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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>David Struckett's book is still available =
- =A33=20
(post free) from <SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US">Dav=
id W.=20
Struckett, 30 Blagrove Lane, Wokingham, Berkshire, RG41 4BA. The availabili=
ty of=20
this and other titles is indicated on the Publications page via Roger Baile=
y's=20
change-ringing resources website. The web page hasn't been updated for a wh=
ile,=20
but I can e-mail a copy of the latest version to anyone who wants=20
it.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US"></S=
PAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US">I t=
hink,=20
though - as David Bryant suggests - that David Struckett's list is mai=
nly=20
derived from the earlier one compiled by H.B. Walters, with some=20
updating.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US"></S=
PAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US">But=
,=20
reader beware - whatever list you're using. There are real problems w=
ith=20
much of what has been written about mediaeval bells, and in attributions to=
=20
named founders. It's a pack of cards waiting to tumble, and very few bells =
can=20
be safely assigned to particular founders. While we know a fair amount abou=
t=20
named founders from documentary sources, there are very few cases where we =
can=20
be sure that the people named in documents actually cast the bells which ha=
ve=20
been attributed to them. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US"></S=
PAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US">Muc=
h of it=20
is on the basis of: X(founder) is named at Y(place) in 1450. This bell look=
s mid=20
C15th. There are similar bells in an area round Y(place). Therefore X(found=
er)=20
cast them. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US"></S=
PAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US">Qui=
te a=20
reasonable approach - but not in any way SAFE as a firm attribution. =
Too=20
much depends on a subjective assessment of the date of a bell or group of b=
ells,=20
and on assumptions about successive use of lettering and marks by different=
=20
founders. Many of the earlier writers - on whose work we all tend to rely -=
=20
based their assessments on lettering, inscriptions and marks alone, without=
=20
paying much attention to differences of shape, profile, mouldings and canon=
=20
design etc. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US"></S=
PAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US">Ove=
rall,=20
we have layers of evidence built on theory and speculation - and=20
ideas originally put forward as tentative suggestions have been=20
gradually accepted as proven facts. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US"></S=
PAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US">Ans=
wers? I=20
certainly don't have them. But I do think we need to be very cautious in=20
accepting a lot of the "received wisdom" about mediaeval bells, and to avoi=
d=20
using expressions such as "cast by X" (attributed to X / possibly by X is=20
usually about as definite as we can be) unless the evidence is=20
watertight.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US"></S=
PAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US">CP<=
/SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE=20
style=3D"BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0p=
x; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV=20
style=3D"BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>Fro=
m:</B>=20
<A href=3D"mailto:bill@h..." title=3Dbill@h...>Bill=20
Hibbert</A> </DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A=20
href=3D"mailto:bellhistorians@yahoogroups.com"=20
title=3Dbellhistorians@yahoogroups.com>bellhistorians@yahoogroups.com</A>=
</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, January 07, 2004 =
1:18=20
AM</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [Bell Historians] Lists o=
f=20
bellfounders</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV><TT>Do look at Struckett first, it is a quite new, widely=
=20
available book. <BR>I'm not a real expert in these things, but I have nev=
er=20
come across a <BR>founder that Struckett doesn't include. If you can't fi=
nd a=20
copy, <BR>send me a private email.<BR><BR>Bill H<BR><BR></TT><BR><TT>
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