[Bell Historians] Roger Purdue I

[David Bryant]

> Does anyone know the range of weights of bells cast by Roger Purdue I?

The 11th at Redcliffe is 54½", 25-1-5 in C#. Can't off-hand think of any
larger ones. Roger I (of Bristol) was one of four bellfounding brothers, the
others being Richard I (of Glastonbury, Stoford and itinerant), William II
(Salisbury?) and George (Taunton). I believe the largest bell by any of them
is the superb 36 cwt tenor at Queen Camel, by Richard I.

Roger's bells do not usually have his name or initials, whereas Richard's
usually have R (bell) P. It is known that Richard and Roger worked together
on occasions, as there is record of them setting up a temporary furnace at
Nynehead in Somerset to cast bells for several churches nearby including
Nynehead and Pitminster. So far as I can recall, the bells have no initials
on them and without the documentary evidence would probably be
unquestioningly assigned to Roger alone.

David