Report on the St Helen Bell Frame (1764-2006)

5 THE BELLS (including a history of the frame and fittings)

5.1 The early history of the bells is obscure, although it is known from the Edwardian Inventories of 1552 that there were five bells - "V belles" - and a saunce bell at that time.

5.2 The Sanctus bell was recast by Ellis Knight of Reading in 1641. It now hangs in the northern aperture in the openings at the base of the north side of the spire. It is hung for swing-chiming with nineteenth century fittings - an elm stock with drive-in gudgeons, stock hoops, wall-mounted bearings, iron chiming lever and a hook-over clapper. The north side is clearly visible from parapet, but other side (once accessible from the access platform) is now concealed as the bell has been boxed in. Pigeons are in residence, and the bell is encrusted with muck. Its canons are intact and the bell has not been quarter turned.

Inscription	Mouldings	Note	Diameter	Weight
W . C . . R . B CHVRCHWARDENS X64X	2:2-2:3:2	C#	16"	1 cwt

The letter N of Wardens reversed in the inscription. The figure 1 in the date (as is common with Knight bells of this period) is in the form of an X.

5.3 Fred Sharpe states that there were six bells prior to the installation of a complete new ring of eight in 1764. The old bells were of a similar size to the six largest bells in the present ring. However, no further details are known. There is no information on their dates of casting, founders or on when the number of bells in the tower was increased from five to six.

5.4 The new bells in 1764 were cast at Whitechapel by Lester and Pack and hung by Samuel and Robert Turner. A notice of the opening on Whit-Tuesday appeared in the Oxford Gazette, and Reading Mercury of Monday 4 June 1764.

"Notice is hereby given, To all gentlemen RINGERS, THAT a new Peal of Eight Bells, cast by Messers. Lester and Pack, of London, will be rung for the first Time, at Abingdon, on Whit-Tuesday, by any Sets of Ringers."

5.5 Evidence that the new bells were hung by Samuel and Robert Turner comes from their published catalogue or "List of the Peals of Bells hung by Samuel & Robert Turner Bell-Hangers to any Part of England in White-Chapel London" of c.1771. This lists the various churches with "The Number of Bells in each Peal & Weight of the Tenor" and mentions "Abingdon in Berkshire 8 [bells] 19 [cwt]"

5.6 The original weights of the 1764 ring are recorded in the Whitechapel "Peals book" as 5-2-15, 6-1-23, 6-3-27, 8-1-21, 9-0-22, 10-2-27, 13-3-7, 18-3-0.

5.7 In 1885-6, at about the same time as the spire was restored under J.O. Scott, the bells were restored and augmented to ten. The work involved recasting three of the original bells. Details of the invoice as recorded in the Whitechapel Foundry daybook for 3 March 1886 are as follows:

The Bell Committee, St.Helen's Church, Abingdon, per order A.E. Preston Esq, High Street, Abingdon.
To Recasting 3 Bells.
New Tenor	20-1-6
7th	14-2-23
3rd	7-0-24
	42-0-25	@ £6 = 253.6.10
Less value of old bells
Tenor	18-3-3
7th	13-3-4
3rd	6-3-21
	39-2-0
Draft	1-0-9
	38-1-21	@ £3/18/- £149.18.2 =	£103.8.8.
To Taking down & sending to London the 3 Cracked Bells, Lining & turning all the gudgeons of the Stocks and exchanging the bearings, repairing & refitting ironwork of stocks and providing a new stock for the 5th Bell. Repairing the Clappers, rollers, guides & framework and rehanging the 8 Bells with new Ropes including Carriage and all charges			£75.0.0.
Taking down the 5 Sound Bells and sending them to London for tuning purposes, including Carriage			£13.0.0.
New fittings complete for 2 Treble Bells to make a peal of 10			£14.10.0.
English Oak Framework for 2 Bells with wrought iron braces & 4 supporting brackets, hanging the 2 Bells and fitting spouts & pateras as per Estimate			£30.0.0.
			£235.18.8.
E.J. Trendell, The Abbey House, Abingdon, Berks. To 2 Bells (Treble & 2nd in peal of 10), 4-3-12, 5-1-20, [total] 10-1-4 @ £5/16/8
			£60

5.8 The Rev. F.E. Robinson of Drayton records details of the reopening of the bells in his book Among the Bells, in which he wrote:

On May 1st [1886] the bells of St.Helen's Church, Abingdon, were re-opened after augmentation to ten, the trebles being made by Mears & Stainbank, and the old 7th and tenor recast by them, a fine ring being the result. Tenor 1 ton. …

A peal attempt immediately after the dedication was unsuccessful as "it became evident that three and a half hours' ringing the ninth and tenor would be too severe a task even for the able men who had undertaken it, and the attempt had to be abandoned". However, the peal was successfully achieved at the second attempt on 29 May. This performance is recorded on a painted peal board in the ringing room (Plate 15).

