St. Matthews Church Bells

Details of the bells, which have been rung in Harwell for almost 400 years.

 

In 1932 two additional bells were added to the older 6 which are now the oldest existing ring of 6 in the world. ( See F.Sharpe, The Church bells of Berkshire p 127)

Newspaper cutting from 1932 when the Harwell Bells were rededicated

Since 1932 there have been 8 bells and a Sanctus bell; the tenor weighs 16-1-26 (cwt-qr-lb), diameter 47″ in E.

bell no.	weight cwt-qr-lb	date cast	founder	inscription
treble	4-1-24	1932	Taylor of Loughborough	* TAYLORS * FOUNDERS * LOUGHBOROUGH * 1932 TO THE GLORY OF GOD THIS PEAL OF SIX BELLS WAS COMPLETELY RESTORED & TWO NEW BELLS WERE ADDED BY THE BARRON BELL TRUST IN 1932 EMMA BARRON, FOUNDER OF THE BARRON BELL TRUST. F.HOPKINS, P.M.WALROND, H.W.ELDRED, TRUSTEES. (T)
2	4-3-7	1932	Taylor of Loughborough	* TAYLORS * FOUNDERS * LOUGHBOROUGH * 1932 (T)
3	5-3-11	1611	William Yare Reading	HYMFRIE LODER GAVE THIS BELL 1611 W (8) Y
4	6-3-2	1590	Joseph Carter Reading	Praise ye the lorde 1590 (C) I (6) C
5	8-0-14	1611	William Yare Reading	THIS BELL WAS MADE 1611 W (8) Y
6	9-3-11	1612	William Yare Reading	THIS BELL WAS MADE 1612 W (8) Y
7	13-1-27	1597	Joseph Carter Reading	ThiS bell WaS Made in the Yeare of our lorde 1597 J (8) C
tenor	16-1-26	1612	William Yare Reading	:::::::::::::::: THIS BELL WAS MADE 1612 W (8) Y
sanctus	1-3-0#	~1770	Robert Wells of Aldbourne	R : WELLS ABOURN ….

Notes:

1. in the inscriptions (T) means the Founders Mark of Taylors, (C) is the impression of a coin,
   numbers in (), e.g. (6) or (8) refer to figure numbers in F.Sharpe’s book
2. on the 4th, the 9 in the date 1590 is reversed it looks more like a p with a sloping tail.
3. The canons of the larger bells were removed in 1932. The Sanctus is the only bell left with canons

The old bells prior to removal to Taylor’s Foundry, Loughborough on 19th April 1932. J.Martin, R.Slade, J.E.Pryor (church wardens), Rev.J.C.Cohen (vicar), Dr R.Rice (church warden), W.Hitchman (clerk) and Mr.Dexter from Taylor’s.