CHAPTER X.

AMONG CHURCH BELLS.

A VERY fascinating study, but one that has been sadly neglected, is that of church bells, and therefore a short time may well be devoted to learning something of their history, and more of their historical interest and importance.

They were, it is more than probable, introduced into this country long before the time of the coming of Augustine, in 596. It is said that, in 550, Odoceus, Bishop of Llandaff, removed the bells from that cathedral during a time of excommunication; and earlier still they are assumed to have been in use in Ireland as early as the time of St. Patrick, who died in A.D. 493. In those days much superstitious feeling, as in later ages, hung around the bells, and many sweetly pretty and very curious legends are known respecting them. Thus it is said St. Odoceus of Llandaff, "being thirsty after undergoing labour, and more accustomed to drink water than anything else, came to a fountain in the vale of Llandaff, not

far from the church, that he might drink, where he found women washing butter, after the manner of the country, and sending to them his messenger and disciples, they requested that they would accommodate them with a vessel that their pastor might drink therefrom; who ironically, as mischievous girls, said, 'We have no other cup besides that which we hold in our hands'-namely, the butter; and the man of blessed memory taking it, formed one in the shape of a small bell, and he raised his hand so that he might drink therefrom, and he drank. And it remained in that form-that is, a golden one-so that it appeared to those who beheld it to consist altogether of the purest gold; which, by Divine power, is from that day reverently preserved in the church of Landaff, in memory of the holy man, and it is said that, by touching it, health is given to the diseased."

The earliest known form of bells in our own country, both Anglo-Saxon and Irish, appears to have been that of an inverted wedge; not cast, but made of plates of iron, riveted together, of more or less quadrangular form. They were not, however, intended for suspension, but were used as tintinnabulæ, or hand-bells. Examples of these are preserved in various collections; their general shape will be understood from the engraving (Fig. 231), from one in my own possession. It is ten inches and a half in height, and is formed of two plates of iron riveted together and brazed. Many of the Irish

examples are enclosed in rich and costly cases, elaborately decorated with patterns in relief and in enamel.

The towers of Anglo-Saxon and Norman churches show that peals of cast bells, some of large size, must have been in use in those days; indeed, Ingulphus says, in speaking of the peal of seven bells at Crowland Abbey, "Nec erat tunc tanta consonantia campanarum in tota Anglia." The Crowland peal was destroyed by a fire in 1091: the names of the bells were Pega, Bega, Tatwin, Turketyl, Betelin, Bartholomew, and Guthlac; and they were succeeded by two small bells, given to the monks by one Fergus, a brazier, of Boston. An earlier instance of direct evidence is afforded by the Anglo-Saxon MS. of St. Æthelwold's benedictional, by Cadmon. In this MS. a tower is shown, in which hang four, evidently cast, bells of "sugar-loaf" form. Other illuminations also show bells hanging in towers, and prove that they were in use for actual ringing, not striking, at an early date. Egbert in 750 commanded "every priest at the proper hour to sound the bells of his church, and then go through the sacred offices of God." Indeed, it may safely be said that, from the first establishment of Christianity among us down to the present time, bells have been a distinguishing feature of our country, and pealringing our national peculiarity.

In the illuminated MSS. of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, bells are represented of much

ones.

the same general form as those of the present day. Mediæval bells were, however, not so "squat" and dumpy" as, but longer and narrower than, modern Mr. Ellacombe states the oldest known dated bell in England to be St. Chad's, Claughton, and to bear the date 1296; but I fear this statement must be received with great caution. Early dated bells, i.e. pre-Reformation dated bells, are of very rare occurrence. Bells were formerly blessed, or consecrated, in honour of some particular saintfrequently the patron saint of the church where intended to be placed-and this is still occasionally done even now. The inventories of church goods taken in the reign of Edward VI. afford a vast deal of interesting information as to the number of bells then in the different church-towers, as well as of hand-bells, etc., used for other purposes. Thus, at Sawley, there were "iij bells in the steple, j saunte bell, j hand-bell, j sacringe bell;" at Sandiacre, “ij hand-bells," and "in the belhowse ij bells, j sauns bell;" at Breaston, "ij bells in the steiple, j lytill hand-bell, j sakeringe bell;" at Bonsall, "iij small bells, j sanctus bell, iij bells in Stepul;" at Ashbourne," iij bellez in the steple, j clocke uppon j of them, j broken bell, j lyttle bell called a sanctus bell, ij hand-bellez, ij sacrynge bellez hangyng before the aulter of grene;" at Wirksworth, "iiij bells, j sanctus bell, ij handebells, and j lytle bell in the quyre -cum multis aliis. The "sacring bell" was rung at the moment of the elevation of the host; in some