History of the Bells

In 1553 the inventory of church goods shows that Bovey Tracey in the Hundred of Teynbridge had four bells and one small bell. This was sold to Woodbury near Exeter in 1818. At this time the bells were recast into a six (with the work actually being undertaken at Bovey Tracey ).

Elllacombe as part of his review of Church Bells in Devon visited Bovey Tracey on the 17th of October 1864 and recorded the following details of the Bells.

In Ellacombes work on the church bells of Devon he also adds that 1,3,and 5 were hung above. The current ring of eight has 1,3,5 and 7 above.

On the 7th February 1818 a licence was decread by the Bishop to cast four old bells one being cracked into six with additional metal.

A Tenor with a diameter of 41 inchs would equate to a weight around 13 to 13 1/2 hundredweight.

The current peal of bells are a complete Taylor 8 cast in 1902 and hung on two levels in a cast iron frame. They were re-hung by Gillett and Johnstone in 1935 and other than general maintenance had not been touched until the millenium year. Andrew Nicholson, bellhanger from Bridport was commisioned to complete work on the bells in 1999 he replaced the Gudgeon Pins on the 6th as this was a priority. ( The photo below shows the headstock at the bottom of the tower with Barry Trevethan and Bob Brown.) Between October and November 2000 the bells were taken out of action all the clappers were replaced, bearings inspected and renewed and the roping of the bells was improved with additional pulley blocks, flapper boards and one of the bells being turned in tis bit to improve the rope drop. The bells are now in tip top order.

THE CURRENT BELLS

Bell Frame,

The Bells are hung on two levels in cast iron and steel bellframe,The lower part of the frame consists of an H section,cast-iron frame sides, all bolted down to a single foundation of three steel joists all running east/west and built into the tower walls. The upper part of the frame consists of low-side type frames bolted down to a single foundation of steel joists, which themselves are bolted to the tops of the framesides of the lower frame;the outer two east/west joists running parallel to the north and south walls, The frame was designed and constructed by J,Taylor & Co of Loughborough in 1902 when the present ring was cast

Fittings,

The bells are hung from cast iron headstocks fitted with riveted steel gudgeon pins, except those on the Tenor which were altered to bolted gudgeons in 1960. The bells were all made with flat tops and with centre holes for fitting independent crown staples.

Able Simulator

At the end of 2005 we installed an ABLE simulator on all 8 Bells and whilst we can not allow extended periods of open ringing we have run day workshops to assist inmproving ringing in the locality.

PEALS AT BOVEY TRACEY

There have been Seventeen peals on Bovey Tracey Bells, due to the nearby propereties peals are only allowed in very exceptional circumstances.

1. 08/10/1902 Superlative Surprise Major

2. 12/09/1913 Bristol Surprise Major

3. 08/08/1928 Kent Treble Bob Major

4. 15/10/1932 Grandsire Triples

5. 22/08/1934 Cambridge Surprise Major

6. 11/08/1937 Kent Treble Bob Major

7. 27/08/1951 Rutland Surprise Major

8. 19/10/1963 Aldenham Surprise Major

9. 19/10/1964 Plain Bob Major

10.26/08/1966 Rutland Surprise Major

11.04/10/1967 Illey Surprise Major

12.21/07/1969 Yorkshire Surprise Major

13.01/06/1971 Yorkshire Surprise Major

14.11/09/1971 Yorkshire Surprise Major

15.25/03/1972 Hunslett Imperial Bob Major

16.30/03/1999 Grandsire Triple

17.19/03/05 Superlative Surprise Major

The first peal on the Bells at Bovey Tracey is mentiond in F.E.Robinson's "Among the Bells"; it was one in a tour of the westcountry which began with the first peal on the bells at Exeter Cathedral, two days before the Bovey Tracey Peal. They rang two peals at Thorverton on the 7th, and another one at Newton Abbot on the 8th, followed by Totnes on the 9th and Ashburton on the 10th. F.E.Robinson who was 69 at the time says that he confined himself one peal a day. He says that at Bovey Tracey "where the bells (a new ring) had only been erected six months before, we found that four ropes had to be spliced above before we could ring, and all the ropes had been cut short below!"

The above is with thanks to the Reverend John Scott who provided the information.





Wednesday October 8th 1902
5056 Superlative Surprise Major
By C.H.Hattersley

Conducted by George Williams

As a point of interest Tom Chapman late of Piglet informed me that George Williams came from North Stoneham and is buried in the churchyard there.

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