLOW & RICHD WHITEHEAD GENTLEMEN PEACE & GOOD NEIGHBOURHOOD AR. 1748 (zoin. diam.)

2. PROSPERITY TO THE TOWN OF SALFORD A. R. 1748 (3Iin. diam.] 3· FEAR GOD HONOUR THE KING AR. 1748 (32in. diam.) 4· ABEL RUDHALL FOUNDER 1748 SAML: WORTHINGTON CH.WARDEN (33in. diam.) 5· THE GIFT OF lAMES CHETHAM OF SMEDLEY ESQR AR. 1748 (36in.diam.) 6. + ;Jfirst !Jung B.lD. 1748. 1Re",cast 1901. 1BUllDBUJ6 lD~m5'ft.lUlm THE GIFT OF ROBERT BOOTH ESQR PATRON OF THIS CHAPEL A.R. 1748. (42in. diam.) lOZ CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

Hung 10 wooden frame in west tower. A complete rin~ by Abel Rudhall, of Gloucester, the tenor of which was recast in 1901 by Messrs. John Taylor & Co., of Loughborough. It has Taylors' trade mark on the waist, and weighs IIcwts, 3 qrs. z lbs, The old inscription has been retained.

RINGERS' RULES. The following rules are cut in "lower case" letters on a stone in the north wall of the ringing chamber:

You that are Ringers or would learn to Rin g observe these orders well in every thing He that for want of care o'er turns a Bell Shall 2d pay in Money not in Ale. and He that Rings with either Spur or H at Shall pay His 6d certainly for that . He that presumes to Ring and spoils a P eal Shall 6d pay in Money or in Ale. these orders well observe and then you may with Pleasure spend with us thi s joyful day .

SALFORD. ST. STEPHEN. One bell.

I. REV. E. BOOTH ST STEPHANS SALFORD 1817. WILLIAM DOBSON, DOWNHAM, NORFOLK, FECIT. (42in. diam.) Hung in wooden frame in west tower. The church was built in 1794.

SHAW. HOLY TRINITY. One bell.

L J: TAYLOR & Co BELLFOUNDERS LOUGH­ BOROUGH LEICESTERSHIRE 1876 (50~in. diam.) Hung in wooden frame in central tower. The present church was built in 1869-71, replacing old Shaw Chapel, CH URCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 103 which stood till th e completion of the new building. The chapel had been rebuilt in 1735. The bell was the gift of Mrs. Fitton, Shaw Lodge, a nd Mr. Rawdon, of York, cousin of the Rev.]. H. Rawdon, M.A., vicar of Preston (1877 - 1900 ). It weighs 21 cwts. z qrs. , and was first rung on th e first Sunday in Advent, 1877.

1552: "A litle bell ."

There was a sin gle bell in the west turret of the old chapel pulled down in 1871. This presumably was used in the new chu rch till 1877, but I have not been able to discover what then became of it. It may be th e bell now at the scho ol, but this is very difficult of access. "In 1821 the chapel bell rang at nine o'clock on Sundays, and at eleven o'clock on Saturday nights, as a signal to close all public houses." (Rev. G. Allen, Shaw in Bygone Days, p. 37.)

STRETFORD. ST. MATTHEW. Six bells.

I . CAST BY JOHN WARNER & SONS LONDON On waist :

PATENT. (26tin. diarn.)

2. The same. (28in. diam.)

3· CAST BY JOHN WARNER & SONS LONDON 1870 (2gin. diam.) 4. The same. (j rin. diam .)

5. CAST BY JOHN WARNER & SONS LONDON 104 CHURCJI B ELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

On waist : THESE FIVE BELLS WERE PRESENTED TO ST. MATTHEW'S PARISH CHURCH STRETFORD BY HENRY HAYES ESQR MYRTLE LODGE STRETFORD 1870 DUDLEY HART M.A. RECTOR JOHN WREAKS } THOMAS WHITEHEAD CHURCHWARDENS (34in. diam.)

