[Bell Historians] Othery

[David Bryant]

> What details do you need?

Founders, dates, diameters, weights if any are known, outline details 
of frame & fittings - I'm interested in the heavy rings of five and 
have never even rung on these, despite having passed through the 
village numerous times and tried to have a look inside the church on 
several occasions - it was always locked, though.

> I'll try to get them for you when I can.

Thanks

> Although reputed to be 18cwt, either they go extremely well for 
their weight
> or the tenor is nearer 13cwt!

May well be lighter. Many of the 'reputed' weights for heavy Somerset 
fives and sixes have now been reduced to something more realistic, 
but some dubious ones still exist. I've recently had the Dove weights 
for several reduced - Muchelney is more like 17.5 than 19. St James 
Taunton (an 8) is about 17.5 - nobody has found where the 19-3-14 
came from and the bell can't be that heavy! Kingston St Mary are 
about 15.5, not the 19 sometimes quoted! Other ones I'm dubious about 
are Staple Fitzpaine (given as 15 or 17 - I think both might be too 
high - anyone got a diameter?) and West Bagborough - diameter, 
anyone. High Ham has been weighed in recent years, and a weight from 
Taylors was obtained for Kingweston for Dove a few editions ago - not 
sure by whom. The previous estimate was 18 cwt - far too high for the 
diameter of the bell.

One which I think is about right is Stoke St Gregory (incidentally, 
this is the village in which the excellent recent novel 'Homeland' by 
Clare Francis is set - it's not named in the book but is easily 
recognisable to anyone who knows it).

Finally - has anyone got a diameter for the tenor of the nice 
medieval four at Thurlbear? I'm not convinced that they are 15 cwt.

David