5.9 The bells were restored in 1961. The work was carried out by Frank White, of Appleton who provided new wheels and headstocks (iron headstocks for the ninth and tenor, which have had their canons removed, and elm for the remainder) and rehung the bells on ball bearings. The work is recorded on a carved stone tablet in the belfry (Plate 16) inscribed:

An account of the work - and the dedication of the tablet - appeared in the Ringing World of 12 January 1962.

5.10 Further work became necessary about ten years later. In the addendum to the reprint of his book on The Church Bells of Berkshire (1970/71) Fred Sharpe wrote: "As this work is going to press, it is learned that the seventh bell cracked recently and is about to be recast". The work was carried out by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry who cast the present bell in 1971. It was re-hung by Frank White of Appleton.

5.11 Details of the bells - which are in the key of E natural - are as follows:

The inscriptions:

Bell	Inscription
1	MEARS & STAINBANK, FOUNDERS, LONDON. Waist: PRESENTED BY EDWIN JAMES TRENDELL, 1885.
2	MEARS & STAINBANK, FOUNDERS, LONDON. Waist: PRESENTED BY WILLIAM HENRY TRENDELL, 1885.
3	LESTER & PACK OF LONDON FECIT 1764 (border)
4	LESTER & PACK OF LONDON FECIT 1764 (nineteen coins of the period) (Rosette)
5	PEACE AND GOOD NEIGHBOURHOOD. LESTER & PACK OF LONDON. FECIT 1764. Waist: RECAST BY MEARS & STAINBANK OF LONDON, 1885.
6	YE RINGERS ALL THAT PRIZE YOUR HEALTH AND HAPPINESS BE SOBER MERRY WISE AND YOU'LL THE (Bell) / SAME POSSESS (rosette) LESTER & PACK OF LONDON FECIT 1764
7	IN WEDLOCK BANDS ALL YE WHO JOIN WITH HANDS YOUR HEARTS UNITE O SHALL OUR TUNEFUL TONGUES (bell) / COMBINE TO LAUD THE NUPTIAL RITE (rosette) LESTER & PACK OF LONDON FECIT 1764 (border) Low waist: RECAST / 1570 (Whitechapel mark) 1970 / WHITECHAPEL
8	LESTER & PACK OF LONDON FECIT 1764 (border)
9	OUR VOYCES SHALL WITH JOYFUL SOUND MAKE HILLS AND VALLEYS ECHO ROUND. LESTER & PACK OF LONDON FECIT 1764. Waist: RECAST BY MEARS & STAINBANK OF LONDON, 1885.
10	BENJ: GRIFFITH & WM BUSWELL CH: WARDENS. LESTER & PACK OF LONDON FECIT 1764. / (blank) Waist: RECAST BY MEARS & STAINBANK OF LONDON, 1885. / SLADE INNES BAKER } / JOHN THORNHILL MORLAND } CHURCHWARDENS.

Physical data:

Bell	Canons	Turning	Mouldings	Tuning	Diameter	Cwt.Qr.Lb
1.	Intact	Quarter	2:2-2:3:2	Lathe tuned in soundbow	26¼"	4-3-12 2
2.	Intact	Quarter	2:2-2:3:2	Lathe tuned in soundbow	275/8"	5-1-20
3.	Removed	Quarter	3:2-2:3:2	Skirted	283/8"	5-2-9
4.	Intact	Quarter	3:2-2:3:2	Edged	30½"	6-1-17
5.	Intact	Quarter	2:2-2:3:2	Lathe tuned in soundbow	32"	7-0-24
6.	Intact	Quarter	3:2-2:3:2	Edged	35"	8-1-16
7.	Flat-top	Not	2:2-2:3:2	Machined	367/8"	8-3-24
8.	Removed	Quarter	3:2-2:3:2	Maiden	39½"	10-2-18
9.	Removed	Eighth	2:2-2:3:2	Lathe tuned in soundbow	43¼"	14-2-23
10.	Removed	Quarter	3:2-1-2:3:2	Lathe tuned in soundbow	47¾"	20-1-6

The weights given here are as recorded at the foundry when the bells were supplied in 1764 (see 5.6), 1885 (see 5.7) and 1970. There has since been a small reduction in the weight of some of the bells owing to the removal of the canons, re-tuning in 1885, drilling for bolts etc. The six smallest bells were not re-weighed on removal from the tower in 2006, but the nett weights of the four largest bells were recorded as 7. 8-2-20, 8. 10-1-4, 9. 14-0-12, and 10. 19-0-24.

© Copyright 2006, Chris Pickford