6. THOMAS MEARS FOUNDER LONDON 1842. (4oin. diam .)

Hung in wooden fram e in west tower. The tenor is the single bell provided for th e new church built in 1842, to which the other five bells were added in 1870. They were presented by Mr. Hayes in memory of his wife, who died August 17th, 1868, and were dedicated on December arst, 1870. Each of these bells has on the waist the royal arms and the word PATENT. Clock strikes hour on tenor. The old chapel of Stretford stood until the new church was completed and was th en pulled down. 1t had a single bell in a turret over the west gable. This bell, which seems to have dat ed from 1781, was sold on the demolition of the chapel to Mr. Peter Leigh, ironmonger, of Salford. Mr. J. Eglington Bailey tried to trace it in 1817, but without success." His said to have been a bell of" agreeable tone." The following extracts from th e cha pel-wardens' ac-

•L ocal Gleanings, L anes. &- Chesh., ii. 150; Malle. Courier, Dec. z rst, 18n. CHU HCH B EL L S OF LANCASHIRE . 105 counts relating to th e bell are taken from 1\'1r. H . T. Cr ofton's H is/Dry of Siretford Ck apelr»: £ s. d . 1718. Two men a clay to prop the auld chancel & Board ye Bell House' hol1 up 0 2 0 I'd T ho. Ba rrow for shutting ye Chancel & Be ll hous & laying the Bellhouss ye windows & doors in oyl col1ers 2 2 6 pd Jon Ro binso n for fflagging th e cha nce l & mossing it and sleating ab out ye Bellho uss 0 13 6

From about 1768 th e clerk was paid a shilling a yea r "for ringing the 5th of November," and from 1783 the bell was rung at five o'clock in the morning at a charge of lOS. a year. In 1778 th e bell was run g on th e receipt of th e news of th e takin g of Philadelph ia, and in 1780 th eir was" ringing for Rodn ey." In 1781 a new bell was put up and 5S. 6d. was spent in drink on th e occasion. In 1778-80 butchers' stalls used to stand in th e market place. They were to be removed at nin e o'clock in th e summer and 9-30 in' th e winter, and notice was given of th e tim e allowed them being expired by th e ringing of the chapel bell. Up to 1863 th e cur few bell was ru ng, but was then discontinued by orde r of th e churchwa rdens.

SWINTON. S T. PETER. E ight bells.

1. GIVEN BY THE TEACHERS & SCHOLARS OF SAINT PETER'S SUNDAY SCHOOL 1872 (30in. diarn.]

• This seems to be the ter m used for the octa gonal bell turret on the roof. .. Shutting" mean s covering , a nd flagging th e chance l refers to stone slat es or flags on the roof. 106 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

2. WHEN I DO CALL COM E SERVE GOD ALL 1872 (3Iin. diam.)

3. BE THE DAY WEARY BE THE DAY LONG AT LENGTH IT RINGETH TO EVENSONG 1872 (33lin. diam.

4. ON EARTH BELLS DO RING IN HEAVEN ANGELS SING 1872 (36in. diam.)

S. RING IN THE LOVE OF TRUTH AND RIGHT (39in. diam .)

6. o PRAISE THE LORD (4Iin. diam.)

7. THOSE WHO CAN HEAR BUT CANNOT SEE THE SOUND OF THIS BELL EVER WELCOIVIE BE JUNE 17, 1869 (Hin. dian1.)

8. JESU FULFIL WITH 1HY GOOD GRACE ALL THAT WE BECKON TO THIS PLACE A.D. 1869 (49tin. diarn.)

Hung in wooden fram e in west tower. The inscrip­ tions are all on th e waists, the band below the shoulder in each case being blank. The bells are all by John Warner &Sons , of Lond on, and each has on the waist, opposite th e inscription, th e quatrefoil trade mark of the firm with th e initi als w.is. and th e date. The fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth bells date from 1869; the other four were added in 1872. Clock strikes hours on tenor and the quarters on other bells. The weight of the tenor is given as 20t cwt. The pre sent church was built in 1869, repl acin g one erected in 1781. CHURCH BELLS OF LA NCASHIRli. 107

TODMORDEN. ST. MARY. One bell.

I. In·lucunNtate·Sont·Sonabo·Utbt· IDne·ln· IDu[cebtne· 'IDocis .cantabo . Uno ·'lRoe . 011 ieaist : s·m· JE 1':&· tID ·1603 mecast Uower ratseo new G:lOCR b}? ~ubltc Subscription 1860 011 sound bow: mears 1onbon fectt 1860 (32in. diarn.) Hung in wooden frame in west tower. The inscription on the waist, other than the initials, is engraved, not cast on. The old bell is said to have borne the initials and date w .o, 1603, but I have been unable to confirm this. These initials are not on the present bell, as stated in the Victoria , v., 232. If they were on the old bell it was no doubt by William Oldfield, of York, who was casting between 1601 and 1656. The Latin inscription was one commonly used by him . 1552: No bell mentioned. The old parochial chapel was rebuilt in 1770, but was superseded as the parish church by Christ Church in 1832.

