58 



On Church Bells. 



consequence how the stock was made, because bells were then only 

 chimed. But as soon as they begun to be swung rapidly to and 

 fro on their gudgeons, and rung in time, it became necessary to 

 reduce the proportions of the various parts of their gear to fixed 

 rules and principles, which can only be known by those whose 

 business it is to make them their study. Among others who can 

 be recommended for their intelligence and skill in this department, 

 may be mentioned Mr. H. Boswell, of Pembroke Street, Oxford; 

 and Mr. James Ansell, of London. 



A change also took place in the form of the bells, in order that 

 they might be rung more easily. The early bells, with which we 

 are acquainted, have their crowns not so well adapted for the pur- 

 pose of modern ringing as more recent ones ; but there can be no 

 question as to their superior elegance of form. Bells of the 17th 

 and subsequent centuries have their crowns, particularly of heavy 

 bells, flattened, and the canons brought closer together, in order to 

 fit the stock better, and increase the leverage, but at the expense 

 of their beauty. 



A great variety of crowns may be observed, each founder having 

 a design peculiar to himself. Some are of a pleasing form, and 

 others are the reverse. There is a striking contrast between the 

 first and fourth bell at Ogbourne St. Andrew; and again between 

 each of these and the beautiful mediaeval tenor of the same church. 



One important part of bell-gear remains to be noticed, viz., the 

 wheel. This is, in fact, the powerful lever, by means of which the 

 bell is moved; and it has undergone some changes. It is not 

 probable that the full wheel was employed much before the year 

 1677. Before that period bells were moved by means of a short 

 piece of wood fixed at right angles to the stock, or by a half- wheel, 

 which was in use in 1527, and is still to be met with in Dorsetshire, 

 at Dunchideock, Devon, and in Guernsey. The half-wheel was all 

 that was required for chiming, but it could not answer the purposes 

 of change ringing, in which it is necessary that the bell should be set, 

 i.e., turned up, and rested against the slider or catch, each way. 1 



1 For an explanation of this operation see " The Builder." 



