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  St John or St Stephen, Kirkby Stephen
St John or St Stephen, Kirkby Stephen: bell ringing
locality type:-   ring of bells

photograph
BRG28.jpg  The 8 bells, hung this way and that way, in their frame.
(taken 3.8.2009)  
photograph
BRG30.jpg  Inscription on a bell:-
"... WARNER &SONS" (taken 3.8.2009)  
evidence:-   old text:- Pennant 1773
source data:-   Book, A Tour from Downing to Alston Moor, 1773, by Thomas Pennant, published by Edward Harding, 98 Pall Mall, London, 1801.
page 123  "... Notwithstanding the patron saint was St. Stephen, the great old bell was dedicated to St. Hugh - S. Hugo, ora pro nobis! On the great new bell is this memorial:"
""Cum sono busta mori, cum pulpita vivrere disce.""
"On the little bell the founder wishes to immortalize himself by these lines:-"
""Be it known to all men that me se, / Thomas Stafford of Penrith made me.""
evidence:-   old text:- Gents Mag
item:-  accident
source data:-   Magazine, The Gentleman's Magazine or Monthly Intelligencer or Historical Chronicle, published by Edward Cave under the pseudonym Sylvanus Urban, and by other publishers, London, monthly from 1731 to 1922.
image G7540230, button  goto source
Gentleman's Magazine 1754 p.230  "... The church of Kirkby-Stephen ... has four bells of a considerable size, but not well proportioned to each other; the oldest bears date 1631, and the newest, which is also much the largest, 1749; the carpenter that new fram'd them when this was put up, having made his bargain for the old frame, it happened that as he was throwing down the last piece, a nail which he had not perceived caught hold of his cloaths, and the piece of timber being heavy, drew him after it, from a window being 15 yards high, and dash'd his brains out against some of the pieces he had thrown out before; an accident which was the more regretted as it happened on a Saturday night, when the man had just compleated his job, and was in haste to return with the money to his wife and family at Appleby."

photograph
BRG29.jpg  A bell hung for ringing; bell wheel, bell rope, headstock, stay, etc.
(taken 3.8.2009)  
photograph
 Click to enlarge
BRG73.jpg (taken 3.8.2009)  
photograph
BRG31.jpg  Clock and chiming mechanism, which is no longer attached to the bells?
(taken 3.8.2009)  
photograph
BRG32.jpg  Chiming mechanism.
(taken 3.8.2009)  
photograph
BRG33.jpg  Bell ropes and sallies in the ringing chamber.
(taken 3.8.2009)  
photograph
BRB78.jpg  1st floor ringing chamber.
(taken 17.7.2009)  
photograph
BRG34.jpg  Ten commandment for the bellringer
(taken 3.8.2009)  
photograph
BRG35.jpg  Notice:-
"WARNING TO RINGERS / Clock Hammers must be pulled off before bellringing" (taken 3.8.2009)  
photograph
BRG36.jpg  Stair to the ringing chamber.
(taken 3.8.2009)  
Dove data:-  
 scale:-
F, G, A, B flat, C, D, E, F
Complete octave; intervals TTSTTTS; F major.
Bells 1-6 and 8 cast by John Warner and Sons, 1877; 7 by Edward Seller, 1749.

Dove 2009
www.dove.cccbr.org.uk
photocopy:-  
 Whitehead 1894:-
vol.13 p.194

image
t1013194.jpg  
vol.13 p.195

image
t1013195.jpg  

Whitehead, H: 1894 (?): Church Bells in Leath Ward, part III: TransCWAAS: vol.13: pp.194-217
photocopy:-  
 Whitehead 1885:-
vol.8 p.521

image
t1008521.jpg  

Whitehead, H: 1885: Church Bells in Cumberland Ward, part I: TransCWAAS: vol.8: pp.505-531
hearsay:-  
 The following inscriptions are given in a local guide book [1 to 8]:-
"Attendite, popule, Ps. 78. Cast by J. Warner and Sons, London, 1877."
"Benedicite, omnia opera. Cast by J. Warner and Sons, London, 1877."
"Venite, exultemus domino, Ps. 95, Cast by J. Warner and Sons, London, Committee, Mary H. Simpson, Annie Thompson, Agnes A. Sayer, Jane Alderson, Eliz. Crossley, Eliz. Jackson, Thos. Mason, Esq., J.P., D.L., Treasurer, H. P. Mason, Esq., secretary."
"Be it known unto all men that me see, Thomas Stafford of Penrith made me, 1631, Recast by J. Warner &Sons, London, 1877."
"Insonet cet ad sacra cum nostris tintinationibus. Anno Domini, 1693. Recast by J. Warner and Sons, London, 1877."
"Qui pius est veniat properans ut numen adoret. F.H. R.A. E.F. J.G. T.G. Anno Domini 1685. Recast by J. Warner and Sons, London, 1877."
"Cum sono busta mori, cum pulpita vivere disce, 1749. E. Sette, Ebor Hartley, minister Chr. Islip, Thos. Ewbank, Will Parker, John Waistell, Ch. Wds."
"Omnes gentes plaudite. Ps. 47 - O Sancte Stephane. Rev. Canon Simpson, LL.D. Vicar, L. Fairer, J. Sowerby, Wm Cleasby, M. Morland, Church wardens. Cast by J. Warner and Sones, London, 1877."
:-  
 The bells were hung by Mr Mallaby, Masham, Yorkshire, 1878.

:: Kirkby Stephen Parish Church:: leaflet available in church
hearsay:-  
 The Gentleman's Magazine reported an accident at the hanging of the old tenor bell, now number 7, in 1749.
"The carpenter who new framed them (the bells) when this was put up, having made his bargain for the old frame, it happened that as he was throwing down the last piece, a nail which he not perceived caught hold of his clothes, and the piece of timber being heavy, drew him after it from a window fifteen yards high and dashed his brains out against some of the pieces he had thrown down before; an accident which was the more regretted as it happened on a Sauturday night, when the man had just completed his job, and was in haste to return with the money to his wife at Appleby."
hearsay:-  
 Miss Thompson, later Mrs W Graham, gave a new clock to the church, made by Gowland, London, 1872. This was in memory of her father Matthew Thompson of Stobars Hall. The new clock had a chiming mechanism working on four bells. When the bells ahd increased to eight the quarters were chimed on bells 1, 3, 4 and 6; the hour on bell 8.
hearsay:-  
 An old story is told that Whittington, thrice Lord Mayor of London, provided a ring of bells to Kirkby Stephen, though not by design. The bells were meant for Great Salkeld. Whittington sent them to Kirkby Stephen, from where the people of Great Salkeld were meany to fetch them, but never did. So the bells were appropriated for the church here.
At the time of Dick Whittington, 14-15th century, he died 1434, there was no tower to the church, an old tower had been taken down, the new tower not built.
hearsay:-  
 The 8 o'clock curfew, the Taggy Bell or Tagg- Bell, was/is rung on the what was the tenor bell of the peal of four, now number 7.
It was reported as still being rung in 1922; and after the curfew the number of the day in the month was rung on a different bell.

Braithwaite 1922
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