[Bell Historians] RE: Research Project

[RingingMatters at a...]

My copy of "Church Bells" by H B Walters (1908), states that 
"Some inscriptions are of historical interest, such as at Child Okeford, 
Dorset, where, in 1648, GOD BLESS KING CHARLES was actually placed on a bell by a 
founder who must have had the courage of his convictions!"

I also recall, but cannot find now, a reference to a similar sentiment which 
was cast in reversed letters, presumably to make it less easy to be discovered 
by Parliamentarian loyalists. The most likely source of this is in a book 
called "Bells of the Isle" by Bob Major, but I cannot lay my hands on it at 
present. Let me know if this is important to your research and I shall have 
another look.

Not in the Commonwealth period but of similar historical interest, because of 
the family involved, is the coat of arms of Elizabeth 1st and the inscription 
"God bless our Church, our Queen, our Realme" on our own tenor here at Kirkby 
Malham. The bell was cast in 1602 by William Oldfield, the Elder, and was 
the gift of Josias Lambert of Calton Hall (about 2 miles away). The 
significance of this is that Josias' son was General "Honest" John Lambert, Cromwell's 
2nd in Command. Clearly Dad's Royalist views were not passed on to his son!

Malcolm Bland
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