The Church Bells of Warwickshire by Rev. H. T. Tilley and H. B. Walters File 01 – Preface, Contents, Bibliography, Addenda et Corrigenda (Pages i to xii) 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 Purchased from ebay store retromedia The Church Bells of Warwickshire Their Founders, Inscriptions, Traditions and Uses By The late Rev. H. T. Tilley, m.a. (Sometime Vicar of Claverdon) and H. B. Walters, m.a., f.s.a. With 26 Plates and 20 Illustrations in the Text Birmingham Cornish Brothers Ltd Publishers to the University ^y New Street igio Purchased from ebay store retromedia Oswestry : Woodall, Minshall. Thomas & Co., Caxton Press. Purchased from ebay store retromedia PREFACE. THE CHURCH BELLS OF WARWICKSHIRE, like some other books of the same kind, has been long in process of compilation. But my satisfaction at its final completion and publication can only be tcmpcrc 1 with regn.'t that the original compiler of the work has not lived to issue it under his own name alone. Henry Timothy Tille}- was an enthusiastic " bell-hunter " from his undergraduate days, and though I do not know what first attracted him to this pursuit, his notes shew that he began to visit Warwickshire belfries and collect bell-inscriptions in 1874, when he was only about twenty years of age. In the two or three succeeding years before his ordination he visited from his home at Edgbaston a large number (about 120) of the Warwickshire churches, chiefly in his o\\n neighbourhood and round Nuneaton and Kineton. The results of his labours up to 1877 were admirably summarised in a short paper read before the Birmingham and Midland Institute in that year. Parochial duties naturally had the first claim on his time thenceforward, l)ut in 1892 he had visited nearly every church steeple in the county, and a second paper read before the same Societ}' in that year not only formed a useful supplement to the first, but in conjunction with it gave an interesting survey of the cam- panological treasures of Warwickshire. It was then his intention to work up and enlarge his notes into book form, but devotion to parochial work and mtermitteut bieakdovsns in health frustrated his hopes, and although during his last years beneficed almost in the centre of the rount\-, the care of an extensive parish demanded all his time and energies. Thus when he was called to his rest in December, 1905, he left behind him no more than a carefully compiled list of the bell-inscriptions, with occasional interesting notes, the two published jiapers summarising the more valuable results of his labours, and such rubbings and casts of stamps as he had been able to collect from time to time. It was the earnest wish of his widow and family that these notes should not suffer neglect, but should be published in such a form as he had meditated, and when the work of editing and completing them was offered to the present writer, it vas \\ith the greatest satisfaction and gratitude that he undertook to pay this tribute to the memor}- of his friend and fellow-worker. Though the Introduction is necessarily my own work throughout, as well as the actual text of the second part, and though in the necessary process of revising and bringing up to date I have personally visited over sixty of the towers in the county, I could not but feel that my pre- decessor's careful and patient labours (if only embodied in ni\ own) justified the appearance of his name in the chief position on the title-page. My warmest thanks in the first place are due to Mrs. Tilley for the great interest she has shewn in the work, and the generous assistance she has rendered with a view to its completion and publication. I have also to express my gratitude to a long list of helpers in my own labours ; first and foremost to Mr. W. E. Falkner of Stratford-on-A\on, a most diligent and painstaking worker, who has most kindly devoted the greater part of his hard-earned leisure Purchased from ebay store retromedia y^ PREFACE. elsewhere, which I was for over a year to examining bells in his own neighhourhood and persevering, and his work unable to visit myself. Mr. Falkner has been most enthusiastic and of Mears has been done with the utmost care and accuracy. The bell-founding firms Messrs. and Stainbank. Taylor. Barwell, and Carr have shewn their usual courtesy and readiness to illustrations of the old give information, and to the first-named I am specially indebted for the bells at Exhall and Combrooke. To name the numerous helpers among the clergy and laity who have sent information about customs or extracts from documents, or have given personal assistance in various ways would be impossible here, but I trust justice has been done to all in the body of the work. Offchurch, Rev. H. I should like, however, to single out by name Rev. J. J. Agar-Ellis of Hanmer of