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<\/a><\/p>\nThe bells of St Martins<\/strong><\/p>\n St Martins has three bells, the largest of which is dated 1612. This measures some 40 inches in diameter and, at the time of writing, was just 400 years old, the date of 1612 on it\u2019s shoulder testifying to this. The other two bells are a little smaller – 36 and 3\/8 inches (no date) and 33 and 1\/8 inches with a date of 1670.<\/p>\n In a publication dated 1882 \u201cThe Church Bells of the County and City of Lincoln\u201d by Thomas North – a weighty tome of some 800 pages or so – we read that a member of the Oldfield family was responsible for the casting of our 1612 bell, namely Henry Oldfield, son of Henry Oldfield. From other sources we learn that generations of this family cast bells at the Long Row foundry in Nottingham from about 1370 right through to 1793. Another Oldfield, George, son of the younger Henry, was also involved in the foundry, at one time recasting the tenor bell of Nottingham\u2019s St Mary church in 1637. Many Lincolnshire bells first saw the light of day at Long Row as well as our own 1612 bell – whether the other two bells at St. Martins are from the same foundry has yet to be ascertained.<\/p>\n On page 745 of the above publication, we learn that apparently, in 1566 \u201cchurch wardens of South Willingham reported that \u2018two handbelles\u2019, which belonged to this church in Queen Mary\u2019s time, had been sold and defaced and that \u2018our sacringe bell\u2019 had been broken in pieces and defaced\u201d. <\/em>A spot of 16th<\/sup> century vandalism it would seem.<\/p>\n Returning to our three St Martin\u2019s bells, on the same page we are given all three of the inscriptions which are as follows-<\/p>\n 1612 reads \u201cGod save his church\u201d The undated one reads \u201cin noie thu ome genu flectatur\u201d <\/em>– \u201c in the name of Jesus Christ every knee shall bow\u201d although elsewhere in Mr North\u2019s labour of love we are told that this latter is not quite complete, the full inscription being \u201cin noe ihu xpi ome genu flectat celestiu terstriu t infroru\u201d<\/em> – \u201cin the name of Jesus Christ every knee shall bow, of things in heaven, in earth, and under the earth\u201d. This same full inscription can apparently be found on the number 4 bell at Corby.<\/p>\n Mr North\u2019s publication also states – \u201cThere is a tradition that about a century ago one of the Vyner family was lost on the wolds in a fog and found his way to South Willingham by the sound of the bells, which were ringing preparatory to Christmas; and that to mark his gratitude he left a charge upon some land as a dole for the poor of the parish. The tradition is probably founded on fact for 13s and 4d is still received annually\u201d. <\/em>It is possible that the Vyner referred to above may be related to Robert Vyner of Gautby Park. Gautby Hall, the ancient seat of the Vyner family, was destroyed in 1874.<\/p>\n Interestingly, one of the names on the 1670 bell – Watam – was a name that was still around in our village in 1948. It may be found on the Louth Rural Survey which was carried out that year, the person in question being listed as residing at Poplar Farm (although in this case the name Wattam has two t\u2019s). Is there a connection I wonder?<\/p>\n It is fascinating to dwell just for a moment on some of the historic happenings since our 1612 bell was put in place –<\/p>\n 1612 Death of William Shakespeare \/ Authorised Version of the bible And – more locally:<\/p>\n 1655 Betts family of South Willingham started farming on the estate, finishing in 1979.<\/p>\n And no doubt during the 1600\u2019s several South Willingham properties were, or were about to be, constructed including Woodbine Cottage, The Thatch, The Forge, Church Farm, Oak Cottage and no doubt several others, now long gone.<\/p>\n Sad to say, the chances of St Martin\u2019s bells ever being rung again, at least in the foreseeable future is unlikely. Although the bell frame itself appears to be ok, the timber wheels around which the bell ropes would once have run are literally breaking apart. Incidentally, it is the 1612 bell that resounds through our village every hour and half hour, so even after four centuries it is still providing a useful service to our residents and long may it do so.<\/p>\n Postscript – Having said the bells are unlikely to be rung again, just to prove me wrong, they did (<\/em>as you may have heard) ring again just recently to welcome in the start of the Olympics.\u00a0\u00a0But this was due only to Terry Ringrose’s ingenuity whereby,\u00a0with the aid of pulleys and, I believe, an additional rope, South Willingham was once again treated to the sound of St Martin’s bells ringing out across our village.<\/p>\n
\n1670 reads \u201cT Watam R Burnit 1670 WS\u201d<\/p>\n
\n1642 Civil war breaks out in England – Birth of Isaac Newton
\n1666 Fire of London
\n1701 Act of Settlement requiring the English monarch to be Protestant
\n1760 Death of King George II
\n1829 George Stephenson builds his famous \u201cRocket steam locomotive\u201d
\n1833 Slavery banned throughout British Empire
\n1863 London Underground opens
\n1912 Titanic lost
\n1934 The Cheeeseburger is created
\n1953 Seat belts introduced
\n1979 U.K.s\u00a0 first lady prime minister – Margaret Thatcher<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.south-willingham.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Inscription-on-one-of-the-bells.-1612-300x225.jpg\" "\\"The")
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