Carlton-in-Lindrick
St John

Bells

The church of St John the Evangelist has a ring of three bells which are hung in a low sided wooden frame which is in a fair condition of repair. It has wooden headstocks and plain bearings. The bellframe is of oak, a double jack-braced design, Elphick type W, Pickford Group 6.D, for three bells and has been tree-ring dated to 1633; the report may be downloaded here.

The bells and bellframe Inscription on the
bellframe		 Part of the inscription
on bell 3		 Part of the inscription
on bell 1

The three bells are:

  Inscription Size Weight
1

VIRGINIS EGREGIS VOCOR CAMPANA MARIE
DNS WILLIS CHAWMBIR

 31.5" c 5cwt
2

DANIEL HEDDERLY FOUN. VAL WILSON C:W 1732

 35.25" c 7cwt
3

HEC CAMPANA SACRA TRINITATE BEATA H TH 1623

 38" c 9.5cwt

The treble bell is of the Somercotes type and appears to have been cast by an unknown founder in Lincoln. It is the only example of its type to be found in Nottinghamshire, and its donor was William de Chambre, parson from 1417-43.

These dates tie in with the Somercotes bell which is dated 1423. The founder was John Smith, 'bell maker' of Louth. Almost all the rest of the Somercotes are to be found within 16 miles of Louth.

The word spacers on the bell are figures that come from the centres of different letters.

The third bell has the gammadion symbol that was used by Heathcotes of Chesterfield, but the lettering, date, and word spacers are Nottingham stamps. The initials might be those of Thomas Heathcote, the grandson of Ralph Heathcote and nephew of Godfrey.