The organ and bells

The organ and bells of the Abbey Church

There has been an organ in the church since the early 19th century, installed by John Gray in 1830 at a cost of 220 guineas, originally in the West End gallery. The instrument was repaired and enlarged in 1848 when the cost was met with the proceeds of a series of concerts held in Bourne, Stamford and Peterborough on the 4th, 5th and 6th of May organised by a church committee of 18 gentlemen from the congregation.

The location of the organ was moved to its present position in 1870 when the organ chamber with the vestry behind were constructed and a new instrument installed. It was built by Gray and Davison of London and blessed at special services on Sunday 10th July 1870. The Stamford Mercury reported:

Two sermons were preached and collections made after each on behalf of the new organ. In the morning, the Rev G E Pattenden read prayers, the Vicar the lessons, and the Venerable Archdeacon Trollope preached an eloquent sermon. In the evening, prayers were intoned by the Rev F Roy Dowson, the Rev the Dean of Stamford read the lessons, and a very eloquent and appropriate sermon was preached by the Rev G E Pattenden, BD, Head Master of the Boston Grammar-school, and Incumbent of the Chapel of Ease, Boston, to an overflowing congregation. The church was so full that several persons sat on benches outside the church. The organ, which is a very sweet-toned one, was ably presided over by Mr. Shad. Frost, the organist. In the course of the evening sermon the preacher alluded to the improvements that have been lately made to the church, and hoped that the same good feeling would continue to allow of other improvements being made in the fine old Abbey church. The collections amounted to nearly £18.

The instrument was restored in 1976 at a cost of £6,000 by Messrs Bishop & Son of Ipswich and again in 2003, by Nicholas Pitts, of Pinchbeck, near Spalding, Lincolnshire, when the bill was also £6,000. The money this time was raised by parishioners who answered an appeal to sponsor individual pipes of the instrument and the names of those who contributed were recorded in a special book. A total of 265 pipes were paid for in this way with donations of £4,980 while a further £1,000 was given anonymously. The refurbishment was celebrated with a rededication of the organ, appropriately held on St Cecilia's Day, Saturday 22nd November, when the blessing was performed by Canon John Warwick who had retired as vicar in 2002, in recognition of his involvement with the appeal from its inception three years before.

The specification of the present organ is as follows:

PEDAL ORGAN

Grand Open Diapason 16 (1870)

Principal 8 (partly 1834)

Fifteenth 4 (from Principal)

Bourdon 16 (1905)

Flute 8 (from Bourdon)

Posaunne 16 (1976)

GREAT ORGAN

Double Diapason 16 (1905)

Dulciana 8 (1870)

Octave 4 (1870)

Superoctave 2 (1870)

Sharp Mixture II (1976)

Open Diapason 8 (1870)

Stopped Diapason 8 (1870)

Flute 4 (1976)

Mixture IV (1870 & 1976)

SWELL ORGAN

Clarionet Flute 8 (1870)

Vox Angelica 8 (1976)

Gemshorn 2 (1976)

Bassoon 16 (1870 & 1976)

Tremulant

Salicional 8 (later addition)

Principal 4 (partly 1834)

Mixture III (1976)

Cornopean 8 (1870 & 1976)

Manual compass 54 notes, pedal compass 30 notes.

Couplers: Great to pedal; Swell to Pedal; Swell to Great.

Mechanical action to drawstops and manuals (except Great Double Diapason from Pedal).

Electro-pneumatic action to Pedal organ (except the Grand Open Diapason).

THE ORGAN TODAY

The 1870 instrument as it is today, pictured here in August 2007 during a series of lunchtime recitals by the organ scholar, Benedict Wilson, aged 18, to help raise funds for the restoration appeal. Benedict played each weekday lunchtime for 45 minutes during a six week period as well as officiating at services.

Photographed in 2007

THE BELLS OF BOURNE ABBEY CHURCH

There is a peal of six bells in the tower, cast in 1729 by Rudhalls of Gloucester. They were commissioned and installed during the incumbency of the Rev William Dodd, who was vicar from 1727-56, and whose name is inscribed on the treble or first bell. His three churchwardens at that time were John Hardwick, Lyon Faulkner and James Lay, and their names can be found on the tenor or great bell in the key of G which is reckoned to weigh 15 cwt.

No 1 weighing 14½ cwt: William Dodd, Vicar, 1729 Surge age (Rise and act);

No 2 weighing 10½ cwt: 1729 Laudo Deum Verum (Praise the true God);

No 3 weighing 8 cwt: Et Clamor ad coalos, Henricus Penn, fusor 1729 (And I call to heaven, Henry Penn, founder);

No 4 weighing 7 cwt: Ut Mundus sit nos nuno laetitiam nunc delerem 1729 (Whether the world be joyful or doleful);

No 5 weighing 6 cwt: Plebem voco congrego clerum, Henricus Penn, fusor (I call the people and gather the clergy, Henry Penn, founder);

No 6 weighing 15 cwt: Defunctos plange, vivos moneo (I bewail the dead, I warn the living). John Hardwick, Lyon Faulkner and James Lay (churchwardens).

