HEXAB2202

Hexham Abbey Bells

bell | metalwork

bronze

Bell	Note	Weight	Founder	Year
Treble	G♯	5-0-21	Whitechapel	1999
2^nd	F♯	5-1-03	Whitechapel	1999
3^rd	E	5-1-0	T Lester	1742
4^th	D♯	5-2-0	T Mears	1833
5^th	C♯	6-0-0	Mears and Stainbank	1884
6^th	B	6-2-2	Whitechapel	1977
7^th	A	9-0-0	Mears and Stainbank	1884
8^th	G♯	11-0-0	T Mears	1801
9^th	F♯	13-1-0	Mears and Stainbank	1884
10^th	E	21-1-16	Mears and Stainbank	1924

The tower of Hexham Abbey has ten bells, the oldest of which (now the 3^rd) dates back to 1742. The other seven of the original eight have been recast at various times. The two newest bells (now 1^st and 2^nd) were added in 1999.

Whitechapel Bell Foundry Ltd

1742–1999

Very little (apart from their inscriptions) is known about the original six bells pre-1742. See the Wright & Gibson [3^rd URL] references.
1742: 8 bells cast out of the metal of the ancient 6 by Thomas Lester of London. The oak beams of the old bell cage were used in constructing the new one. Six-foot gangway built round the beams for easy access.
1823: “Here hung the curious ring of bells, which, from their names and inscriptions, have been noticed by all travellers, and yet never fully described. … These ancient bells deserve more minute attention than has yet been granted them. The inscriptions on them are preserved in the annexed engraving. … Three of the bells are dated 1404. The other three were probably more ancient. Four of the bells are dedicated or baptized, as
we learn from the inscription which is addressed to each bell by its name.” [Wright pp100–1]
1884: Bells 3, 5, and 7 [now 5, 7, and 9] re-cast by Alfred Lawson. Lester's 7^th [now 9^th] bell, re-cast in 1884, was a maiden bell, never having been tuned.
1924: Tenor, no.8 [now 10], re-cast by Alfred Lawson using existing metal. Bells cleaned and retuned, the whole peal sent to Mears & Stainbank, London. Framework unsatisfactory, removed and replaced.
1968: Too dangerous to ring the bells until 1977.
1976. A new Abbey appeal is to be launched within the next few months to raise £75,000 for further restoration work and to get the bells ringing again … the floor of the bell-ringing chamber which was rotten and unsafe. This meant, said Major Peile, that the bells were unusable and he pointed out that one would have to be recast and the gantry on which they hang was also unsafe. [Hex. Cour. 13.2.1976, p.11]
1977: New metal bell-frame dedicated 3^rd Sep along with recast bell No.4 [now No.6].
1978: Flooring put round bell frame, shutters over the louvres to dampen the sound.
1984: Hexham Abbey's bell ringers were banned from their own bell tower, when the Abbey's Parochial Church Council closed the tower down after failing to reach agreement on rules relating to the control of bell ringing. [Hex.Cour. Feb]
1998: 10 Bells for 2000 Appeal: 2 lighter bells to mark the Millennium.
1999: Ringing chamber refurbished. A ‘Sound-management system’ installed in belfry. Existing bells Nos.1–8 re-numbered 3–10.
2000: New ring of 10 bells dedicated at Evensong on Easter Day.

Tower Crossing/Bell Chamber

A B Wright, 1823 “An Essay …” pp100–103; J P Gibson, 1887 “The Bells of the Priory Church of St Andrew Hexham” in ArchÆl 2-12 pp299–306 [see 3^rd URL]

See also: archaeologydataservice.ac.uk

HEXAB2202.1

Hexham Abbey Bell no.1 “Peace” (G♯)

bell | metalwork

bronze

Treble G♯ 5-0-21 Whitechapel 1999

PEACE
GIVEN BY THE RINGERS
RING IN THE COMMON LOVE OF GOOD
CANON MICHAEL NELSON – RECTOR
ANGUS & HENRY
19 99
WHITECHAPEL

Whitechapel Bell Foundry Ltd

1999

1999: Named and Dedicated by the Rector after arriving outside the Abbey on Saturday 13^th November.

diameter 676 mm

Tower Crossing/Bell Chamber

HEXAB2202.2

Hexham Abbey Bell no.2 “Millennium” (F♯)

bell | metalwork

bronze

2^nd F♯ 5-1-03 Whitechapel 1999

MILLENNIUM
GIVEN BY ANNE & NEVILLE PARKIN
RING IN THE THOUSAND YEARS OF PEACE
CANON MICHAEL NELSON – RECTOR
19 99
WHITECHAPEL

Whitechapel Bell Foundry Ltd

1999

1999: Named and Dedicated by the Rector after arriving outside the Abbey on Saturday 13^th November.

diameter 699 mm

Tower Crossing/Bell Chamber

HEXAB2202.3

Hexham Abbey Bell no.3 (E)

bell | metalwork

bronze

3^rd E 5-1-0 T Lester 1742

1742 T LESTER

T Lester

Whitechapel Bell Foundry Ltd

1742

In 1742 Thomas Lester of Whitechapel installed a new ring of 8 bells. Only the treble, the current 3^rd of the ring, survives from this time.

weight 280 kg | diameter 725 mm

Tower Crossing/Bell Chamber

HEXAB2202.4

Hexham Abbey Bell no.4 (D♯)

bell | metalwork

bronze

4^th D♯ 5-2-0 T Mears 1833

THOMAS MEARS OF LONDON FOUNDER 1833.

