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The following brief history is taken from the
Thornbury Bells website
'The tower of St Mary's Church contains a ring of eight bells, the largest
weighing some 18½ cwt. Their early history is not clear: the oak bellframe,
hung high in the tower at the level of the louvres, is of traditional 17th century
Gloucestershire style and appears to have been constructed as one unit,
suggesting that there were eight bells originally. But the six heaviest
bells, all from the Gloucester Rudhall foundry, range in date from 1698 to
1828 and, although the fourth bell of 1698 bears the inscription ‘Abr
Rudhall cast us all’, there is no mention of Thornbury in the catalogues of
bells cast by the foundry between 1684 and 1830. Also, the two bells dated
1698 bear different names in their inscriptions'.
Click
here to go to the Thornbury Bells website
We are very grateful to David 'Arch' Andrews,
the Captain of the Tower Bells for sending us several photos of the various
memorial boards which are hung in the bell tower and a photo of the bell
ringers taken in 1897. Click on each of the thumbnails shown below to see a
larger image.
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Board
commemorating the ringing of the bells on 29th December by eight
of St Mary Redcliff Ringers assisted by one of the Thornbury
Ringers (whom we assume to be Nathaniel Bartlett Junior).
Mentions Vicar, Revd. M. F. S. Townsend and Churchwardens James
Willshen, Robert Screen and Arthur Screen. |
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Board
commemorating the Jubilee Peal on 24th April 1887 by J. Davis,
W. Sevier, G. Daltry, G. iles, J. Hinton, H. Mitchell, F. Howell
and J. Phillips. Also mentions Vicar, H. B. Hodgson and
Churchwardens, J. Y. Sturge, J. H. Thurston and T.D. Till
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Board
commemorating the ringing of the bells on 19th January 1901 by
W. Stowell, F. G. May, J. Thomas, W. Knight, J. J. Poole, H. W.
Fussell, H. T. Howell and F. K. Howell. Also mentions
Vicar, Revd A. W. Cornwall and Churchwardens H. H. Lloyd, H. P.
Thurston and J. B. Till, |
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Board
commemorating the ringing of the bells on 9th June 1901 by T.
Alsop, W. Somerville, C. Gordon, H. Fussell, F. K. Howell, J.
Poole, W. Stowell and H. Howell. |
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Board
commemorating the broadcasting of the bells by the B. B. C. on
Christmas Day 1946. The ringers were W. G. Symes, J.
Collins, A. Burrows, S. Poole, R. Poole, J. King and W. Poole.
Also mentions Vicar, R. G. Rawstone and Churchwardens R. A.
Bennett, S. W. G. Dennis and L. J. Hawkins |
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A group photograph
of the Thornbury Society of Change Ringers taken on 28th June
1897 - specifically T. Alsop, J. Phillips, F. Poole, A. B.
Phelps, C. Eddington, F. K. Howell, W. Davis (Captain) and J.
Poole |
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