The total weight of the bells is 61 cwt.

NOTE: 1 cwt is 112 lb and there are 20 to the ton (avoirdupois).

There was tremendous excitement in the parish when the bells were installed and ringers were easily recruited to use them, becoming extremely efficient in a short space of time and they soon won a reputation for their skill in the district and were frequently called upon to visit other churches and ring the bells. John Hurn Dove of Cawthorpe recorded in his journal:

The ringers of the church almost immediately became celebrated. On 19th November 1738, they rang the first double peals in the new steeple at Witham-on-the-Hill and on 21st February 1745, they rang the bells of Bourne Abbey to the peals of Crown Bob (being a composition of the Oxford Treble Bob), College Pleasure and College Treble Bob, a feat rarely accomplished. In November 1799, the Bourne ringers were present at the opening of the musical peal at Glinton steeple where they took a prize. On the 1st August 1831, they won first prize at the opening of the fine-toned new peal of bells (cast by Dobson of Downham Market, Norfolk) at Witham-on-the-Hill, and they have since taken part at many re-openings of peals in their immediate neighbourhood.

The bells were completely re-hung in 1805 by Mr Cabors of Strugg's Hill, Sutterton, Lincolnshire. His work was so well known that he was reputed to have restored the greater part of the peals in this country and whose work at Bourne lasted for half a century. They were partly re-hung in 1852 but the work was carried out on the wrong principle and the vibration of the bells had a damaging effect on the tower. A church vestry meeting was held on 27th October 1864 when a proposal from the churchwardens, Thomas Mawby and Henry Bott, to have them re-hung in a correct manner, was agreed. This time, the work was entrusted to the bell founders Mears and Stainbank of London at a cost of £495, money raised by public subscription, and was completed early in the New Year although there were difficulties in collecting all of the money promised. The Stamford Mercury reported on Friday 27th January 1865:

Although the subscription recently entered into for the purpose of re-hanging these bells has not quite reached the required amount, it is anticipated that the result will be affected by an application which it is intended to make to a few gentlemen who have not yet contributed to the fund.

Campanology became a passionate interest among those who participated during the 18th and 19th centuries when visiting ringers arrived from surrounding villages to ring the bells of the Abbey Church while the Bourne team reciprocated with return visits, as was illustrated by this report from the Stamford Mercury on Friday 14th January 1859:

The annual meeting for the promotion of this science was held on Monday last. There were present, deputations from the Maxey and other societies. Various peals were rung in first rate style. From books kept by the ringers, it appears that ringing has flourished here during the 130 years that have elapsed, as will be shown by extracts:

"The names of the five ringers who rung the first double peals on the five bells in the new steeple at Witham-on-the-Hill, November 19th, 1738: 1 Thomas Smith, 2 Robert Smith, 3 Richard Woulds, 4 Luke Hand and 5 Thomas Maxey." The old steeple had fallen on a ringing day a year or two previous. By a singular coincidence, nearly a century afterwards, the Bourn ringers again took a leading part in the opening of the new peal of six bells at Witham-on-the-Hill on the first of August, 1831.

Further: "A composition of three peals called Crown Bob, taken out of Oxford Treble Bob, College Pleasure and College Treble Bob, without either bob or single, rung in Bourne steeple the 21st day of February 1745-6 by these six ringers: 1 James Spence, 2 Robert Smith, 3 Thomas Maxey, 4 Thomas Smith, 5 Edward Barnes and 6 Henry Smith."

The late Mr Charles Christopher, the elder, who died in 1836, aged 93, learned the art with these and was for many years the father of the present society. At this time, when so much is being done in church restoration, and re-placing peals of bells, public attention has been called to the state of this ancient art and it is pleasing to record that in this district there are still many eminent practitioners - fully equal to those of former years.

The society and their guests partook of an excellent dinner provided by Mr William Pearce, of the Horse and Groom Inn, and in the evening, various peals and tunes were performed on the handbells. A meeting is arranged to take place at Market Deeping very shortly.

The ringers at Bourne Abbey remained popular with other churches in the neighbourhood and by this time, campanology societies had been formed at Bourne, Maxey, Witham-on-the-Hill, Glinton and Stamford, arranging exchange visits to ring each others bells. On Monday 20th January 1873, the associated societies held their annual meeting at Witham when 27 members attended and during the day several peals were rung on the fine-toned bells of the parish church, including Plain Bob, London Single, Oxford Treble Bob and Mr James Dixson's celebrated peal of Bob Minor variations, accomplished in excellent style by five ringers from the Maxey society with Mr William Pearce from the Bourne society. At 4 pm, they all sat down to an excellent repast provided by Mrs King of the Black Dog Inn at Witham and the evening was agreeably passed with peals on the handbells, singing and recitations.

