ORIGIN OF CHURCH BELLS. 
2:)C» 
seventh century, in the monastic societies oi Northumbria, and as 
early as the sixth, even in those of Caledonia. And they were there- 
fore used from the first erection of parish churches among us. Those 
of France and England appear to have been furnished with several 
bells. In the time of Clothair II. king of France, A. D. (510, ;the 
army of that king was frighted from the siege of Sens by ringing thci 
bells of St Stephen’s churcli. The second excerption of Egbert about 
A. D. 750, which is adopted in a French Capitulary of 801, com- 
mands every priest, at the proper hours, to sounci the bells of his church, 
and then to go through the offices sacred to God. And the council 
ofErcham, in 1011, requires all the mulcts for sins to be expended in 
the rcpar.iiion of the 'church, clothing and feeding the minister of 
God, and the purchase of church vestments, church books, and 
church hells. These were sometimes composed of iron in France; 
and in England, as formerly at Rome, were frequently made of brass. 
And as early as the ninth century, there were many cast of large size 
and deep note. Ingulphus mentions, that Turketulus, abbot of Croy- 
land, who died about 870, gave a great bell to the church of that 
abbey, .named Guthlac ; and afterwards six others, viz. two which he 
called Bartholomew and Betelin, two called Turkettul and Taturin, 
and tw'o named Pega, and Bega, all which rang together ; the same 
author says, “Non erat tunc tanta consonantia campanarum in tota 
Anglia.” Not long after, Kinfeus, archbishop of York, gave two 
great bells to the church of St. John at Beverley, and at the same 
time provided that other churches in his diocese should be furnished 
with bells. Mention is made by St. Aldheim and William of Malms- 
bury, of bells given by St. Dunstan to the churches in the west. The 
number of hells in every church gave occasion to the curious and 
singular piece of architecture in the campanile or hell-tower; an 
addition which is more susceptible of the grander beauties of archi- 
tecture than any other part of the edifice ; and is generally therefore 
the principle or rudiment of it. It was the constant appendage to 
every parish church of the Saxons, and is actually mentioned as such 
in the laws of Athelstan. The Greek Christians are usually said to 
have been unacquainted with bells till the ninth century, when their 
construction was first taught them by a Venetian : but it is not true 
that the use of bells was unknown in the ancient eastern churches, and 
that they called the people to church, as at present, with wooden 
mallets. Leo AUatius, in his dissertation on the Greek temples, 
proves the contrary from several ancient writers. He says, bells first 
began to be disused among them after the taking of Constantinople 
by the Turks, who, it seems, prohibited them, lest their sound should 
disturb the repose of souls, which, according to them, wander in the 
air. He adds, that they still retain the use of bells in places remote 
from the intercourse of the Turks; particularly very ancient ones, in 
Mount Athos. F. Simon thinks the Turks prohibited the Christians 
the use. of bells rather from political than religious reasons ; as the 
ringing of bells might serve as a signal for the execution of revolts 
• against their authority. 
