84 The Church Bells of Holywood. 



favour of Cuthbert Kar of certain lands, " To bold," as it is 

 expressed, " of the said Mr Cutlibert Kar, his heirs and assignees, 

 in few ferme, heritably, of tlie granters and their successors, for 

 the yearly rent of 6s 8d, payable to them ; and also 10s yearly to 

 the prebendars or chaplains of the said church at the two usual 

 terms of Whitsunday and Martinmas, by equal portions, for 

 causing the bell to be rung nightly about the eighth hour, for the 

 space of one quarter of an hour, or thereby, vulgarly called ' the 

 aucht houris bell,' in all time coming, with three strokes at the 

 end, so that between each stroke there may be said a Pater 

 Noster, Ave Maria, and Credo in Deum, for the souls of all and 

 sundry predecessors, founders, and all others dead and living." 



Holywood Bells. 



These originally belonged to the ancient Abbey of Holywood, 

 the chancel of which remained standing in the south-east corner 

 of the present churchyard, serving as the Parish Church until 

 1788, when it was taken down to furnish material for the erection 

 of the existing fabric. The Riddle MS. contains a drawing of it, 

 and an engraving appears in Cardonell's Atdiquities of i^cotland. 

 A double belfry is represented surmounting the east gable, and 

 supporting the bells, one in each bay. After transference to the 

 new building, if tradition is to be relied on, the bells, with the 

 then belfry surmounting the church tower, were wrecked during 

 a storm. For a long time they have occupied the present bell- 

 chamber, one being used as the call bell for summoning the con- 

 gregation, the other, sometimes called the " dead bell," is rung at 

 funerals. 



The former is a shoi't-waisted bell measuring 17| inches in 

 diameter at the mouth and 10 at the shoulder, 14 inches in 

 height, and 1^ inch thick at the sound-bow ; estimated weight, 

 1 cwt. 1 qr. 16 lbs.; note, A Hat; a good bell of ordinary design, 

 and inscribed round the shoulder. The latter bell is long-waisted, 

 and measures 16^ inches in diameter at the mouth and 10 at the 

 shoulder, 15 inches in height, and 1^ inch thick at the sound- 

 bow; estimated weight, 1 cwt. 1 qr. 16 lbs.; note, C; the design is 

 peculiar, showing an assemblage of five broad, flat, rounded beads 

 under the shoulder and three similar beads over the sound- bow, 

 which, with its elongated shape, gives the bell a quaint and 

 ancient appearance ; under the shoulder beading is a shield 

 Hanked with initial letters. 



