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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-GB link="#467886" vlink="#96607D" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Aptos><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Can anyone help with dating the bellframe at this church? The frame was originally a four bell frame, modified later to add two more bells. I have attached a plan of the frame, and a photo of one of the original trusses.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Aptos><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Aptos><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Key dates in the history of the church and bells are as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><ul style='margin-top:0cm' type=disc><li class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:0cm;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3'><font size=2 face=Aptos><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>The 1553 (sic) inventory gives four bells<o:p></o:p></span></font></li><li class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:0cm;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3'><font size=2 face=Aptos><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>According to an article in RW1972 pp693-694 the top of the central tower was built, or rebuilt, around 1660 <o:p></o:p></span></font></li><li class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:0cm;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3'><font size=2 face=Aptos><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Stahlschmidt in 1884 gives 1 & 2 Janaway 1764, 3 Eldridge 1697, 4 Eldridge 1668, 5 Mears 1835, 6 Eldridge 1662<o:p></o:p></span></font></li><li class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:0cm;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3'><font size=2 face=Aptos><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>In 1925, the Janaway and Mears bells were recast and the frame strengthened by Whitechapel.<o:p></o:p></span></font></li></ul><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Aptos><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Aptos><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>The design of the frame is not like that at St Nicolas, Great Bookham, built to house an Eldridge bell dated 1675. The Bookham frame has king-posts with braces, not scissor braces as at Charlwood. The extra truss inserted across the centre of the Charlwood frame to allow two more bells to hung is clearly an addition. The timber of the truss is less in section than the original frame and has clear parallel saw-marks. The lower member of this truss buts against one of the scissor braces, covering the securing pegs, and the halved joint at one end of the head is secured by a bolt. The corresponding joints at Bookham are secured with pegs and cotters.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Aptos><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Aptos><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>My conjectural history, based on no more information than presented above, is that the original frame held the 1553 bells (and is therefore at least that old), the 1553 bells were replaced by four Eldridge bells between 1662 and 1697, and the additional cross member was added in 1764 to support the Janaway bells.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Aptos><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Aptos><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Has anyone with greater knowledge inspected Charlwood? Elphick doesn’t refer to it in his Sussex book, though the tower is only a mile from the Sussex border.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Aptos><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Aptos><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Regards,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Aptos><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Aptos><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Bill H<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Aptos><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Aptos><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Aptos><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Aptos><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Aptos><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Aptos><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p></div></body></html>