hampsthwaite St Thomas a Becket  SE 259590

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History

Originally built as a penance by those responsible for the murder of Thomas a Becket.  The west tower is perpendicular but the rest of the church was rebuilt in 1902 by C Hodgson Fowler - some reconstruction had taken place in the 1820's.

Bells

Three bells hung for full-circle ringing - originally rung from the ground floor, the ringing chamber is now a gallery built within the tower arch. From Poppleton's notes it is suggested that in 1857 two bells were recast to make the present second bell. Further, the inscription on the tenor suggests that it was given new in 1857.  Therefore it is reasonable to assume that the present treble bell was the tenor of the pre-1857 ring of three.  

The two heaviest bells were retuned when the bells were rehung in 1934 but the treble remains a maiden bell.  All three bells have lost their canons.  The tenor weighed 10-0-8 and the second 8-2-8 before this work.

Inscriptions

1    IB:    DEO GLORIA  EDWARD BAINBRIDGE VICAR    IONA HARDCASTLE  THO RHODES  IONA HUTCHINSON  HEN RANSOM  CHURCHWARDENS  1738  E SELLER EBOR   (all within a band of ornament).

2    IB:    C & G MEARS FOUNDERS LONDON 1857

3    IB:    C & G MEARS FOUNDERS LONDON 1857

Waist [Incised]:   GIVEN TO THE PARISH OF HAMPSTHWAITE BY BILTON JOSEPH WILTON ESQUIRE MAY 1^ST 1857

Frame and Fittings

Hung in a cast-iron low side frame for six with cast iron headstocks Hastings stays and all modern fittings by Taylors of Loughborough in 1934.  The headstocks of 1 and 3 are straight whilst that of the 2 is curved.  Each bell is fitted with a clock hammer (the tenor has two) which are used by the clock and for chiming the bells.

Clock

A three train clock by Smith of Derby.  Ting-tang quarters are sounded on bells 1 and 3 with the hours struck on the tenor.

Poppleton

HAMPSTHWAITE  (St. Thomas of Canterbury). Three bells.

1.    DEO GLORIA 1738

       EDWARD BAINBRIDGE VICAR

       IONA: HUTCHINSON               CHVRCHWARDENS

       HEN: RANSOM

       {E Seller Ebor} With a band of bell ornament.

2.    C & G MEARS FOUNDERS LONDON 1857

3.    C & G MEARS FOUNDERS LONDON 1857

(incised) GIVEN TO THE PARISH OF HAMPSTHWAITE BY BILTON JOSEPH WILTON ESQUIRE MAY 1^ST 1857

There were formerly two bells, bearing the inscriptions:-

1.    SOLI DEO GLORIA 1626

2.    TO GOD THAT DOTH DISPOSE ALL THINGS

       TO HIM ALL GLORY AND PRAISE WE RING 1620

                     SOLI DEO GLORIA W O

These were the second and tenor respectively, and being cracked were taken down and cast into the present second bell.

By a codicil to his will, proved at York 5 January, 1406, John Parker, Doctor of Medicine, states:-

" Item volo quod tres librae sterlingorum assignatae in testamento meo pro expensis funeralibus apud Ebor deliberentur vicario de Hamsthwayt ad facturam campanarum ecclesiae parochialis de Harnsthwayt." (Test. Ebor., i, 343.)

Sources

ARA visited August 2003

Yorkshire The West Riding - Nikolas Pevsner and Enid Ratcliffe [2nd edition]

Francis Frith's Around Harrogate - Clive Hardy