[Bell Historians] Early rings of eight

[Richard Smith]

Matthew Higby via Bell-historians wrote:

> I was under the impressions that
> Horham https://dove.cccbr.org.uk/detail.php?tower=14093 were the oldest 8
> and Merton were the oldest complete peal of 8 by one founder.

Add the word 'surviving' and you're right, at least based on 
what's in Dove.  They, together with the ten at Derby 
Cathedral, are the only surviving rings of eight or more 
wholly dating to the 17th century or earlier.

However I'm not just interested in surviving rings. 
Maidstone, for example, were probably an eight in the 17th 
century, and Exeter Cathedral definitely were.  I can 
probably think of another dozen off the top of my head.

RAS