ST BARTHOLOMEW THE GREAT, SMITHFIELD |
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DETAILS OF THE BELLS |
Bell Weight Diameter
Note Cast Founder 1
2 cwt approx. 22" F sharp c.1510
Thomas Bullisdon 2
2¾ cwt approx. 24" E c.1510
Thomas Bullisdon 3
3½ cwt approx. 26½" D sharp c.1510
Thomas Bullisdon 4
4¼ cwt approx. 29" C sharp c.1510
Thomas Bullisdon 5
5½ cwt approx. 31" B c.1510
Thomas Bullisdon Clock
3-2-22 25½" 1814
Thomas Mears II
INSCRIPTION |
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| C. | T. MEARS OF LONDON FECIT. 1814. | ||||
FRAME |
| The frame dates from 1628 (when the tower was built) and is a tall cross brace frame. (There is 55"/58" between the top of the sills and underside of the heads.) It appears to be a builder's frame rather than one made by a bellhanger or frame maker. There are long pits on the east end west sides of the tower fo the 2nd (west) and 5th (east). Bells 1 and 3 swing E-W in shorter pits along the north and south walls respectively. The remaining bell swings NW-SW in the middle. Gallows ends are in the NW and SE corners of the frame. One timber with indent is reused to support the floor of the intermediate chamber. |
HISTORY |
1123 |
Work began on the church. |
c.1510 |
The present 5 bells were cast by Thomas Bullisdon. He may have cast a greater number, but certainly only 5 survive today. |
1539 |
The priory was dissolved by Henry VIII. The nave was demolished and the monastic buildings were passed to Sir Richard Rich. It is said that 6 bells were passed to St Sepulchre's. It is possible therefore that this church could have had as many as 12 bells in the central tower, making it the earliest known 12 bell tower in the land. |
1556-9 |
A Dominican convent was established under Queen Mary, and dissolved under Queen Elizabeth. |
1628 |
A new tower built at the west end of what remained of the mighty church and the bells were hung in a new frame (which continues to serve the bells). |
1666 |
The church escaped the Great Fire. |
1814 |
A clock bell was cast by Thomas Mears II from the metal of an old sanctus bell belonging to the Priory. It is hung in a turret on the roof of the tower, once swung but now hung dead. |
1890 |
Bells rehung with new fittings by Warners. (A stone tablet in the porch indicates that this was done in 1893, although contemporary reports indicate that the work was concluded by 1891.) |
1940 |
The bells were taken down from the tower and stored at Cleeve Abbey for safety. This was arranged between Mr A. A. Hughes and Dr Francis Eeles FSA. |
1952 |
Bells retuned and rehung by Mears & Stainbank. The new weights were never recorded in the tuning book. |
PHOTOGRAPHS & ENGRAVINGS |
