174 
The church is about seven miles from Glastonbury, and there 
is a local tradition that one of the bells once belonged to the 
famous abbey of that place. Mr. Dunkerton’s curiosity 
being thus excited, he examined the bells. Two are modern, 
but the largest is an old one, and round it towards the top 
is this inscription : 
ANMO DOMINM! A P. W.L. CW. 1265. 
The letters appear to be cast, and not incised. 
If we were to accept this date as accurate, it would upset 
all our previous notions upon the subject. There are other 
reasons for regarding it with doubt. The earliest known 
English church bell is that at Claughton, near Lancaster, 
which is dated ANNO DOMI M.CC. NONOG. VI. (1296). 
The North Wootton date is thirty-one years earlier. It 
would be strange if the oldest bell should chance to be also 
the earliest example of the use of the Arabic numerals in 
English inscriptions. Dates are but rarely found on me- 
diaeval bells. The earliest instance of the use of Arabic 
numerals on them with which I am acquainted is at Egling- 
ham church, near Alnwick. The inscription is in German, 
and the date 1489. Strasburg is said to have one bell dated 
1461, and another 1474. There is therefore strong proba- 
bility against the accuracy of this North Wootton date. 
The style of the letters remind one of a later period. Apart 
from the date, most persons would be inclined to attribute 
them at the latest to the 16th rather than the 13th century. 
The three sets of initials seem also to indicate a comparatively 
recent age. Mr. H. T. Ellacombe, in his work on the “ Church 
Bells of Somersetshire,” suggests that the date should be 
read 1625, the figures being out of order. This seems impro- 
