dunsforth St Mary  SE 443648

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History

Built in 1860 by Mallinson & Healey replacing an earlier chapel of ease.  South-west tower with broach spire.

Bells

Two bells hung for swing chiming. However the tenor is not swung and is used as the hour bell; the treble is chimed from the porch.

Inscriptions

1:   IB:     [89*] GLORIA [89*] IN [89*] ALTISSIMIS [89*] DEO [89*] 1671
Below:     [89] seven times

* only the centre section of this mark is used

2:   IB:     AN [bell] EL [snake] EHAT [bell] CNAS [cross]

When read backwards: SANCTA HELENA

The same marks appear on the treble at Raskelf (Diocese of York) and other bells in the area - use of a coin on one of these bells suggests a date of around 1547.

The inscription on Raskelf treble is given below - the cross, bell and snake marks are all used.

Poppleton

DUNSFORTH  (St. Mary). Two bells.

1.              GLORIA IN ALTISSIMIS DEO 1671

2.    D AN EL EHAT CNAS

(i.e. SANCTA HELENA)

                        18 in. dia.

Frame and Fittings

Hung between parallel beams both bells have unusual headstocks: the bulk of which is made up of a a hefty wooden chiming lever (from which the bell is hung) and at right angles to this is an iron bar which forms the gudgeons.  The tenor has a clapper with an elongated ball and has an external clock hammer. The fittings must have been transferred, with the bells, from the enclosed western bell-cote of the old church (below).

Clock

A two train clock with wrought iron frame and unusually the pendulum swings front to back rather than side to side.  The clock has an automatic night-silencer fitted which seems excessive given the rural situation of the church and the smallness of the hour bell.

Sources

RWMC notes

ARA August 2010