About half a century later, a similar accident occurred at Welstead, and the bishop granted a license to sell three of the bells, to enable the parishioners with the proceeds to restore the tower. It gave rise to a taunting distich similar to the one at Arlesey.
On the walls of Newington Church, London, in 1793, was written a rhyme anent the rebuilding of the church without a steeple and selling the bells:—
“Pious parson, pious people
Sold the bells to build the steeple;
A very fine trick of the Newington people,
To sell the bells to build a steeple.”
Rhymes on steeples are very common; perhaps the best known is the one on Preston, Lancashire:—
“Proud Preston, poor people,
High church and low steeple.”
In a somewhat similar strain is the one on Bowness-on-Windermere:—
“New church and old steeple,
Poor town and proud people.”
Lincolnshire rhymes are very numerous, and a complete collection would almost fill a book. Here are three:—
“Gainsbro’ proud people
Built a new church to an old steeple.”