St Martin's Church

North Perrott, Somerset

st-martins-church-om

The Bells

There is a peal of six bells:

1.   The oldest and heaviest is a tenor made by George Davis of Bridgwater in 1786: it has the following inscription:  

     RALPH HAM EDMUND CLEEVES CHURCH WARDENS BILBIE FECIT 1786 I TO THE CHURCH THE LIVING CALL

     AND TO THE GRAVE I SUMMON ALL CAST BY GE DAVIS B WATER

Four other bells were made in 1803 by Thomas Bilbie, and they are marked respectively:

2.   WILLIAM HOSKINS ESQ AND JAMES SLADE GENT CH W (churchwardens) T BILBIE FECIT 1803

 

3.   GOD SAVE THE KING T.B.F. 1803

 

4.   THOMAS BILBIE CULLOMPTON FECIT 1803

 

5.   WILLIAM HOSKINS ESQ AND JAMES SLADE GENT CHURCH WARDENS BILBIE FECIT 1803

 

6.   This bell was made by Llewellin and James of Bristol in 1904, and is inscribed:

     IN MEMORIAM HENRICUS GULIELMUS HOSKYNS LLEWELLINS AND JAMES BRISTOL 1904

The Bells at St Martins

The bell frame was made by LLewellins and James in 1904

 

The bell-ringing chamber also house the mechanism for the church clock, which was installed in memory of those villagers who gave their lives in the First World War. Westminster chimes sound every quarter hour.

“He that in ringing takes delight,                                                    If any overthrow a bell,

And to this place draws near,                                                         As that by chance he may,

These articles set in his sight                                                          Because he minds not ringing well

Must keep if he rings here,                                                              He must his six-pence pay

 

The first he must observe with care                                              Or if a noble-minded man

Who comes within the door,                                                          Comes here to ring a bell

Must, if he chance to curse or swear,                                            A tester is the sexton’s fee,

Pay six-pence to the poor                                                               Who keeps the church so well.

 

And whosoe’er a noise does make,                                               Whoever breaks an article,

Or idle story tells,                                                                               Or duty does neglect,

Must six-pence to the ringers take                                                 Must never meddle with a bell,

For mending of the bells                                                                  The rope will him correct.

 

Old Articles of Bell-Ringing Found in North Perrott Church Ringing Chamber in the Year 1791          

(In Sternholdian Metre)

Young men that come to see and try,

And do not ringing use,

Must six-pence give the company,

And that shall them excuse

 

He that his hat on’s head does keep

Within this sacred place,

Must pay his six-pence ere he sleep,

Or turn out with disgrace

 

If any one with spurs to’s heels

Rings here at anytime,

He must for breaking articles

Pay six-pence for his crime