[Bell Historians] RE: Bell Listing

[Richard Smith]

Several points to make on this.

1.  Dove is not the definitive source of what bells are 
listed on database of bells and bell frames of historic 
significance maintained by the Church Buildings Council 
(previously called the Council for the Care of Churches). 
You can view the database here:

http://www.churchcare.co.uk/cathedrals/art-artefacts-conservation-cathedrals/caring-conservation-of-artworks-and-historic-furnishings-cathedrals/bells-bell-frames/bells-database

2.  When Dove says that a particular individual has noted 
that bells are historically notable, it means that that 
person has informed the Dove webmaster that it is listed. 
It does not necessarily mean that that person chose to list 
it.  David Knight was a member of the CCC and may still be 
on the CBC, so it's possible that he was involved in the 
decision to list it; but it's also possible that he simply 
noticed the discrepancy between Dove and the CBC's database.

3.  It isn't necessarily necessary to visit a tower or 
inspect the bells to determine whether one deserves to be 
listed.  The criteria used in determining this are public:

http://www.churchcare.co.uk/images/Churches_Guidance_Note_criteria_for_listing_bells.pdf

In the case of Holy Trinity, Bradford on Avon, the 7th is 
listed because it is the heaviest extant bell produced by a 
17th century founder, per the published criteria. 
Similarly the service bell is listed on the grounds of being 
pre-17th century.  Unless there's a dispute over the date or 
founder of these two bells, there's no need to visit to 
determined whether they should be listed.

4.  The tenor at Bradford on Avon is listed because either 
it, or the tenor at St Thomas, Bristol, is the heaviest 
Llewellins and James bell.  Presumably they regard that as a 
"significant example of technical innovation", which is the 
phrase in their published criteria for a post-1850 bell.  I 
forget what the tenor sounds like, but if it sounds any 
good, that would indeed be a significant innovation from 
Llewellins and James.

5.  The database of significant bells isn't a mandatory 
preservation register.  It is simply a list maintained and 
published by an advisory body.  The chancellor of a diocese 
doesn't have to abide by the CBC's advice when granting a 
faculty; nor does the fact that a bell is listed mean that 
the CBC will advise against any work of it whatsoever.

6.  Given that the CCC were often accused (not without 
justification) of being arbitrary, opaque and advising 
against anything, it's a good thing that both the database 
of significant bells and the criteria used to produce it are 
public.

RAS


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