St Mary Bourne Revisited

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The Church Bells (St. Peter’s)

(extracts from parish registers)

1681-2 The bells cast at Redding at £45.15s.with other expenses such as driver at Kingsclere 4/-.More expenses at Redding 16/-.ye last night 16/-.

1683. Again a bell founders bill of £18 "Carrying to Redding and bringing them back again" £2.5s.

1699. They must have again proved unsound or have been damaged by much ill usage for we again find an entry " Michael Hedges and Robert Longman was churchwardens when the bells was cast at St. Mary Bourne in the year 1699 and they was cast by Mr. Robert Carr at Aldbourne" (Carr on the bells).After a time the parishioners appear to have tired of their expenses for later we find an entry of contract to keep the bells in repair.

Inscriptions on the Bells

Treble ADMG DD Chris et Ada Burne 1926 Mears & Stainbank, London

Second HC.FF._CW R.COR 1724 (Henry Carter, Francis Flower, Church wardens and Robert Carr the bell founder).

Third Mr. Robert Longman Mr. Michael Hedges CW_ RC 98 (The CW identifies the names as Church wardens with Robert Carr, bell founder in 1698).

Fourth Robert Rolf, John Harbett CW John Corr BF 1737 (BF identifies the bell founder)

Fifth Robert Thorngatt _Richard Houldaway CW 1683

Tenor (12cwt. in F sharp.)

On the tenor Bell is inscribed: "On earth Bells do ring. In Heaven Angels sing Halaluiah ."