Aspects of Whaplode Tower
A few years ago I wrote about a dispute between Reverend John Collins, vicar of St Marys and three of the local band of ringers described at the time as “riotous violent and indecent behaviour in the church” which later in the day continued in the churchyard, Rev. Collins himself joining the fracas, all unfortunately happening on Sunday, January 12th 1896. The ringers wanted to ring “a muffled peal” in memory of a deceased parishioner but why Reverend Collins objected was no where stated .Fortunately this affair was amicably resolved with all round apologies My imagination suggests that just as the plain bearings of St. Mary’s bells would require frequent lubrication, perhaps rather too much internal lubrication had fired the feelings of those rebellious ringers and Rev. Collins who perchance had consecrated rather more communion wine than necessary. H’m, I wonder?
St Marys tower is unusual in its location, “semidetached” ( it was once completely detached) and on the southern side of the church , between chancel and nave. At the time of the above affair there were five bells, all cast in 1718 by Henry Penn (1685-1729) of Peterborough . Penn took up residence when he won the contract to supply ten bells to the cathedral of which the largest, weighing 27 cwts and cast in 1709 is still in place and used as clock bell. His foundry, located on Bridge Street, operated from 1703 to 1729, the year of Penn’s death following a court action over a dispute about the sound of bells which he had cast and supplied to St Ives. This was in 1729 and Penn won, but mounting his horse outside the court he unfortunately collapsed and died and so ended the Peterborough foundry, an early industrial enterprise in that city. He cast some 240 bells ,several for towers in Lincolnshire including six ( all since recast by Taylors ) for Long Sutton. The five bells Penn cast for Whaplode all carry Latin inscriptions, that on the tenor reading;
IOH:RVSTAT:VICAR:DEFVNCTUS:PLANGO VIVOS MONEO:1718 which, after what appears to be the name of the vicar, translates as “I mourn the dead, I warn the living”. Not particularly cheerful but then in those days the tenor was usually tolled following reported cases of severe sickness or death and was known as” the passing bell.” Of added interest is No 4 bell which carries the following inscription;
CWS:PLEBEM:VOCO:CONGREGO:CLERVM: 1718 , which tells us , “I call the people, I called the clergy.” Heaven knows, in 2021 let alone 1718 if our churches are to survive, we certainly need “to call” and receive positive response from both people and clergy , don’t you think?
The five Penn bells rang for 215 years until in 1933 there was a major restoration. John Taylor & Co added a sixth smaller treble bell and recast No 3 bell ( of the original five ) which became No 4 bell in the newly installed ring of six bells. All were hung in a new steel/cast iron frame, the old plain bearings replaced by enclosed self aligning ball bearings, a huge improvement. The remaining Penn castings, Nos 2, 3, 5 and tenor bells were retained and still give good service some 303 years after Penn poured the molten bronze into their moulds.
Canon Felstead records 40 peals at Whaplode , the first two of these rung on the five bells installed by Penn in 1718 and dated respectively, January 12th 1761 and February 27th 1775, the latter comprising a remarkable 10,080 changes and commemorated by a plaque on the wall of the ringing room ;
“February 27th 1775 was rung 10,080 changes or 84 peals by Wm. Jackson, Richard Harwood, Wm. Money, Stepn.Davis, Richard Pottinger. Raised and settled the bells in 7 hours and 25 mins.”
The “84 peals” would have comprised 120 changes repeated 84 times (ie 10,080) as 120 changes are the maximum possible (without repetition) on five bells. Which method used (eg Plain Bob) is not mentioned, but none the less this was a considerable effort, twice the length of a normal peal and rung on bells that , bearing in mind the year , the bearings and fittings of that era , would not have been an easy undertaking. Who these ringers were and whether local is not known but one hopes that after the ringing they celebrated their achievement at the nearest hostelry, slaking their thirsts in time honoured tradition . Truly they were enthusiasts.
Well readers, their days have long gone but as mentioned above four of the bells they rang in February 1718 remain in service today. Furthermore , despite what happened at St Ives, their sound is pleasant, and has been heard by the parishioners of Whaplode for 303 years from the reign of George 1st to our present Queen Elizabeth. Mr Penn, were you here today I’m sure you would be proud of your achievement. John Bennett
PS With thanks to Roy Willingham who read and emailed the data from the plaque in Whaplode Tower.