Bovey Tracey Bellringers 2006

LUSTLEIGH PAGE

As well as providing ringing at Bovey Tracey we also support the ringing at Lustleigh and ring there most Sundays from 10.15 to 11.00 hrs. Practices at Lustleigh are unfortunately infrequent.

In 1553 the Inventory of Church goods lists Lusteigh as having four bells, which was fairly normal at the time with most Churches having either three or four, little else is known about these early bells.

The next significant information comes from a visit on the 19thOctober 1864 by the Reverend H T Ellacombe who at the time was the vicar of Clyst St George, a keen bellringer and church reformer he visited Lustleigh as part of his work in recording all the church bells of Devon.

From Ellacombes records we know that at that time Lustleigh had four bells cast by Thomas Castleman Bilbie of Cullompton, in 1799. Bilbie was a prolific founder and bellhanger of his time and many examples of his work still exist in the county, although it has to be said that in general his bells are not of the best tonal quality. We also know from Ellacombes notes that the bells and fittings at this time were in a poor condition and dirty. These Bilbie bells would almost certainly have been recast from the metal of the previous bells, probably near the Church as transporting bells once cast was not an insignificant task.

Interestingly two of the inscriptions on the bells included the names of the churchwardens of the time MR ELIAS CUMING & MR JOHN AMERY although Ellacombes notes spell Cuming differently on both bells, this may be an error on his part or more often not on the part of the founder.

We further know from records that in 1875 William Aggett of Chagford a local bellhanger hung a fifth bell, a new treble in the tower the bell being cast by Taylors bellfoundry of Loughborough who are still in business to this day.

One can only imagine what the bells were like, however I imagine taking all the information into account that they were not very good and in 1923 Gillet and Johnston of Croyden recast all the bells and at the time augmented them to six with a Tenor bell weighing 12 Cwt. These are the bells that hang in the church today and ring out on Sunday morning and other times. At the time the bells were cast Gillet and Johnston were arguably at their peak and were turning out some superb musical rings of bells and Lustleigh bells are no exception, being amongst the best bells in Devon. As was normal practice the inscription of the old bells was reproduced on the new bells although Messer’s Gillet and Johnston reproduced the name “Bilbie” as “Billie” on every bell a shocking piece of carelessness on their part.

The bells remain in good order although after 83 years the time has now come when money has to be found to keep them in first class order. The bell frame which is made of cast iron is showing signs of corrosion so will need rubbing down and repainting and the original bearings although still sound are reaching the point where they will need to be replaced all of which requires not insignificant funding if the bells are to carry on ringing in the future.

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