Thomas Mears

Whitechapel Bell Foundry Ltd

1833

weight 300 kg | diameter 775 mm

Tower Crossing/Bell Chamber

HEXAB2202.5

Hexham Abbey Bell no.5 (C♯)

bell | metalwork

bronze

5^th C♯ 6-0-0 Mears and Stainbank 1884

THOs LESTER 1742
ALFREDUS . S. LAWSON REFECIT A.D. 1884

Alfred Silva Lawson

Whitechapel Bell Foundry Ltd

1884

weight 350 kg | diameter 810 mm

Tower Crossing/Bell Chamber

HEXAB2202.6

Hexham Abbey Bell no.6 “Jubilee” (B)

bell | metalwork

bronze

6^th B 6-2-2 Whitechapel 1977

1775
THE RIGHT REVEREND A. G. W. HUNTER B.A. RECTOR

RECAST
19 77		[Jubilee Bell]
WHITECHAPEL

Whitechapel Bell Foundry Ltd

1977

1949: No.4 bell [as it was pre-1999] had developed a crack and would have to be replaced. [Hex. Par. Mag. May]

weight 430 kg | diameter 875 mm

Tower Crossing/Bell Chamber

HEXAB2202.7

Hexham Abbey Bell no.7 (A)

bell | metalwork

bronze

7^th A 9-0-0 Mears and Stainbank 1884

THOMAS LESTER OF LONDON MADE US ALL & TOBIAS BENTON HANGED US ALL 1742 ALFREDUS S. LAWSON ME ET TERTIUM EX MEIS SOCIIS REFECIT. A.D. 1884

Alfred Silva Lawson

Whitechapel Bell Foundry Ltd

1884

weight 500 kg | diameter 915 mm

Tower Crossing/Bell Chamber

HEXAB2202.8

Hexham Abbey Bell no.8 (G♯)

bell | metalwork

bronze

8^th G♯ 11-0-0 T Mears 1801

REVd Wm FLEMING M A MINISTER REVd ROBt CLARKE LECTURER		RALPH LONGSTAFF MATTw LEE EDWd SWINBURN
MATTw COULSON CH. WARDENS THOs MEARS OF LONDON FECIT 1801

Thomas Mears

Whitechapel Bell Foundry Ltd

1801

weight 660 kg | diameter 1015 mm

Tower Crossing/Bell Chamber

HEXAB2202.9

Hexham Abbey Bell no.9 (F♯)

bell | metalwork

bronze

9^th F♯ 13-1-0 Mears and Stainbank 1884

1742 THOMAS LESTER MADE ME ALFREDUS S. LAWSON ME REFECIT A.D. 1884

On Lester's bell, re-cast 1884, after the inscription there was scratched:
“AND GAVE TOWARDS WOODWORK AND IRONWORK £10”

Alfred S Lawson

Whitechapel Bell Foundry Ltd

1884

Lester's 7^th bell, re-cast in 1884, was a maiden bell, never having been tuned.

weight 810 kg | diameter 1095 mm

Tower Crossing/Bell Chamber

HEXAB2202.10

Hexham Abbey Bell no.10 (E)

bell | metalwork

bronze

10^th E 21-1-16 Mears and Stainbank 1924

WALTER BLACKETT ESQ. LORD
REVd Mr Wm GRAHAM MINISTER
Wm VAZIE JOHN JOHNSON THOs LEE & ROBt ROBSON CHURCH WARDENS
1742 THOs LESTER OF LONDON MADE US ALL		RECAST 1924

Alfred Lawson

Whitechapel Bell Foundry Ltd

1924

Sir Walter Blackett, whose name occurs on the tenor bell, was nephew of the Lord of the Manor, at whose marriage rejoicings the great bell Mary was broken. The Fray bell was broken on September 20^th 1725 during the exuberant rejoicings caused by the marriage of Sir William Blackett with Lady Barbara Villiers. The marriage produced no legitimate heirs, and on Sir William's death a condition of his Will was that his estate passed to his nephew, Walter Calverley, on condition he married Sir William's illegitimate daughter, Elizabeth Ord, and assumed the name Blackett.

weight 1060 kg | diameter 1220 mm

Tower Crossing/Bell Chamber

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