The bells at the Abbey Church were last removed in 1926 when the tower fell silent for six months after they were taken by lorry to Croydon for re-tuning and maintenance at Messrs Gillett and Johnson's foundry and a fund was opened to pay for the restoration. The clappers were re-modelled and the bells eventually re-hung on ball bearings in a dust proof housing to make the task of ringers less arduous in the future. It was reported at the time of their removal: "Over the years, the bells have been put to various uses, some of their number having done duty as the passing bell, the pancake bell, the labour bell and the curfew bell. From time immemorial, the labour bell was rung at 6 a m in the morning, except during December, and the curfew bell was rung every evening
at 8 p m." Both practices which have long fallen into disuse.

Photogaphed in 2004

The present ringers' gallery was installed at the Abbey Church within the south west tower in 1979. Previously, the bells had been rung from the floor. The system was changed to facilitate easier ringing and also to provide an exhibition and book area for the church which now exists underneath. The work was carried out by Messrs Bowman of Stamford to designs by Mr L H Bond.

Photogaphed in 2004

Photograph from September 2006 courtesy The Local newspaper

BELL RINGERS HIT THE RIGHT NOTES

The Abbey Church team of bell ringers won the annual ringing competition held by the Lincoln Diocesan Guild in September 2006, the first time the award has come to Bourne. The six-member team competed at Willoughby, near Alford, against seven other teams from all parts of the county, being judged on an eight-minute test piece to win the silver trophy. Second place went to Messingham with Kirton-in-Holland third. The judges said afterwards that all three teams rang to a very high standard but Bourne had the edge towards the end of their test piece. The team consisted of (left to right) Matthew Payne, Jim Benner, Barry Jones, Joan Payne, Terry Maddison and Alan Payne, the tower captain. He said afterwards: "After being runners-up in two previous competitions, the team deserved the top prize this year, especially as we have been practising so hard in the past few weeks."

JUBILEE PEAL

Ringers at the Abbey Church completed a peal on Wednesday 6th June 2012 to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. The ringers on this occasion were No 1 bell Alan Payne (tower captain), No 2 Jim Benner, No 3 Matthew Payne, No 4 Ben Ricketts, No 5 Michael Maugham (who conducted the peal), and No 6 Barry Jones. They began ringing at 9.35 am and completed the peal at 12.30 pm, 2 hours 55 minutes later, a wonderful and evocative sound that could be heard quite clearly over a mile away.

OLYMPIC QUARTER PEAL

Ringers at the Abbey Church rang a quarter peal on Friday 27th July 2012 to mark the opening of the London Olympic Games consisting of 1,296 Surprise Minor (720 changes of Norwich and 576 changes of Cambridge). The ringers were No 1 Jim Benner, No 2 Joan Payne, No 3 Terry Maddison, No 4 Barry Jones, No 5 Michael Maugham and No 6 Alan G Payne (tower captain).

BRM QUARTER PEAL

The ringers also completed a quarter peal of 1,320 changes on Sunday 7th October 2012 on the occasion of the BRM Celebration Day to mark the 50th anniversary of the locally designed and built racing car winning the world championship title in 1962. On this occasion, a new method was rung for the first time and this was named BRM Alliance Minor, arranged and conducted by Barry Jones. The ringers were No 1 Joan Payne, No 2 Lois Webb, No 3 Matthew Payne, No 4 Jim Benner, No 5 Alan Payne, No 6 Barry Jones.

QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY QUARTER PEAL

A team of ringers joined the national celebrations for the Queen's 90th birthday on Sunday 12th June by ringing a quarter peal of 1,320 changes between midday and 1pm. The team, which included tower captain Alan Payne and his son Matthew, brought together ringers with more than two centuries experience of campanology. The event was organised by Joan Payne.

NOTE: A peal is the name given to a particular type of change ringing which is carried out on special occasions and for a performance to be recognised by the Central Council for Church Bell Ringers it
must consist of 5,040 changes which is a considerable and time consuming feat.

ROBERT LATTIMORE - 1794-1877

DEATH OF A RINGER: We have to notice this week the death of Robert Lattimore, at the advanced age of eighty-three, which took place on the 11th inst. He was for a great number of years a ringer at the Abbey Church but during the past two or three years had been too infirm to take his place in the belfry. His remains were interred on Wednesday and in the evening a muffled peal was rung upon the church bells. - news item from the Grantham Journal, Saturday 17th November 1877.

