470 



The dedication to St. Nicolas is uncommon : as patron of 

 merchants, sailors, or schoolboys one does not see any special 

 connection with St. Catherine's. There is a bell of the ' same 

 fonnder's at Waterstock, in Oxfordshire, also dedicated to St. 

 Nicolas. The cross is an elegant one. Two bells at Bawdrip, in 

 this county, bear the same shield but different cross. The shield 

 is sometimes found connected with the Winchester arms. At 

 Headboume Worthy, near Winchester, this cross and the curious 

 head and Edwardian groat are also found. The 4th bell is 

 dedicated to St. John the Baptist ; it bears the initials " t g." 

 The cross of four fleur de lis appears in one or two sizes on several 

 Somersetshire bells. The letters are all small, no capitals 

 occurring. There are seven bells of this founder's in Devonshire ; 

 I do not know how many in Somerset. 



At Bruton there is the earliest dated bell which I have met 

 •with. Before the Reformation bells were rarely dated. There is 

 one at Bayeux dated 1202. Dates in England did not appear 

 commonly on bells till after 1550. This bell has 1528. It bears 

 also curious devices, a shield with " W. G. " on it, the arms 

 it is thought of a Wm. Gylfard, who was abbot at the time, a 

 flower, a fish, and rabbit. It is dedicated to the Virgin and St. 

 Stephen. 



At Ditcheat there is a splendid bell, the tenor. It is 47| inches 

 in diameter at its mouth, and probably some 20 cwt. in weight. 

 The letters are all crowned capitals of veiy beautiful design. 

 Curiously enough two of the stamps on it arc not raised as the 

 letters, but impressed. 



is the inscription. 



The 5th bell at Ditcheat is also old, bearing inscri2:)tion. 



The S's ai-e placed backwards. The cross and stop are simple. 



At Whatley, near Frome, out of a ring of five there are four 

 pre-Reformation bells j two, the 3rd and 4th, dedicated to St. 

 Clement, the 2nd to St.' Thomas, the 5th to St. Gregory. The 

 2nd, 3rd, and 4th have no " ora pro nobis " and no capitals. They 

 all bear a crown which is peculiar : it occurs at Yarncombe, in 



