[Bell Historians] Help with entries in the 1552 inventory

[Richard Smith]

On Thu 23/04/2026 10:26, bill at hibberts.co.uk wrote:
> I have been looking at a number of 1552 inventory entries recently (as 
> transcribed in Stahlschmidt Surrey Bells) and there is some language I 
> don’t understand. Here are three examples:
> 
> Compton: Item iij bells in the steepull the best bye estimacion vc and 
> the residew under after the rate
> 
> Cranleigh: Item iiij bells hanging in the steple the best waieth xviic 
> and the reaste one under another according to the rate
> 
> West Horsley: Item four gret bells in the steple the best by estimacion 
> xiiijc the rest under after the rate.

I would interpret each of these as saying that the tenor (the 'best' 
bell by weight) is specified weight (5 cwt, 17 cwt, and 14 cwt, 
respectively), and that the other bells are proportionately lighter in 
the expected manner for a tuned ring of bells.

RAS