Editing Sherborne Abbey (section)

== Bells ==

The C15th central tower contains the heaviest [[Ring of bells|ring]] of eight bells in the world,<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Peter Soole and Katherine Barker|date=2018|title=The Bells of Sherborne Abbey|journal=The Bells of Sherborne Abbey}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite journal|last=Ridgeway|first=Huw|date=2014|title=The Bells|journal=Sherborne Abbey|pages=25}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Sherborne Abbey Bellringers|url=http://www.sherborneabbeybellringers.com/Bells.htm|access-date=2020-07-24|website=www.sherborneabbeybellringers.com}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite journal|last=Legg|first=Rodney|date=2012|title=Sixteenth Century|journal=The Book of Sherborne & Castleton|pages=51}}</ref> with the tenor bell weighing of 46cwt and 5&nbsp;lbs (5,157&nbsp;lb or 2,340&nbsp;kg). A ring should not be confused with a [[peal]], which is a specific type of performance of [[change ringing]].

Since before Norman times the bells were rung from the crossing, directly beneath the tower. Ringing such heavy bells with such long ropes would have taken a lot of effort; it was likely the heavier bells would have each taken two or three men to ring them. In 1858 a new ringing chamber was built just above the tower fan vaulting.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Peter Soole and Katherine Barker|date=2018|title=How the Medieval Bells were Rung|journal=The Bells of Sherborne Abbey|pages=17–8}}</ref>

{| style="border:#aaa 1px solid; text-align: left"
|+'''Details of the bells'''<ref name=":3">{{Cite journal|last=Peter Soole & Katherine Barker|date=2018|title=The Sherborne Abbey Bells Today|journal=The Bells of Sherborne Abbey|pages=39}}</ref>
|-
! Bell
! Diameter
! Weight
! Note
! Cast
! Founder
! Inscriptions
|-
|Treble
|3' 1/8"
| 9-0-25
| B♭
| 1858
|[[Whitechapel Bell Foundry]]
|G. Mears founder London. Lord let the folk below – resound in living song — Thy praise as we do now — with iron tongue — August 18, 1858.
|-
|Second
|3' 2"
| 10-1-3
| A
| 1858
| Whitechapel Bell Foundry
|G. Mears founder London. – We hang here to record – that the Choir was restored – in the year of our Lord – 1858.
|-
|Third
|3' 4"
| 11-3-4
| G
| 1903
| John Warner & Sons
|W.M. Cast. F.R.S. Tho Gerard Gave ME RA. 1652
Recast John Warner & Sons Ltd 1903
|-
|Fourth
|3' 6"
| 12-1-6
| F
| 1803
| Thomas & James Bilbie
|Peace & plenty is the wish of Thomas Thorne & Samuel Ieffrey – Churchwardens 1803. Thomas & Iames Bilbie. Chewstoke, Somerset, fecit.
|-
|Fifth
|3' 10 3/4"
| 16-3-3
| E♭
| 1787
| William Bilbie
|Bartholomew Watts & Sweet Hart – Churchwardens 1787. Be meek & lowly to hear the word of God. William Bilbie. Chewstoke, Somerset, fecit
|-
|Sixth
|4' 2 3/4"
| 22-1-4
| D
| 1858
| Whitechapel Bell Foundry
|G. Mears founder London 1858
|-
|Seventh
|4' 8"
| 28-0-18
| C
| 1903
| John Warner & Sons
|Campana — Domine — Iohn Whetcombe —Iohn Cooth — Wardens. 1653 RA
Recast by John Warner & Sons Ltd 1903. William Hector Lyon M.A – Vicar. Mark Parsons, Frederick Bennet – Churchwardens
|-
|Tenor
|5' 4"
| 46-0-5
| B♭
| 1933
| Whitechapel Bell Foundry
|By Wolsey's gift I measure time for all. To mirth, to Grieffe, to Church, I serve to call.
Recast 1670 by Thomas Purdue of Closworth Somerset. Joseph Barker – Vicar. Gustavus Horne, Walter Pride – Churchwardens.

Again recast 1865, by John Warner & sons of London. Edward Harton – Vicar. James Hoddinott, Francis Stokes – Churchwardens.

Again recast 1933, by Mears & Stainbank of London. Wilfred Marcus Askwith – Vicar. Clement Horrace Adams, James Florance – Churchwardens.
|-
|Sanctus
|1' 7 1/8
|c.1-2-0
|A♯
|c.1350
|
|S[an]C[t]A MARIA ORA PRO NOBIS
|-
|Fire Bell
|2' 9 1/4
|n/k
|n/k
|1653
|
|Lord qvench the fvrious flame – Aris rvn help pvt ovt the same. IW IC. 1653 RA
|}
All inscriptions are in upper case and various decorative symbols have been omitted.

=== Notes ===
Seventh: Chimed from the choir each week as a call to morning prayer.<ref name=":3" /> Called the "Lady bell"

Tenor: This is the smallest of seven bells from Tournai, Belgium presented to English churches in 1514 by Cardinal Thomas Wolsey (1473–1530).<ref name=":2" /> This bell is known as Great Tom, after Thomas Wolsey. Though this bell was the smallest of the seven, it is the largest bell rung in a peal in England.<ref name=":16">{{Cite journal|last=Wildman|first=W.B.|date=1902|title=The Bells|journal=A Short History of Sherborne|pages=39–40}}</ref> The other six were given to the following churches in order of size: Christ Church, Oxford; Exeter; St Paul's; Lincoln: Canterbury and; Gloucester.<ref name=":16" />

Sanctus: Chimed at the blessing of the sanctum during Communion.<ref name=":3" />

Fire bell: It is unusual in that it has an in-turned lip, and so has a completely different sound to a conventional bell.<ref name=":1" /> However, it stopped being used in 1863.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Peter Soole & Katherine Barker|date=2018|title=The Fire Bell and the Sanctus Bell|journal=The Bells of Sherborne Abbey|pages=6}}</ref>

The last restoration was carried out in 1995 by Nicholson Engineering of Bridport. This included the replacement of headstocks, bearings, wheels, pulley assemblies, clappers, stays and sliders, and the removal of the cast-in crown staples.

=== All Hallows bells ===
By the end of the 14th century, a ring of five or six bells was in use in All Hallows Parish Church, with the earliest known dating from 1514.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Peter Soole and Katherine Barker|date=2018|title=All Hallows Parish Church|journal=The Bells of Sherborne Abbey|pages=7}}</ref> Most of these were then transferred to the abbey tower.<ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Peter Soole and Katherine Barker|date=2018|title=All Hallows Parish Church|journal=The Bells of Sherborne Abbey|pages=8}}</ref>