Bell Tower - St Mary - Bluntisham, Cambridgeshire - Bell Towers on Waymarking.com

Bell tower of St Mary's church, Bluntisham, with a ring of 8 bells.

Bluntisham, Cambridgeshire S Mary
Bells
Bell	Weight	Nominal	Note	Diameter	Dated	Founder	Canons	Turning
1	3-1-18	1464.0	F#	24.50"	1910	John Taylor & Co	F
2	3-3-22	1388.5	E#	26.00"	1910	John Taylor & Co	F
3	4-1-16	1229.5	D#	28.38"	1832	William Dobson	Y
4	4-2-12	1096.0	C#	29.25"	1632	Miles I Graye	Y
5	6-0-9	976.0	B	31.88"	1910	John Taylor & Co	F
6	7-0-23	922.0	A#	34.50"	1716	Thomas Newman	Y
7	10-0-10	821.5	G#	37.88"	2004	John Taylor Bellfounders Ltd	F
8	13-2-10	731.0	F#	42.38"	1910	John Taylor & Co	F
Service	9-2-14	821.0	G#	38.75"	1801	Robert Taylor	R

SOURCE - (Visit Link)

"The Church of ST. MARY consists of a chancel (37 ft. by 18 ft.), north vestry (9½ ft. by 10½ ft.), nave (51½ ft. by 16½ ft.), north aisle (11¾ ft. wide), south aisle (11¾ ft. wide), west tower (13¼ ft. by 12 ft.), and north and south porches. The walls are of rubble with stone and clunch dressings, and the roofs covered with tiles and lead.

Of the church mentioned in the Inquisitio Eliensis and in the Domesday Survey (1086) nothing now remains, the earliest parts of the existing building being the chancel with its north vestry or chapel built about 1330, and the west tower built about 1370–1380.

About 1450 the nave and aisles were rebuilt, the aisles being extended to the west wall of the tower, the side walls of which were pierced with arches; and the chancel arch rebuilt. The south porch was built at the same time as the aisle, but the north porch was added slightly later, as is shown by the plinth of the aisle running through the porch wall.

The church was restored in 1850 when the chancel was much altered, the north wall and the vestry being largely rebuilt and a gallery removed. The weathering of the earlier and lower roof of the nave remains on the east face of the tower.

The west tower was restored in 1903–1905, the south aisle in 1904, and other works in 1912–1913.

The west tower is of three stages with a moulded plinth and embattled parapet. The eastern arch is original, two-centred and of three orders. The north and south arches are of clunch and were inserted in the 15th century, and the west door and three-light window are of the same date. The second stage has a single pointed light on each side, and the belfry windows are two-lights with restored mullions and tracery. The octagonal spire rising from within the parapet is 122 ft. high from ground to the top; it has three tiers of lights, the first and third on the cardinal faces. The stair turret at the north-east corner is finished at the top with a stone vault.

There are eight bells, inscribed: To the Glory of God and in loving memory of Thomas Edwards, MCMX; Quinque natu majoribus sum addita, MCMX, John R. Wormsley and Alfred King, Churchwardens; Willm. Dobson, Founder, Downham, Norfolk, 1832; Miles Graye made me, 1632; Thomas Newman made me, 1717, recast MCMX; Thomas Skeeles, Tho. Hovson, Churchwardens, 1716; Geo. Key and Aron Brown, juner, Churchwardens, 1801, Robt. Taylor, St. Neots, Founder; Gloria in excelsis Deo. Henry Sayers, Rector, and Arthur David Godfrey, sometime warden, gave me, MCMX.

In 1552 there were three bells. All were repaired in 1910, but they have no wheels and are only chimed."

SOURCE - (Visit Link)

Address of Tower: St Mary Rectory Road Bluntisham, Cambridgeshire England PE28 3LN Still Operational: yes Number of bells in tower?: 8 Relevant website?: [Web Link] Rate tower: Not listed Tours or visits allowed in tower?: Not listed

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Date Logged Log   12/26/2019 Alancache visited it