EAST WITTON St John SE 147860
History
Substantial church of 1809 by H H Seward. Large west tower.
Bells
Listed in a Mears and Stainbank catalogue of 1888 as a 7cwt peal of six cast in 1812. Four of the bells have subsequently been recast by the same firm. For a largely 20th century ring they are tonally quite indifferent. The recast bells were cast old-style and thus, despite the great advances in harmonic bell tuning, these bells lack the beauty of other early twentieth century peals of bells. Both Middleham and West Witton had chosen Taylors of Loughborough as their founders in the first decade of the twentieth century and it seems odd that the influence of these two churches had not spread further.
| Bell | Founder | Date | Cwt-Qtr-Lb | Diameter | Note |
| 1 | Mears & Stainbank | 1915 | 24.0625" | A | |
| 2 | Mears & Stainbank | 1915 | 25.3125" | G | |
| 3 | Thomas Mears II | 1812 | 26.875" | F | |
| 4 | Thomas Mears II | 1812 | 28.375" | E | |
| 5 | Mears & Stainbank | 1915 | 30.5625" | D | |
| 6 | Mears & Stainbank | 1930 | 6-3-23 | 32.875" | C |
Inscriptions
1: IB: MEARS & STAINBANK, LONDON.
W:
CAST 1812, RECAST 1915.
2: IB: MEARS & STAINBANK, LONDON.
W:
CAST 1812, RECAST 1915.
3: IB: [ornament] T MEARS OF LONDON FECIT 1812
4: IB: [ornament] T MEARS OF LONDON FECIT 1812
5: IB: MEARS & STAINBANK LONDON
W:
[AH + 3 bells roundel]
RW:
TO THE GLORY OF GOD
THE TREBLE, 2ND, AND 5TH BELLS WERE
RECAST,
AND THE PEAL
REHUNG AT THE EXPENSE OF
H. CHRISTIE, ESQ:
A.D. 1915.
6: IB: THOMAS MEARS OF LONDON FECIT 1812.
M&S. LONDON. [AH + 3 bells roundel]
W: THE GIFT OF
THE RIGHT HONORABLE
THOMAS BRUCE BRUDENELL BRUCE,
EARL OF
AILESBURY, TO THE PARISH
OF EAST WITTON.
RECAST 1930
Frame and Fittings
Wooden frame dating form 1812 with traditional wooden fittings and plain bearings. The headstocks could well date from 1915 when the canons were presumably removed from the older bells and the new bells were cast without.
Clock
Two train bed frame clock by John Thwaites & Co. CLerkenwell, 1812, London.
Sources
ARA November 2003