ANCIENT MODES OF HANGING BELLS.
In the Churchwardens' accounts of Ecclesfield parish, the following entries occur:—
"1527. It. paid to James Frodsam for makyng of iiij bell collers, xiiijd.
"——. It. paid to Robert Dawyre mẽdyng a bell wheyll, iijd.
"1530. It. for festnynge a gogon in ye belle yocke, jd."
The foregoing extracts are quoted with a view to ascertaining at how early a period the framework, now employed for suspending bells inchurches, was in use. It would appear that in 1527 the bell-wheel was known, and the bell swung on gudgeons ("gogon"), as it does now; but it may be doubted whether it was the same full wheel which we have. In a paper on Bells, read before the Bristol and West of England Architectural Society, Dec. 10, 1849, by the Rev. H. T. Ellacombe, and which has since been published in that Society's Report, I observe that two interesting plates of the bell-wheels are given: one being the old half-wheel, as still to be seen at Dunchideock in Devonshire; and the other the present whole wheel, which Mr. Ellacombe considers was a new thing in 1677.
Supposing that only the half-wheel was known in 1725, still the leverage which it afforded in raising the bell was the same as is given by its modern substitute. What then was the still earlier way of obtaining the momentum necessary to peal-ringing? A drawing of an ancient campanile turret which I have, exhibits a short piece of wood stuck at right angles into the beam to which the bell is fastened; and from the end of this, the rope depends, and would, of course, when pulled, easily swing the bell on its axle.
Observation in old belfries, or illustrations in old books, would possibly throw light upon my Query, which is, What were the modes of hanging church bells for ringing, prior to the invention of the bell-wheel?
ALFRED GATTY.