212 THE CHURCH BELLS OF DORSET. 



Here on the fourth bell his name appears in full GEORGE 

 PVRDY. Three of his sons, William, Roger, and Thomas, 

 followed their father's calling. William's initials first appear at 

 Holwell, 1604, which seems a very early date for him, then at 

 Hinton S. Mary, 1614; at Burton Bradstock and Rampisham, 

 1615 ; and at Chaldon Herring in 1618. Then, after a break of 

 more than twenty years, W. P. turns up at Winterborne Zelstone, 

 1640, and finally at Shaftesbury Holy Trinity, Fontmell, and 

 Ibberton in 1641. The range from these earlier bells to 1673, 

 the date on the stone to the memory of William Purdue in 

 Limerick Cathedral, is apparently too long for one craftsman, 

 though just possible, but the inscription 



HERE A BELLFOUNDER, HONEST AND TRUE 

 UNTIL THE RESURRECTION LIES PURDUE 



clearly identifies him with the Salisbury family, for at Closworth, 

 Somerset, lies Thomas, the third brother, who died in 1711, 

 aged 90 years, under a slab inscribed : 



HERE LIES A BELL FOUNDER, HONEST & TRUE 

 TILL YE RESURRECTION, NAMED PURDUE 



The connection of the family with Salisbury is of very old 

 standing. A bequest of John Purdye, no new thing, is recorded 

 in 1562-1563, * f and our William was employed at S. Edmund's 

 in 1656 and at S. Thomas's in 1661. + 



From Roger, the second brother, described as "of the cyttie 

 of Bristoll, bell founder" in records at Wells, came Stratton 

 fourth and Caundle Bishop's third in 1627, Piddlehinton tenor 

 and the bell said to have been once at Radipole, now in the Old 



* Swayne's C. W.'s accounts S. Edm. and S. Tho. Sarum, pp. 106, 334. 



f Lukis, p. 101 . 



+ Swayne's C. W.'s accounts S. Edm. and S. Tho. Sarum, pp. 106. 334. 

 Ellacombe's C.B. of Devon, p. 56. 



