[Bell Historians] Spye Park

[David Cawley]

Looking at the lettering and also the 'professional' general shape of the 
bell, it appears to be the work of a regular founder. If I'd just been given 
FECIT 1731 and the images without a name, I would have said Phelps almost 
certainly. I have seen a number of bells of this size and appearance which 
I've attibuted to him, though none with "name.....  fecit"; but, failing any 
more reliable evidence on Sellers (e,g, clockmaker; landowner; or indeed 
bellfounder) I am still inclined to Richard Phelps.
Weight?  Well, depends also how thick it is. No more than 3 1/2-cwt one 
would think.

Hope I shall not this time get rapped over the knuckles by Tesco for giving 
information (or opinions in this case) which I have not stopped till now to 
think of either as a challenge or a need to know  :-)

DLC
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <dennis.powney at 8noMvy2I06_JdL52tkkb99XyvNqJZ9sBicwsw985J25bUyp-8xwg5vzIR57IFnvemUzwvIQp5cXat4h-PbWA.yahoo.invalid>
To: "Historians Bell" <bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com>
Cc: "Dalton Christopher" <dalton.family at oQ_Q6EkOnGjxdog9HCrKWR7GoSBpwjm16r4L4es__brpPwIlS8pJlShU1I8kFQ3TpWy6_zM_lMIqGhqPMKkd0Q.yahoo.invalid>
Sent: Tuesday, February 28, 2006 2:13 PM
Subject: [Bell Historians] Spye Park


I have just had the opportunity to view the ?Wm Sellers 1731? bell at Spye
Park House, Bromham, Wiltshire.
The height of the bell, from the top of the canons is 25 inches.  The width
across the mouth is also 25 inches.  The circumference around the 
inscription
band is 45 inches and the circumference around the mouth is 78 inches. The
height of the canons is 5 ½ inches.
The bell still hangs in its wooden framed, lead roofed, cupola, the whole
weighing well over a ton, according to a workman on site.  I think the bell
must weigh somewhere between 3 and 4 cwt??  A shafted clapper (wrought 
iron?)
hangs inside the bell, this is attached by a cast-in crown staple and a 
leather/metal
baldric. The bell is now sounded by an external, sprung, hammer worked by
a clock that is dated 1717.
There is no sign that the clapper has ever been used to sound the bell.
It is a sweet sounding bell, unfortunately my unmusical ears are unable to
tell the note.
Please, is any one able to enlighten me more, as to who this bell founder,
Wm Sellers, was?  In addition, can anyone give a more accurate estimate of
its weight?
Pictures attached.
Dennis Powney.


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