<HTML><FONT FACE=arial,helvetica><FONT SIZE=2>In a message dated 29/10/2002 09:19:00 GMT Standard Time, djb122@y... writes:<BR>
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<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">I've heard it a number of times from sources I can't remember, but it's<BR>
written in 'Church Archaeology' by Warwick Rodwell. Rodwell was (and may<BR>
still be) the cathedral archaeologist at Wells, so would be in a position<BR>
to have access to all the records at the cathedral.<BR>
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I suspect most of the previous recastings of the bell must have been done in the close area to the Cathedral. The lates recastings of the tenor are asfollows:<BR>
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Founder Date How long it lasted.<BR>
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Joseph Carter of Reading 1588 ¢94 Years <BR>
Thomas Purdue of Closworth 1673 ¢84 Years<BR>
Abel Rudhall of Gloucester 1757 ¢46 Years<BR>
John Rudhall of Gloucester 1803 ¢74 Years<BR>
John Taylor of Loughborough 1877 Still going 125 years later!<BR>
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As most of the 1757 ring are still going strong, I suspect that they were cast at Gloucester and brought to Wells. Maybe the larger bells were cast onsite & thats why they didn't last long??<BR>
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For interests sake, the most accurate details of the present ring I can find are as follows (Thanks to WBF records & others):<BR>
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Bell Weight Diameter Founder Date<BR>
(Cwt-qtr-lb) (Inches)<BR>
Treble 7-3-12 31½" Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel. 1891<BR>
2nd 9-0-2 33½" Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel. 1891<BR>
3rd ¢9-2-0 36¼" Abel Rudhall, Gloucester. 1757<BR>
4th ¢10-2-0 38" Abel Rudhall, Gloucester. 1757<BR>
5th ¢12-1-0 39¾" Abel Rudhall, Gloucester. 1757<BR>
6th 15-1-14 44" Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel. 1964<BR>
7th ¢19-2-0 48" Abel Rudhall, Gloucester. 1757<BR>
8th ¢23-0-0 50½" Abel Rudhall, Gloucester. 1757<BR>
9th ¢31-0-0 55" John Taylor & Co, Loughborough. 1877<BR>
Tenor 56-1-14 65½" John Taylor & Co, Loughborough. 1877<BR>
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Matthew<BR>
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