[Bell Historians] Bixley, Norfolk

[David Cawley]

charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

The Annual Report of the Norfolk Churches Trust has a two-page spread on th=
e fire. Ir also gives the rebuilding date as 1868. The tower is given by Ca=
ttermole & Cotton in Norf. Arch. XXXVIIIiii 1983 p.239 as c.1530. The Repor=
t too quotes the G. MEARS FOUNDER LONDON 1858 inscription, with also I TO T=
HE CHURCH THE LIVING CALL AND TO THE GRAVE DO SUMMONS ALL

The latter is a most un-G. Mearsish inscription; perhaps it was on one of t=
he old bells. The other which Mears bought was by William Revel of London, =
c.1350 and bore:
W / + SCE : IOHES : BAPTISTA : ORA : PRO : ME
Kimber copied this inscription, so it is in his books at Whitechapel. A fur=
ther copy was made for Bixley, which used to hang at the west end of the ch=
urch - presumably it was destroyed in the fire.

The 3rd of the unringable six at St Lawrence, Norwich, and the single bell =
at Hassingham, Norfolk, are also by Revel. The latter church also went thro=
ugh a serious fire in the late sixties. The bell came down and appeared sou=
nd - but its tone was apparently ruined. In 1974, when I was DAC Adviser, I=
was consulted about it, and Sounweld not only did an exhaustive work of cr=
ack detection, but successfully repaired it. Perhaps the Bixley bell - now =
in safe storage - will=20
respond to similar treatment if needed.

DLC
Re: St Wandregesilius (Wandrille) he was a 7th-C Merovingian noble who beca=
me a monk and founded the Abbey at Fontenelle; his relics were later transl=
ated to Ghent, where he became the patron saint of the cloth trade

=20
----- Original Message -----=20
From: Neil Skelton=20
To: bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com=20
Sent: Thursday, February 17, 2005 9:46 PM
Subject: Re: [Bell Historians] Bixley, Norfolk


According to L'Estrange there was a single bell: G. Mears, Founder, Lond=
on. 1858.=20

Two bells recorded in inventory of Edward VI. One said to have been by Wm=
Revel. Presumably both went in 1858? Pevsner says that the tower was rest=
ored in 1868 and the rest of church completely rebuilt. I am wondering whet=
her 1858 & 1868 have been confused somewhere but maybe not? Church Bells an=
d Bell-Ringing (Cattermole) suggests that the frame might have been earlier=
. The is a comparison with East Carleton.

The dedication (St Wandregeselius) said to be unique in England. No one o=
f that name mentioned in my copy of the Peguin Book of Saints!

A sad story. Reminiscent of Buckfastleigh, although there the tower and b=
ells were subsequently restored.

Neil Skelton.
----- Original Message -----=20
From: David Bryant=20
To: Bell Historians=20
Sent: Thursday, February 17, 2005 7:55 PM
Subject: [Bell Historians] Bixley, Norfolk


Does anyone know what there was in the way of bells at Bixley, Norfolk =
- gutted by fire last year? There are photos of the burnt-out church on the=
web at http://www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/bixley/bixley.htm
=20=20=20=20=20
David



---------------------------------------------------------------------------=
-
Yahoo! Groups Links

a.. To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bellhistorians/
=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20
b.. To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
bellhistorians-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com
=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20
c.. Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Servi=
ce.=20


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.ringingworld.co.uk/pipermail/bell-historians/attachments/20050218/a343d36f/attachment.html>