THOMAS TAYLOR 1807-1889

The second oldest known person to ring the bells at the Abbey Church was Mr Thomas Taylor, the senior ringer, who died on Saturday 16th February 1889 at the age of 83. He had been a ringer at the church for more than 60 years and could describe graphically events that had taken place there and in the town for the previous 75 years. As a young man in 1836, he was one of the pall bearers at the funeral of Lady Catherine Digby, resident of the Red Hall and self-styled Lady of the Manor. When Mr Taylor died, a dumb peal was rung on the bells on the evening of his funeral.

JOHN W LAKE 1875-1965

Many celebratory and record peals of the bells of the Abbey Church were organised by the well-known ringer John Lake who was team captain for many years during the early 20th century. He also rang the bells at many churches in the neighbourhood, believing that campanology was not only an enjoyable pastime but also a fellowship of those who participated. He was born into a farming family in 1875 at a cottage in Bourne Fen and became a joiner and wheelwright, working at Witham-on-the-Hill and Little Bytham, although during the Great War of 1914-18, he was employed on airfield construction in Lincolnshire. He later moved to live in South Street then West Street, retiring when he was 69, but continued bell-ringing and with his hobbies of wood carving and bee keeping. Mr Lake and his wife celebrated their diamond wedding in April 1964 with a congratulatory telegram from the Queen and he died after a long illness at the Butterfield Hospital the following year on Thursday 7th January 1965, aged 89.

The curfew bell

Rung every night at eight o'clock (unless Divine Service is proceeding), is a custom that has survived with unbroken continuity, at least from Norman times. After curfew, the date of the month is still tolled out. Its original significance, as a warning to all to cover up their fires and retire to rest, has long since become obsolete; although it is stated that, in certain colonial and American towns, the custom has been re-instituted as a caution for all young people to quit the streets. In mediaeval times the signal was imperative, as offenders rendered themselves liable to summary penalties. In those far-off days, when there was little migration, and most men died within sight of the spot where they were born, the tolling of the sonorous bell from the gray Church tower at eventide, had an insistent significance. To us, in an age of restless energy, the sound falls on almost unheeding ears, as little more than a passing note of time. It is gratifying, therefore, to know that a custom continued throughout nearly a thousand years, is still faithfully perpetuated.
It may not be so well known that the Abbey Church bell has been invariably tolled early every week-day morning. This custom appears to have come down from Saxon times, when the summons to daily duty was known as the "labour bell" and the imagination of the listener abed can picture how, as the sacristan began the vibrant clang, Abbot and Monks went in silent procession to matins in the chancel of the venerable Abbey; and how, along the fields and fen and forest ways, Thorbrand and his brethren, "born thralls of Colegrim or Leofric", or other local thanes, plodded forth to labour "until the evening".

- from Historic Bourne by Joseph J Davies, April 1909.

FROM THE ARCHIVES

An inquest was held at Bourne a few days ago by Samuel Edwards, Gent., coroner, on the body of William Parnham, a young man, who whilst in the act of chiming the bells for church service on Sunday se'nnight [a week ago], fell speechless on the belfry floor, whence he was removed to the house of his parents, and after lingering two hours expired. Verdict, died by the visitation of God. - news report from the Stamford Mercury, Friday 20th June 1823.

We understand that the inhabitants of Bourne are about to erect an organ in the church of that place: upwards of £180 has already been obtained for the purpose by voluntary subscription but a further sum is necessary, as the contract we believe is £225. The many recent improvements in that spirited little place go far to prove what may be affected by unanimity; and whilst they reflect infinite credit on the exertions of the inhabitants, indicate well also of their prosperity. - news item from the Stamford Mercury, Friday 1st October 1830.

ORGANIST WANTED: Wanted at Lady Day next, an organist for Bourne Church: salary 30 guineas per annum. Applications (if by letter to be post paid) addressed to the Churchwardens will have immediate attention. - advertisement in the Stamford Mercury, Friday 6th January 1832.

The members of the Abbey Church choir and the society of ringers were entertained to supper by the vicar on the 19th and 26th ult., and on the 28th by the churchwarden of the parish, Mr Henry Bott of the Angel Hotel. On all occasions, there was an abundant supply of the good cheer usual at this season; and the singing by the choir and many peals on the hand bells by the ringers much enjoyed by the guests invited on the different evenings. - news report from the Stamford Mercury, Friday 3rd January 1873.

On Monday evening last, a peal was rung upon the Abbey church bells in honour of the "golden wedding" of Mr S Benstead, clerk of the parish, that being the 50th anniversary of his wedding day. - news report from the Stamford Mercury, Friday 2nd November 1877.

The appointment of organist and choirmaster at Bourne Abbey Church has been accepted by Mr Alfred E Gregory, of the parish church, Spilsby, Mr Ruddell, the present organist, having resigned. The future salary will be £40, which is £10 less than has been given up to now. - news report from the Stamford Mercury, Friday 21st December 1883.

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