[Bell Historians] Previous bells at St Wendreda, March

[Richard Bimson]

Please see RW extract:

1960/405

It is thought that St. Wendreda’s bells were cast from the metal of previous ones, for Cole refers to a visit to March about the middle of the 18th century and mention is made of five bells at that time. Records date back to 1542. and we learn that two bell ropes in 1555 cost three shillings. In 1558 the bells were rung for the Coronation and in 1593 they received a thorough overhaul. The ‘ greate bell of March ’ was recast by John Draper, at Thetford. on February 24th. 1613: it weighed 12 cwts. Another ‘greate bell ’ was recast in 1648

Richard


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From: Bell-historians <bell-historians-bounces at lists.ringingworld.co.uk> on behalf of Chris Pickford via Bell-historians <bell-historians at lists.ringingworld.co.uk>
Sent: 26 May 2026 22:49
To: 'Bell Historians' <bell-historians at lists.ringingworld.co.uk>
Cc: pickford5040 at gmail.com <pickford5040 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Bell Historians] Previous bells at St Wendreda, March

The parish records may help. If there are pre-Osborn churchwardens accounts, then they might indicate (if not explicitly, but e.g. by purchase of five ropes) how many bells there were. Of course, if the accounts are extensive enough then there may be references to recasting or purchase of bells too. If you're lucky there may be tradesmen's bills and vouchers too - worth searching for bills for work on bells. Vestry minutes record the decisions of the "parish parliament" and decisions re bells are usually documented.

Glebe terriers are another source. These can be in either / both the parish records and (as copies had to be lodged with the registrar) diocesan archives. They vary from Diocese to Diocese, but the Lincoln ones (March wasn't in Lincoln Diocese, I know) give numbers of bells in the eighteenth century terriers and inscriptions and diameters in 1822. Worcester and Lichfield terriers are silent on church goods. Although the terriers are principally inventories of glebe land and church property, they can be informative on bells where the contents is more like the modern form of "terrier and inventory"

I presume you've also checked the Trevor Bevis booklet on Fenland bells - and his article on March bells in a late 1960s issue of the RW

Chris Pickford
e-mail: pickford5040 at gmail.com



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