[Bell Historians] Oldest bell in the UK

[DAVIESM at G...]

-Many years ago I went on a ringing tour in Yorkshire. At one church
there was a bell on display that was supposed to have come from
Fountains Abbey.  I well remember convincing a very gullible young
man that I had rung a peal on it.  He is now an esteemed member of
the Whitechapel Bell Foundry - I believe. He may also remember a
magazine being taken from him because he was deemed too young to be
viewing such items.

Hello Everyone,

This bell is at Pateley Bridge and is on display in the porch. The tenor at Thirsk is another ex Fountains Abbey bell. I believe these are the only
Fountains bells still in existence.

I have carried out some limited research with one of the Fountains Abbey guides and we believe that there were 10 bells present by the dissolution,
probably 8 in Huby's tower, one in the central tower and one located somewhere in the region of the cloisters. All the bells appear to have been
distributed to local parishes. From memory (I don't have my notes with me) one went to Spofforth and may still exist although I have not
investigated the details of the Spofforth bells, and others to Pannal and South Stanley although these have since been recast or lost. The largest
Fountains bells (The Mary Bell - 24 cwt approx) was transferred to the North West tower at Ripon and was recast with 5 bells from the south west
tower by Lester and Pack into 8 in 1762

Details of the Mary Bell.
 
 
 
 
Bell  
Inscription  
Diameter  
Approx. Weight  
(cwt.)  
 
The "Mary Bell"  
Ora, Mente pia, pro nobis Virgo Maria  
Alexander Episcopus Ebor  
4 feet 3 inches  
24  
 
 


Regards

Martin

Martin Davies
Italik Limited

Phone : 01943 854000
Fax : 01943 854001
http://www.italik.co.uk

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