110 THE CHURCH BELLS OF DORSET. 



Osmington, Dorset, ist. 

 Downton, Wilts, 3rd. 

 Milton Abbas, ist. 



The cross in each case is a plain thin one ; the lettering is 

 also plain, rather high and narrow ; the symbol for S is char- 

 acteristic (cf. the early Bury St. Edmund's bells, as at Coton, 



Cambs.). 



The initials P. W., of course, point to Peter de Weston, nor 

 will they suit any other known founder ; but he would hardly 

 have hady0#r sets of type. It is not absolutely certain that they 

 are Londoners, but there being one in Essex seems to point to 

 the probability. 



The R., I think, suggests a Christian name rather than a 

 surname. In Surrey Bells, p. 73, Roger de Kyrkeby is given as 

 founding 1347-1356, i.e., just after P. de Weston, and he may be 

 the founder of this group. He may have acted as foreman to 

 P. de W., and placed the latter's initials on bells made for him. 

 Those with R. were made by him independently, and their 

 localities suggest that he itinerated in Wessex and Sussex. 

 (From forthcoming " Church Bells of Essex" by H. W. B.} 



Poole. The tower of the old church was built about 1500 ; in 

 it was one large bell and a saint's bell. Tradition says here were 

 eight bells, which were lost at sea about a league hence as they 

 were carrying (it) into Holland in the reign of Edward VI. 



Another and more touching tradition saith that anciently a 

 perfect peal was provided of 6 or 8 bells, which were shipped on 

 board a vessel to be conveyed to Poole ; but that owing to some 

 impiety on the part of the crew .... the vessel was 

 totally wrecked in a storm with the loss of all on board near Old 

 Harry Point. Two small bells were then procured and placed in 

 the tower, and the ancient mariners, when a ground swell comes 

 on in a wintry eve, will still listen for the moaning of the impious 

 crew and the solemn chime of the sunken bells mournfully 

 echoing from the deep sea in which they are entombed. 



(Hutchins, Dorset, Vol. I, p. 49.) 



