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Benefice of Ropley, Bishop’s Sutton and West Tisted
Benefice of Ropley, Bishop’s Sutton and West Tisted

St Peter’s Bell Survey

I have taken the liberty of copying the comprehensive bell survey below from the web site of the Winchester and Portsmouth Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers in order for it to be easily and rapidly available for fire and safety investigations. It is copyright and that should be respected.

This pdf document was last updated in 2008 and contains details of the bells and their mounting.

St Peters Ropley Bell Survey 2008

Note that the document has been composed using image scans and is over 10MB in size.

A description of the re-casting of the bells in 1927 taken from the book Annals of Old Ropley  follows:

These are of great interest. The original inscriptions on the five old bells are as follows :–

 I as treble doo beggin S.K. 1701.

Fear God, Honnare the King S.K. 1701.

Samuel Knight mead this ring.

Robert Gatlin of London fecit 1749.

Unto this church I doo you call. Death to the grave will somans all.

John Gilberd did contrive to cast from four this peal of five (FIFE).

In 1927 all the bells were recast by Messrs. Gillett & Johnston, of Croydon, and the original inscriptions copied. At the same time a new treble bell was added making a peal of six.

This bell is inscribed :–

To the glory of God and in memory of Jacob and Mary Hagen also P.G.W., J.S.O’H. and A.H.S. The gift of M. S. Hagen, 1927.

At the same time a brass tablet was placed on the south wall of the church bearing the following inscription :  “To commemorate the gift of Marianna Sophia Hagen for the restoration of the church bells and the provision of a new treble bell. This brass is dedicated by grateful parishioners. 1927.”