Grendon, Rev. W. Finch of Shustoke, Rev. E. K. Graham of Barston, Rev. J. H. Bloom of Whitchurch, Mr. Adams of St. Mary, Warwick, Mr. A. J. Brookes of Coventry, and Mr. W. Salt Brassington. The Rev. Preb. Deedes of Chichester kindly visited Fenny Compton, Shotteswell, and Warmington for me, and copied the Churchwardens' Accounts of the first- named place. Mr. A. H. Cocks has been good enough to supply casts for Plate XIV and numerous text-blocks, and also many useful hints and suggestions: and for two other blocks (Figs. 5 and 7) I am indebted to Dr. A. D. Tyssen. Though I have personally visited many belfries in different parts of the county, I can only regret th.it I have failed to complete my predecessor's deficient notes in a few difficult cases, viz. Combrooke, Copston, Walton, and Weethle}'. My only apology can be that enough information has been acquired in each case to shew that further efforts would hardly have been rejiaid. The same applies to the modern churches. To include all these would have meant much tune spent ui the grime ot some fift} Birmingham belfries, with little or no result to shew . and I trust future antiquaries will pardon the omission. The plates accompanying the text are all photographs from casts of the original marks or letters, and if not always perfect in detail, give the general appearance better than any process which involves drawing, and the consequent introduction of the personal equation. The special tvpes and ornaments used in the printing of the inscriptions represent as far as possible the general appearance of the original stamps, but a certain amount of convention is unavoid- able. My best thanks arc due to the printers, Messrs. Woodall, Minshall. and Thomas of Oswestry, for all the trouble they have taken in the matter. It only remains to sa\ that I feci the dedication of this work to ha\e a peculiar appropriateness, apart from the ties of filial affection, .\rchdeacon Walters not only gave H. T. Tilley his first title as Curate, but also presented and inducted him to his last incumbency. Moreover, nearly one-third of the bells described in this volume were for twenty years under the jurisdiction of nu- F~ather, who has visited all but one of the churches, and inspected all the more accessible bells in person. He has always been aealous for the welfare and preservation of the bells, and one of his earliest charges after his a[)pointnient dealt w ith this ver\- subject. H. B. WALTERS. London, .\/«y, 19/0. Purchased from ebay store retromedia CONTENTS PREFACE ... ... ... ... ... ... V. CONTENTS ... ... ... ... ... ... vii. LIST OF PLATES .. ... ... ... ... ... ... viii. BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE ... ... ix. ADDENDA ET CORRIGENDA .. ... .. .. .. ... xi. PART L INTRODUCTION: HISTORY OF THE BELLS AND THEIR FOUNDERS i RINGING CUSTOMS AND PECULIAR USES ... ... ... ... 87 PRINCIPAL RINGS IN WARWICKSHIRE ... ... ... 9,5 PART IL THE INSCRIPTIONS ON THE BELLS OF WARWICKSHIRE PARISH CHURCHES, IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER OF THE PARISHES, VMTH OTHER INFORMATION ... ... ... ... ... 97 APPENDIX (Burmington and Coughton) ... .. ... ... ... 273 INDEX ... ... ... ... ... ... ••• ... 27s Purchased from ebay store retromedia LIST OF PLATES I. Halford (early 14th century). II. Fourteenth-century bells oi local manufacture. III. Atherstone-on-Stour (John of Gloucester). IV. Do. do. foundry (1410— 14201. V. Robert Hendley of Gloucester ; Worcester \'I. Morton Bagot and Great Packington (Worcester foundry). de Stafford. \II. Monk's Kirbv; Lapworth ; Curdworth ; Johannes VIII. Coventry St. John and Mancetter (Leicester foundry). IX. Mancetter: Johannes de Colsale (Stoke). X. Wolvey (J.de Yorke); Stoneleigh. Wormleighton, Seckington (Nottingham foundry^ XI. Stamps of London founders. 15th century. XII. Brailes old tenor (John Bird). XIII. Stamps of London founders, 15th century. XIV. Baddeslev Clinton (Reading foundry,; Barcheston (Buckingham foundry). XV. Long Compton sanctus ; Little Packington tenor and other Newcombe stamps. XVI. Stamps used by the Newcombes (1560— 1600). .XVII. Cross at Fenny Compton : Newcombe and Watts stamps XVIII. Brasyer lettering and stamps used by the Wattses. .XI.X. Stamps used by Thomas Hancox of Walsall. XX. Ornamental borders used by Thomas Hancox. XXI. Stamps used by John Martin of Worcester and Clihury of Wellington. XXII. Stamps of the Oldfields, Tobie Norris, and the Bagleys. XXIII. Stamps of Joseph Smith, Richard Sanders, Keene, and Briant ; coat of arms at Henley. \'. XX I —XX\T. Stamps used bv the Cors of Aldbourni' (Sutton-under-Brailes). LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS IN TEXT Fig. — Purchased from ebay store retromedia BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE. I. MANTSCKIl'T lU-XOKDS Ol' VVAKWICKSII I KK BHI.LS.