By the Rev. W. C. Lukis. 



49 



There was a bell-foundry also at Devizes, belonging to James 

 Burrough, in the 18th century, but little business appears to have 

 been done by it. The fourth bell at Collingbourne Ducis, and the 

 fourth at Calne, with the first and second at St. John's, Devizes, 

 came from this foundry. 



And here, I think, ends the list of Wiltshire founders and 

 foundries. 



A great many Gloucester bells are to be met with in Wiltshire, 

 and they abound also in the western counties. That foundry is of 

 great antiquity, and it was there that the art was brought to great 

 perfection. In the time of King Edward II., circa 1310, it is known 

 that bells were founded there by J ohn of Gloucester. From his 

 days to the present time, i.e. for more than five hundred years, the 

 foundry has been in active operation, and especially so from the 

 close of the 17th century, when we are introduced to the well- 

 known name of Rudhall. The family of the Rudhalls must have 

 been of that class of Englishmen who were once more common 

 than now, called good " church and state people.' ' Nearly all their 

 bells bear such epigraphs as the following: " Prosperity " to the 

 Church and Queen"; "May the Church of England ever flourish "; 

 "God prosper the Church of England"; '"Free from rebellion God 

 save the King"; "Peace and good neighbourhood"; "God send 

 peace." Some of their bells are of considerable size, but the largest 

 I have met with are the tenor of Westbury, in this county, which 

 is 58 inches diameter, and is the largest bell in Wiltshire, weighing 

 about 35 cwt.; and the tenor at Bath abbey, which is 59 J inches 

 diameter, weighs about 2 tons, and bears this inscription : 



1 'All you of Bath that hear me sound, 

 Thank Lady Hopton's hundred pound." 



It would take up too much space, and too much of your time, if 

 I were to say a few words only upon all the founders of Wiltshire 

 bells and their foundries. I will merely add that Henry Knight, 

 Ellis and Samuel Knight, of Reading, were bell-founders of some 

 eminence in the 17th century; and that four of the Great Bedwyn 

 peal, and the fifth of Collingbourne Kingston, besides several to 

 be met with in Oxford, are their work. 



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