THE CHURCH BELLS OF DORSET. 131 



SHERBORNE. 



The first mention of the bells of All Hallows (i.e., the old 

 parish church which was built on to the west end of the Abbey, 

 and continued to be used as the parish church until the town 

 bought the Abbey Church at the dissolution of the Monastery in 

 1539), is in the year 1514-15, when some repairs were done, but 

 the account is much torn ; in 1515-16 23. 4d. was paid for the 

 keeping of the bells, and 135. 4d. was spent on the clapper of the 

 great bell and yd. on the bawdricks, and 4d. on grease, and 35. 

 on two bell ropes, and zs. zd. on trussing the Big Bell. The 

 Big Bell here mentioned is probably Wolsey's bell, which was 

 given to the town, not to the Monastery. Similar entries to 

 these occur regularly. All Hallows had five bells at least as 

 early as 1527-8. When the parish bought the Abbey Church 

 in 1539-40 the bells were transferred from the Parish Church 

 of All Hallows to the Abbey Church, and there were cer- 

 tainly six bells in 1542-3, for Roger Smyth was then paid 2d. 

 for a buckle for the bawdrick of the sixth bell, and Appulby 

 and his two men were paid is. 2d. for trossyng of vi th bells 

 and for nayles to that work. Two years later an entry occurs, 

 1544-5 : 



Item payd to Wyllyam Butt ffor makyng off the barell off the 

 chyme, us. ivd ; fFor tymber off the same barell, xud. 



In 1556-7 the fifth and sixth bells were recast, and a great 

 collection was made for the bells amounting to 61 195. pd., 

 besides gifts of cows, parchment, skins, bell-wheels, &c. The 

 following statement is added to this account : 



Belle metal wch the churche had in stoor and yt was bought 

 ffor the V th and vi th belles. 



Inprimis the ffirst belle weyd vn c xxxin 11 . 



Item the thyrde belle weyd xui c and halff and xvi 11 . 



Item payd to William Shymell for LIII U metall xxu s i d . 



Item payd to the same Willm. ffor cc and halff and xxu 11 

 metall at v d the li vi u v s x d . 



