[Bell Historians] Lichfield bells and Elias Ashmole

[Jim]

--- In bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com, "John H Allen" <john at ...> wrote:
>
> And the Freemasons paid for the new bells at Lichfield in 1947 and would
> have paid for a new frame too if the Dean and Chapter had not been badly
> advised by the then Cathedral Architect.
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> From: bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com [mailto:bellhistorians at y00u0jo5yF4Re_ajanSplLyaGcz3PqvF0JEGhBF7qnaZyE-2tBTeIiQXw-mNfmZTmEBFjf54Q_SvzedfQ9fWXe7ioNn0eiY.yahoo.invalidom]
> On Behalf Of Jim Phillips
> Sent: Tuesday 10 July 2012 21:26
> To: BellHistorians
> Subject: [Bell Historians] Lichfield bells and Elias Ashmole
> 
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> John Camp's posting on Tuesday 10 July 2012 at 18.18 is fascinating and
> perhaps Dr William Poole can establish if there was a link between Elias
> Ashmole and William, the Second Lord Brereton.  They were both Loyalists,
> lawyers and were both under siege in Biddulph Hall during the civil war.  It
> is possible that the "Loyal Youths" were College Youths who were established
> in 1637.
> I wrote an article for 'The Ringing World' of 15/1/2010 and enclose a
> relevant extract from that article.
> 
> 
> "Bellringers and freemasons have mingled together over many centuries and
> indeed many ringers have become freemasons. An example of this mixing
> occurred during the civil war when in 1643 a well known ringer and Royalist
> of his day, William, the Second Lord Brereton, fled with his family to the
> garrisoned Biddulph Hall, Staffordshire following his defeat at the battle
> of Nantwich. Also holed up in Biddulph Hall was a budding young lawyer and
> fellow Royalist Elias Ashmole (born Lichfield 1617) who later became the
> most well known freemason of all. Biddulph Hall was thought to be a centre
> for freemasons in those days. The Hall was under siege from the
> Parliamentarian forces led by Lord Brereton's cousin Sir William Brereton of
> the Malpas family line. The siege lasted some three months before the
> Parliamentarian forces brought up 'Roaring Meg' a mighty cannon from
> Stafford that reduced the Hall to ruins and brought about the surrender of
> the Royalists. The holes made by this huge cannon can be seen to this day
> punched into the walls of the ruined Hall. "
>
I remember once being told that Lichfield Cathedral bells are heavy for their pitch because the 1947 restoration was envisaged as a ring of twelve, but the retention of the old frame prevented this. The implication being that the metal for the two trebles of the planned twelve was used in the casting of the ten.  I always viewed this with great suspicion because I don't think that the figures 'stack up' anyway. Any comments?
Anyone able to give us recent progress at Hanley since the tower has been restored?