TODMORDEN. CHRIST CHURCH. 8+4 bells. Christ Church was built in 1832 and till 1897 had only one bell. This bell still hangs in the tower, used as a clock bell. It is inscribed-

THOMAS MEARS OF LONDON FOUNDER 1836 (46tin. diarn .) 108 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

In 1897 a set of eight rin ging bells and three chiming or extra bells for tune playing by Taylor, of Lough­ brough , were presented to the church by Miss Hannah H oworth, and hun g in a framew ork of iron on steel girders. Each of these eleven bells has on the waist the circular trade mark of JOHN TAYLOR & CO. LOUGHBOROUGH, with th e date 1897 below. The bells were dedi cat ed June r qth , 1897.

THE RINGI NG BELLS.

1. TO GOD THE FATHER (29tin. diam.)

2 . GOD THE SON (29i in. diarn .) 3. AND GOD THE SPIRIT (32%in. di arn .) 4. THREE IN ONE (3Sin. diam.) 5. BE HONOUR, PRAISE ( 3 K~ in. diam.) 6. AND GLORY GIVEN (4otin. dia rn.) 7. BY ALL IN EARTH On waist : EDWARD J. RUSSELL, M.A. VICAR ARTHUR S. ROBERTS M.A. ASSISTANT PRIEST SAMUEL FIELDEN J.P. t WILLIAM A. SUTCLIFFE J WARDENS CALEB HOYLE FIRST MAYOR OF THE BOROUGH (44~in. diam.) 8. AND ALL IN HEAVEN On waist : THIS PEAL OF ELEVEN BELLS WAS PRESENTED TOTODMORDEN PARISH CHURCH BYMISS HANNAH HOWORTH OF BROCKLYN HOUSE IN MEMORY OF HER BROTHERS AND SISTERS DECEASED IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 1897 BEING THE SIXTIETH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF HER MAJESTY QUEEN VICTORIA (satin. diam.) CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. 109

THE CHIMING OR EXTRA BELLS.

1. DEUS HOMO (27~in. diarn.)

2. REX CCELORUM (3rin. diam.) 3. MISERERE MISERORUM 36!in. diarn.) The weights and notes of the bells are as follows :- Cwts. qr s. lbs , Note. I 6 0 2"! E flat. 2 6 2 8 D. 3 7 3 12 C. 4 8 3 0 B flat. S 10 3 16 A flat. 6 12 2 6 G. 7 17 o 24 F. 8 23 I 13 E flat.

Total ... 93 I 17

EXTRA BELLS. Cwts. qrs. lbs, I 5 2 S F. Note abov e treble. 2 7 0 8 D flat. Minor 7th. 3 9 I 26 A. Augmented 4th.

22 o II The Rev. Canon E. J. Russell, M.A., was vicar of Todmorden from 1883 to 1910, when he resign ed. H e died in 1911. The Rev. A. S. Roberts, M.A., became rector of Tatham, in Lonsdale, in 1902.

TOTTINGTON. ST. ANNE. One bell. 1. Blank. (zqin. diam.) Hung in an open turret over the west gable. The church is a plain rectangular structure erect ed in 1799, but the bell is apparently much .later in date. It has a plain band with double fillets below the sh ould er, but is IJO CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. without inscription, date, or makers' mark. The bell is chimed by a rope attached to the clapper. It is also used as a clock bell.

TURTON. ST. ANNE. One bell.

I. G. MEARS FOUNDER LONDON On upper part of waist : ST ANNS TURTON 1859 (36in. diarn.) Hung in wooden frame, with wooden headstock, in west tower. Used also as a clock bell. The present church was built in 1841, replacing an old chapel. 1552: .. A Bell ."

