THE CHURCH BELLS OF DORSET. 103 



the preceding churchwarden, Thomas Purdue of Closworth, 

 Somerset, bellfounder, and others concerning a bell, formerly in 

 the tower of Bothenhampton church, which had been carried 

 away by some of the defendants. The bell weighed 700 Ibs or 

 800 Ibs and was worth 60. 



Purdue answers that in June 1689 he had contracted with 

 Young "for new casting of y e greatest bell or one of y e bells 

 belonginge to y e parish church of Bothenhampton " at a cost of 

 ^12, half to be paid at the casting of the bell & the remainder 

 six weeks after the work was finished, & i s 2 d for every pound of 

 metal added to the bell. And afterwards Young "comp'lained 

 that some of y e brasses belonging to y e sayd bell & to y e other 

 bells were defective" and desired Purdue to recast them also. 

 When the bell and brasses were completed, (90 Ibs of metal 

 having been added to the bell), Young caused them to be carried 

 to Bothenhampton, without however making any payment for 

 the work done. Later Young stated that the parishioners refused 

 to give the money & on being arrested & imprisoned for the 

 debt, he requested the bellfounder to "hew the bell" & make it 

 " flatter in tune hoping the parishioners would be pleased 

 therewith." The bell was consequently again sent to Closworth 

 where it now remains & Purdue declares his readiness to deliver 

 it on payment of the money due to him. 



AN ANCIENT DUMB BELL AT KNOLE HOUSE, 

 KENT. 



In the " Antiquary" for October, 1903, is a short but inter- 

 esting article by Mr. C. Essenhigh Corke on an ancient dumb 

 bell, from which, by permission of the author and editor, some 

 extracts and, through the kindness of the latter, the illustrations 

 are taken. 



Some twelve years ago Mr. Corke was much puzzled by 

 hearing the housekeeper at Knole speak of the Dumb Bell 

 Gallery. He went to the attic, which bore this name ; it " was 



