retention of old bells

[David Bryant]

Does anyone know of the first instance of a bell (or its inscription band or
the whole crown and inscription band) being kept for antiquarian reasons
when the bell was removed from the ring? We had the mention of Ellacombe
recently, and the earliest whole bell I know of is the old 6th at Beveley
Minster, removed from the ring in 1895 and now in the SW clock chamber. Are
there any earlier ones?

David