TURTON TOWER. A bell formerly at Turton Tower is now at Sir Lees Knowles's residence, W estwood, Pendlebury. It is said to have hung at the exterior of the north-west corner of the tower just above the most ancient part of th e structure, but was taken down in November, 1879, and placed in the entrance hall, wh ence it was removed by Sir Lees Knowles after his purchase of the estate in 1903. The bell is II~ in. diameter, and 9 in. high, or r j in. to the top of the cannons and bears the inscription o WN RO 1587 (See illustration.) A lengthy account of this bell, by Mr. Robert Langton, appeared in Old S outh-East Lancashire, April, 1880 (pp. 121-4), with a full size facsimile of the inscription, from which the accompanying illustration is taken. Mr. CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE, III

Langton suggests that WON stands for 'William New­ combe, founder, of Leicester, the W O representing the ablative case of the Latin form of 'William. Apart from the rather fanciful nature of this suggestion \Villiam Newcombe must, I fear, be ruled out as founder of this bell, as his work does not occur before c. 1602-12. The initials R 0 are generally taken to indicate Ralph Orrell, lord of the manor of Turton. But Ralph died in 1533, and left as his heir John Orrell, then twenty-five years of age, who died in 1581. John was succeeded by William Orrell, who made considerable additions to Turton Tower, and no doubt caused this bell to be cast. There is no doubt about the date, though ignorant writers, not familiar with the form of the numerals usual in the sixteenth century, have read the date as 1287. The shield is usually stated to be that of Orrell, the lords of Turton, but a comparison of the two shows that this is not so. The Orrell arms were-Argent three torteaux in bend between two bendlets gules, a chief sable. This shield has three annulets on a bend. The initials R 0 may refer to Rowland Oldfield, bellfounder, of York, who was casting between 1586 and 1615, or, more likely, to Robert Orrell, of Wigan, who cast a bell for Bodfari Church, Flintshire, in 1592. Reference has already been made to this founder, of whom little is known, in the first part of this paper under "Winwick," and WON are probably the initials of William Orrell and his wife. The fact that John Orrell, who died in 1581, left amongst.other heirlooms" a bell," has been used to prove that the date on the existing bell must be older than 1587. But there can be no question of the date 1587 on the bell, and, therefore, it cannot be the one mentioned in John Orrell's will. It is possible that William Orrell had this "hare lome" recast, but on the other hand it is far more 11 2 CH URCH B E L LS OF LANCASHIRE . likely that the existing bell was a new one at the time when William Orrell was making his extensive additions and alterat ions to th e house.

UNSWORTH. ST. GEORGE. One bell. The bell hangs in a bell cote over the west gable, and is inaccessible except by a ladder from th e out side. I was unable to get at the bell on the occasion of my visit to the church , but the vicar kindly put up a ladder lat er and a workman inspected th e bell. H e " said posit ively that th ere was no inscription what ever." The diam eter is 2 7 ~ i n . The bell is by Cha rles Ca rr, of Smethwick, cast sometime between 1895 and 1900. The old bell fell down and was replaced by the pre sent one. Messrs. Cha rles Carr Limited are unable to say when th e bell was cas t, as, owing to th e conversion of the firm into a company, the old books are not available. The present church was built in 1843, replacin g a chapel erected in 1730. In the churchwardens' accounts of Prestwich, of whi ch this was a chapel, is th e entry, " 1730 P''. for rin ging ' when Unsworth Ch apel was consecrated, 5s."

WALMSLEY C H RIS T CHU I~C H . One bell.

I. J: TAYLOR & Co BELLFOUNDERS LOUGH­ BOROUGH 1882 On waist : TO THE HONOUR AND GLORY OF GOD A.D. 1882 AT THE AGE OF TWENTY AND THREE SAMUEL ISHERWOOD GAVE ME THAT TO THE CHURCH I MIGHT CALL THEE (4oin. diarn.) CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. II3

Hung in wooden frame in west tower. The church was built in 1839, in place of old Walmsley chapel, which stood on a site nearly a mile further north. A correspondent in the Bolton Weekly [ournal of July 5th , 1879. wrote, "If I am not in error the present church bell is the one which was used in the old chapel." Whatever it was this bell gave place three years later to the present one. There was" a bell" at Walmsley chapel in 1552.

