History of the Durham Cathedral Bells

If you are interested in ringing at Durham Cathedral, please read the bell ringing page.

1104-1130

The Central Tower and the two Western Towers were constructed.

1210-1300

A Belfry was added on to the Central Tower and three bells were hung here. These bells were used to call the monks to prayer at Midnight Mattins. The four in the North Western Tower, named Galilee, Long Bell, St Bede and St Oswald were used at special occasions such as the Feast of St Cuthbert, Christmas and Easter. The bells were chimed individually not as a group at this period.

1429-1459

There were fires in the Central Tower, leading to the reconstruction between 1464 and 1500. This included the rebuilding of the lantern stage of the tower. Portions of the roof structure of this rebuild survive in the present ringing room. Thus the vault we can see today is unusually high, at 155 ft. The top of the tower is 218 ft above the ground. The belfry containing the bells was a slightly later addition. Three goodly bells named, St Benedict, St Margaret and The Benedictus Bell. were hung in this tower.

1631-1690

The "English" method of change ringing was being developed at this time. Three bells from the North Western Tower were moved into the central Lantern Tower and the Chapter asked Umfrye Kene and quickly following him Thomas Bartlet, a London bellfounder, to recast the ring of six. They used the metal of the six lighter bells and one of the larger medieval bells, probably the Long Bell because there is an entry for Thomas Bartlet recasting the Galilee Bell, which had been chipped during a retuning process. Unfortunately some of Bartlet's bells had to be recast at various times.

1693

The final expert recasting of the bells by Christopher Hodson. He agreed to melt down the bells and add a new Treble, while at the same time fixing wheels and installing proper ringing machinery. Five of our present ring of ten (the current 4th, 7th, 8th 9th and Tenor Bells) date back to his casting.

1765-1766

The 3rd bell of the Hodson 8 was recast by George Dalton of York, while Francis Ellis of York made a new frame and rehung the bells.

1780-1781

Bellfounders Pack & Chapman of Whitechapel Foundry recast the Hodson Treble bell and 3rd bell cast by Dalton.

1896

Mears & Stainbank of the Whitechapel Foundry of London recast the 4th Hodson bell.

1913-1922

Various additions were made to the tower structure to strengthen it.

1980

Whitechapel Bellfoundry in London removed the ring of eight bells for retuning and cast two new bells to make a ring of ten. They replaced the 1766 wooden frame with a steel frame and installed all new fittings. The dated part of the old Francis Ellis frame, the eight old wheels and clappers hang in the ringing room as decorations.

Inscriptions on the Cathedral Bells

Treble Bell

Weight

6 CWT 1 Qr 2 Lb

Pitch

F#

Current Inscription

CAMPANA CHRISTI ET BEATAE MARIAE VIRGINIS WHITECHAPEL 1980

Current Inscription (translation)

"Bell of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary Cast in Whitechapel, 1980"

Second Bell

Weight

7 CWT 0 Qr 8 Lb

Pitch

E

Current Inscription

CAMPANA SANCTAE HILDAE EX DONO PULSATORUM CAMPANARUM HUIUS ECCLESIAE CATHEDRALIS WHITECHAPEL 1980

Current Inscription (translation)

"Bell of St Hild, given as a gift by the Bellringers of this Cathedral Church"

Third Bell

Weight

7 CWT 3 Qr 10 Lb

Pitch

D

Current Inscription

PACK & CHAPMAN OF LONDON FECERUNT Wm.DIGBY L.L.D., DEAN OF DURHAM 1780

Current Inscription (translation)

"Made by Pack and Chapman of London, 1780"

Former Inscription

CAMP.CHRISTI ET BEATA MARIAEA VIRGINIS CHR. HODSON ARTIFICE DEC. ET CAP DUNELMENSIS FIERI FECERUNT AD MDCXCIII

Former Inscription (translation)

"Bell of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary, originally made by Christopher Hodson for the Dean and Chapter of Durham in 1693"

Fourth Bell

Weight

7 CWT 5 Qr 14 Lb

Pitch

C#

Current Inscription

OLIM CAMPANA S. MARGARETA DEC. ET CAP.DVNELM.REFEC. A.D.MDCXCIII

Current Inscription (translation)

"Once St Margaret's Bell, renewed by the Dean and Chapter of Durham, 1693"

Fifth Bell

Weight

9 CWT 3 Qr 25 Lb

Pitch

B

Current Inscription

Wm. DIGBY L.L.D. DEAN OF DURHAM, CHAPMAN OF LONDON FECIT 1781

Current Inscription (translation)

"Chapman of London made it in 1781 for William Digby, Dean of Durham."

Sixth Bell

Weight

11 CWT 0 Qr 8 Lb

Pitch

A

Current Inscription

MEARS & STAINBANK, LONDINI ME FECERVNT SIT. NOMEN DOMINI BENEDICTUM: ME OLIM CAMPANAM S. BENEDICTI (1693) REFECERUNT D. ET CAP. DVNELM A:D: MDCCCXCVI

Current Inscription (translation)

"Mears & Stainbank of London made me in 1896. May the Lord's Name be Blessed. Once the Bell of St Benedict . Renewed by the Dean & Chapter in 1693."

Former Inscription (previous to 1896 recast)

OLIM CAMP. S. BENEDICTI FIERI FEC R. TONNOR REFEC DEC. ET CAP. DUNELM. A.D. MDCXCIII

Former Inscription (translation)

"Once the bell of St Benedict which R. Tonnor had made" (The origin of 'R. Tonnor' is unclear).

Seventh Bell

Weight

12 CWT 2 Qr 8 Lb

Pitch

G

Current Inscription

OLIM CAMPANA S. MICHAELIS DECANVS ET CAP REFECERVNT A.D. MDCXCIII

Current Inscription (translation)

"Once the bell of St Michael, renewed by Dean and Chapter in 1693"

Eighth Bell

Weight

15 CWT 3 Qr 1 Lb

Pitch

F#

Current Inscription

OLIM CAMPANA BONI BEDÆ. CHRISTOPHER HODSON REFEC. A.D. MDCXCIII I.H. DEC. ET CAP. DVNELM

Current Inscription (translation)

"Once the bell of the Goodly Bede,Christopher Hodson, renewed by the Dean and Chapter of Durham, 1693." (the initials 'I.H.' are assumed to indicate a brother, son, or assistant working with Hodson.)

Ninth Bell

Weight

21 CWT 2 Qr 0 Lb

Pitch

E

Current Inscription

OLIM CAMP. S. OSWALDI QVAM FIERI FECIT R. DE DVNELM. DEC. ET CAP. DVNELM. REFECERUNT A.D.MDCXCIII CHR. HODSON ARTIFICE

Current Inscription (translation)

"Once the bell of St Oswald which R(obert) of Durham had made. The Dean & Chapter renewed the bell in 1693, work done by Christopher Hodson."

Tenth Bell

Weight

28 CWT 0 Qr 6 Lb

Pitch

D

Current Inscription

CAMP. S. CVTHBERTI OLIM GALALEA DEC. ET CAP. T. COMBER S.T.P. DEC S. EYRE S.T.P. THE SAVR. DVNELM. REFECERVNT A.D. MDCXCIII CHR. HODSON ARTIFICE

Current Inscription (translation)

"The Bell of St Cuthbert, once called the Galilee Bell, renewed by Dean & Chapter of Durham in 1693 when Thomas Comber, D.D. was Dean, Samuel Eyre (D.D.) was treasurer and Christopher Hodson was the craftsman." (S.T.P. = Sanctae Theologie Professor)