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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> Can anyone give me some
information for my sister, who lives in Middlebie, near Dumfries in SW Scotland?
She is researching the history of her village church, and has been told that the
single bell there was cast by a founder called "Abbot" for the previous church
which was built about 1850, and then transferred to the present building (built
1929). </FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> There is also a legend in the
area that there was an earlier church in Middlebie, with bells which
were stolen by the English during the lawless times in that region, in revenge
for the theft of two bells from Bowness on Solway! These Scottish bells are said
now to be in Bowness church. The English bells were apparently lost while being
shipped across the Solway Firth, and can sometimes be heard ringing under the
water! </FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> I would be very pleased to hear
from anyone who can shed any light on these stories.</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> Michael
Rose</FONT></DIV></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>