WESTHOUGHTON. ST. BARTHOLOMEW. Eight bells. I. J. TAYLOR & Co FOUNDERS LOUGH­ BOROUGH 1870. (27in. diam.) 2. The same. (28in. diam.) 3. The same. (join. diam.) 4. The same. Ott waist: S: KATERINA (3Iiin. diam .) 5. J. TAY LOR & Co F0 U N D E R S LOU GH- BOROUGH 1870 (34in. diam.) 6. J. TAYLOR & Co FOUNDERS LOUGH- BOROUGH 1872 (36in. diam.) 7. J. TAY LOR & Co F0 U N DE RS LOU GH. BOROUGH 1870 On waist: THIS PEAL OF EIGHT BELLS WAS GIVEN BY RICHARD HADDOCK ESQRE 1870 (4oin. diam.) 8. The same. (Hin. diam.)

Hung in wooden frame in south-east tower. Clock strikes hours on tenor and chimes the quarters. The CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. bells cost £600. The clock was purchased by public subscription. The sixth bell appears to have been recast in 1872. The weights are as follows:-

Cwts. qrs, lbs, Cwts, qrs. lbs . I 4 3 10 5 8 o 22 2 5 2 12 6 8 3 0 3 6 ° 19 7 10 3 7 4 6 2 9 8 13 I 14 ---- Total 64 I 9 In 1896 ground rents of gross annual value of £32 were given by Mrs. Makant as an endowment to the organ and bells, equally divided. The present church was consecrated August 24th, 1870, replacing a sixteenth century chapel rebuilt in 1731.

1552: "ij littyll bells in the handesoff James Browne Esquire."

WH ITWORTH. ST. BARTHOLOMEW. Eight bells.

1. ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S CHAPELRY 1529 On waist: CAST 1656 RECAST 1775 AND 1910 (27in. diam.)

2. ST CHAD (27tin. diam.)

3· GIVEN BY JAMES HENRY AND ALICE SCHOLFIELD AND THEIR CHILDREN JAMES RALPH SCHOLFIELD ALICE MINNIE CLEGG ETHEL HUNT BASIL SCHOLFIELD (29tin. diam.) CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE. uS

4· GIFT OF THE HOWARTH FAMILY LATE OF WHITWORTH IN MEMORY OF THEIR FATHER MOTHER AND BROTHER OCTOBER 1910 (3I lin. diam.) 5. TH E SCHOOLS (34in. diam.) 6. PARISHONERS (35!in. diam.), 7. VEN ITE EXVLTEMVS DEO (39lin. diam.) 8. TE DEVM LAVDAMVS 1850-1910 (Hlin. diam.) A complete ring by J. Taylor & Co., of Loughborough, 1910, hung in west tower. Each bell has a band of ornament below the shoulder with the oblong tr ade mark of I'-LOUJ'~~~~~UGH I, except the tenor where the circular trade mark is used with the Agnus Dei and names of JOHN AND DENISON TAYLOR LOUGHBOROUGH. The inscriptions on the third and fourth bells are on the waists, the band of ornament being unbroken. In the other cases the orna­ ment is broken by the inscription. On the tenor the, dates 1850-1910 is on a second band. 1850 was the year of consecration of the present church. The bells were dedicated October aznd, 1910. The weights are given as follows :- Cwts , qrs. lbs , I 5 0 13 2 5 0 5 3 5 3 7 4 6 o 24 5 7 2 0 6 8 0 2 7 II I 12 8 IS 3 I

Total .. . 64 3 IS 1I6 CHURCH BELLS OF LANCASHIRE.

The treble is a recasting of a very interesting bell, itself a recasting in 1775 of a bell dating from 1656. Unfortunately, no rubbing of the inscription seems to have been kept, but it was transcribed in 1871 by the Rev. Edwin Brierley, vicar. It is thus given in Canon Raines's MSS., vol. xv., p. 340:-

Son abo t' tuo note Duce dine Vo'is 1656. Capella de Whitworth Primo erecta ana 1532 Funditus re redificabatur ana 1755 in quo iteru et ea fundebatur Populo gaudente Rev . EdmH : AM: Cur: Joh : C: arm Thesaur. Rd: E . Jun. arm. etat Curator: I.G :C.E ejsd c. ana XVmo Regis. 0 sonare Vivat R . G III S. CE et hac casti maneat i relligione nepotes ...

Presumably the motto "Sonabo tuo nomine dulcedine vocis" was below the shoulder, and the remainder on the waist. There may perhaps be errors of transcription. "Rev. E dm H: A.M" stands for the Rev. Edmund Holme, M.A., vicar from J723 to 1778. 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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