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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Dating of bells was pretty rare before 1590/1600,
and Robert Mot was one of only a few founders whose bells of this period have
dates. John Dier of Hitchin was another, and the Watts family of Leicester
started dating their bells at about this time. There may be others, but you
won't find many bells - extant or since recast - with actual dates much before
1590.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>So, survival rates apart, from what we know of
bellfounders and the practice of dating bells there aren't likely to be many
bells bearing the date of the Armada, 1588. A little searching in George
Dawson's NBR lists would show if any others survive.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>More broadly, I'm inclined to feel that it's a
coincidence of date. From searches in Churchwardens accounts coupled with work
on listing bells (past and present) in various areas, I don't think there is any
evidence of an upsurge in bellfounding activity in that year.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>CP</FONT></DIV>
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