St Mary's
Broughton Astley
Broughton Astley Church Bells
"Who is there in the County dwells
that has not heard Broughton Bells?
When their well-known melodious sound
Delights the neighbours around
For harmony and lovely tone
They are inferior to none"
Leicester Chronicle, July 23rd 1833
John Nichols, the famous Leicestershire historian says, "The Church consists of a stout embattled tower in which are five well-tuned and melodious bells."
Click here to hear Broughton Bells (file size 151kB)
This Picture was taken in the Churchyard on 15th October 1945
Today there are 8 bells, with the following inscriptions:
1. John Taylor & Co Loughborough / To the glory of God / Anno Domini 1972
2. John Taylor & Co Loughborough / Rector: Norman Hewitt / Anno Domini 1972
3. John Taylor 1945 / VE Day May 8th 1945 / VJ Day August 15th 1945 / C.A.Turner Rector
/ F.J.Bodycote / H.W.H.Fisher / Churchwardens
4. GOD[] SAVE [] THE [] KING [] 1637 [Shield]
5 & 6 IH’S : NAZARENVS : REX : IVDEORVM [] FILI : DEI [] MISERERE : MEI [] 1637 [] [Shield]
7. Z DVCKETT F WALE C W TOBY NORRIS CAST ME 1680
Recast 1892 John Taylor + Co/Bellfounders/Loughborough To the Glory of God/and in memory of/Charlotte Radford/by her sister A.R.
8. ABCDEFG [] HIKL [] MNOP [] QRSTUX [] 1637 [] ABCDEF [] [Shield]
John Taylor and Co. Bellfounders,/Loughborough/1637/Recast 1892 GDA Rector/AWA/CWB Wardens
Four of the bells are dated at 1637, each have the distinctive characteristics of Watts, Bellfounders of Leicester. Francis Watts was the first member of the foundry, but it was probably his son, Hugh, (c1582-1643), who cast the four bells at St Mary’s. Hugh was mayor of Leicester when King Charles I visited the city in 1634 (and during the Civil War, the King wrote to Hugh to ask for the financial support of the city for the Royalist cause)
Thomas North in his book, Church Bells of Leicestershire, notes that Hugh Watts cast almost 200 bells for churches in Leicestershire. Both he and his father Francis used ‘handsome Gothic capitals’ for texts, although Hugh generally used a rather clumsier Roman capital letter
| Hugh frequently used the Latin text ‘IH’S: Nazarenvs: rex: Ivdeorvm: Fili: Dei: Miserere: Mei’ (‘Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews, Son of God, have mercy on me’). So popular was it, in fact, that these bells became known as ‘Watts’ Nazarenes’. Thomas North says that there are ninety examples of bells bearing this inscription in Leicestershire. Two of the bells at St Mary’s bear this inscription. Another favourite inscription of which North says there are over twenty examples still existing in Leicestershire is ‘God save the King’ – St Mary’s has one bell with this inscription. |
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Bells containing part, or the whole of the alphabet, were popular amongst many Leicestershire bell founders. The use of a distinctive pattern (indicated above by the use of the square brackets[]) and the Watt’s shield (three bells surrounding a crown), confirm the four bells were made by Watt’s founders.The Tenor, known as the Alphabet Bell, is inscribed in fine ornamented Gothic capitals with intervening stops of arabesque ornament. It also bears the founders mark, a shield with three bells and a crown.
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In 1680, another bell was added. The inscription includes the names of the churchwardens (confirmed by Parish records) and declares ‘Toby Norris made me’. Thomas North records that three bell founders bearing this, or a slight variant of the name. From the date of the bell at St Mary’s, the most obvious founder would seem to be Tobias Norris who had been baptised in 1634 and who died in 1699. Unfortunately, although North says that there are two bells in Leicestershire churches (both inscribed ‘Tobie Norris’) made by this particular founder (at Croxton Kerrial, dated 1674, and Owston, dated 1699), he gives no further details to help identify precisely the maker of the bell at St Mary’s. |
On Ash Wednesday, 10th March 1886 smoke was seen to be coming from the tower and investigations revealed that heat from the chimney, which runs up the Tower wall, had set the timber framework on fire. A bucket chain was formed by the parishioners and water brought from the local brook, extinguished the fire. A report to his parishioners from the Rector notes that there had been a fire in the Belfry, and that ‘bells, wheels, and beams damaged to extent of £20’.When the timber framework was later removed and replaced by steel girders, the sides of the beams were found to be heavily charred.
In 1892 it was found that the two largest bells (the then 4th and 5th) were cracked and they were recast at Loughborough. On their return the ring of 5 was re-hung with new fittings, at a cost of £168-1s-1d, which would be about £50,000 at 1988 prices. The rector whose initials appear on the Tenor bell was Reverend GD Armitage. The donor who paid for the recasting of the Seventh bell would appear to be Miss Radford. The Radford family of Atherstone were patrons of the living at this time.
In 1945 it was decided to effect a restoration of the bells and the old ring of 5 was rung for the last time for service on 07.10.1945 by Henry Bird, Len Bodycote, Charles Cooke, William Drury and Reg Woadden. The next day the dismantling began and the bells were taken to the Loughborough Bell Foundry and retuned, with a new treble cast. The new ring of six was re-hung in an iron frame with sufficient space left for two bells to be added. This restoration cost £756-15s-0d. The augmented ring was first put to use on 30.04.1946, the eve of Mothering Sunday.
In 1972 the ring was further augmented to 8 bells with two new trebles given by Mr Reg Land of Worthing and was first rung on 26.07.1972. At this time, the Ringing Chamber was built with steps leading up. Dedication by the Bishop of Leicester was on 26.11.1972, and the first peal took place on 17.03.1973.
The following pictures show the bells being cast at Taylor's Foundry at Loughborough in 1972,
Bells : Stay Sizes
- (Treble) 2"x 2"x 30"
- 2 1/8"x 2"x 35"
- 2 1/8"x 2"x 35"
- 2 5/8"x 2 1/2"x 35"
- 2 1/2"x 2 1/2"x 35"
- 2 3/4"x 2 1/2"x 35"
- 2 3/4"x 2 1/2"x 36"
- (Tenor) 3"x 3"x 40"
The bells, until augmented to six, were hung anti-clockwise and were the heaviest ring of 5 bells in the County.
Details of the present ring of 8 bells
| Bell | Date | Diameter | Cwts | Qtrs | Lbs |
| Treble | 1972 | 26.5" | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 2 | 1972 | 27.5" | 4 | 1 | 26 |
| 3 | 1945 | 30" | 5 | 1 | 22 |
| 4 | 1637 | 32.5" | 6 | 2 | 20 |
| 5 | 1637 | 33.675" | 6 | 2 | 12 |
| 6 | 1637 | 35.75" | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | 1680 | 41.375" | 12 | 3 | 23 |
| Tenor | 1637 | 46.125" | 18 | 0 | 7 |
Tower Captain : Phil Bradley. Tel +44 (0)1455 282794