Taylors bells at St Uny church Lelant

Sticking with the holiday connections, on my final day in Cornwall I stopped off the church in Lelant on the hunt for the grave of one Bernard Walke,* an English Anglican Priest, who spent most of his life in Cornwall, in just three parishes. Now, the reason I went looking for this grave was because a few days earlier I had been at another church, this one in St Erth, where I'd come across information about, and the grave of one Annie Fearon Walke,** an artist living in Cornwall, who was born in Surrey, and who married Bernard. 

I'm sure you can see why I was interested in Annie in the first place: with a name like Fearon, was there any possibility that she was related to Henry Fearon, rector of Loughborough 1856-1885 who was born in Cuckfield, (which is bizarre because as I type this, Phil and Kirsty on Location, Location, Location are just taking a couple to Cuckfield!). A bit of research done later at home has not yet proved a connection with Henry, but there may well be, and I would find it were I to go back far enough.






Anyway, back to Bernard. The church in Lelant is a beautiful little church, overlooking the golf course and the River Hayle, and has many interesting internal features and artefacts. 

Part of what is known as the old churchyard has been designated as a 'living churchyard', which seems to mean the plants are left to take over, making memorial stone hunting quite difficult. 









Luckily, Bernard Walke was a prominent enough figure to be listed on an information board along with the position of his grave, so I managed to find it relatively easily amongst the plants. 

Having done this, I then went into the church hall which was open and serving refreshments. As well as being a meeting place the hall hosted a heritage display, showing all the research that had recently been done. One thing that I had noticed whilst looking around the local churches was the extensive information about some things like the stained glass, or the tiled floor, or the ceiling, or the Victorian restoration, but there was often a lack of information pertaining to the bells within the bell tower. 

















Anyway, idling around the displays, my eye was caught by one noticeboard that seemed to be bell-related. Closer inspection revealed that indeed there was information about the bells - lots of photographs, newspaper cuttings and an order of service. Hang on, an order of service, for what exactly? Ah, a re-dedication service for the bells. This was pinned open at its middle pages, but I was able to look more closely, and discovered that some of the bells had been re-cast in 1952, by Taylors of Loughborough! The original bells had also been cast by Taylors, but in 1836 in Oxford, a few years before the first member of the Taylor family came to Loughborough. A great find!! 

The little booklet about the church (St. Uny, Lelant: the story of the parish church of St. Uny Lelant) which I also found (and bought!) had this to say:

The Bells

The peal comprises six bells, in the key of G-sharp.

Treble. Wt. 3 cwts. 2 qrs. 20 lbs.
Inscription:- "Taylor, Oxford 1836
restored 1952. Evelyn Barker and H.P Hurrell (Churchwardens)"

Second. Wt. 4 cwts. 0 qrs. 0 lbs.
Inscription:- "Taylor, fecit, Oxford 1836"

Third. Wt. 4 cwts. 3 qrs. 5 lbs.
Inscription:- "Taylor, Fecit, Oxford 1836
Obey our call the right the good old way
(Shun Schisms, wiles;) nor from it ever stray".

Fourth. Wt. 6 cwts. 0 qrs. 20 lbs.
Inscription:- "Taylor, fecit, Oxford 1836. Restored 1952
Rev. E.J. Davies-Freme, Vicar.
P.A. Clifton, Ringer's Capt."

Fifth. Wt. 6 cwts. 1 qrs. 25 lbs.
Inscription:- "Taylor, fecit, Oxford 1836."

Tenor. Wt. 8 cwts. 2 qrs. 12 lbs.
Inscription:- "Taylor, Oxford 1836. Mr William Bosustow, Churchwarden.
Glory be to God on high, The day of rest again comes round.
A day to all believers dear. The silver trumpets loudly sound,
That call the tribes of Israel near. Ye people all, obey the call,
And in Jehovah's courts appear".

Thre treble and the fourth re-cast, the peal tuned and re-hung with new fittings by John Taylor & Co., Loughborough, in 1952.
The bells were dedicated by The Lord Bishop of Truro, The Right Reverend E. R. Morgan, M.A. on Saturday, 31st May 1952.
The fifth bell was recast and returned in 1955. 

And then I spotted a bookcase in the church hall, full of books about the area, and books to interest children whilst their parents were indulging in a spot of refreshment. The book that caught my eye was, of course, a Ladybird book!

When I got home, I had a look around the Taylors bellfoundry website, and was astonished to read under their current projects that one of their works in progress is again with the church of St Uny in Lelant! 

And so, ended my Cornwall holiday, from whence I made my way to Bristol, and in the following week visited Peterborough and London - and made yet more Loughborough connections!

You are welcome to quote passages from any of my posts, with appropriate credit. The correct citation for this looks as follow:

Dyer, Lynne (2018). Taylors bells at St Uny church, Lelant. Available from: https://lynneaboutloughborough.blogspot.com/2018/07/taylors-bells-at-st-uny-church-lelant.html  [Accessed 29 July 2018]

Take down policy:

I post no pictures that are not my own, unless I have express permission so to do. All text is my own, and not copied from any other information sources, printed or electronic, unless identified and credited as such. If you find I have posted something in contravention of these statements, or if there are photographs of you which you would prefer not to be here, please contact me at the address listed on the About Me page, and I will remove these.

Thank you for reading this blog. 

Lynne

    

* St Hilary is also a church associated with Bernard Walke.

** Annie Fearon Walke also has a Facebook history (under Anne, rather than Annie).
     

Taylors Truro Parks and Bandstands

So, it's been a couple of weeks since I last blogged. I was going to apologise for keeping you waiting for more news about Loughborough, but actually, visiting others places has only helped me to focus on our lovely town, with all its history, and all it has to offer. Not sure that being poorly has the same effect, but hey ho!

Again, the last few weeks have been rather busy: aside from packing up my work life in preparation for a move to a new office (sounds such an everyday thing, doesn't it, but I've been working in the same office for more years than I can remember), going on holiday and being poorly, I've also had my first book published, been taking pictures around town of recent changes, and been to many local talks and events.

Let's concentrate on all those lovely Loughborough connections that came to mind whilst I was on holiday. My trip took me to Truro, St Ives, Lelant, Hayle, St Just, Halsetown, Sennen Cove, Pendeen, Lamorna, Helston, Penzance, Mousehole, Bodmin Moor, Clevedon, Bristol, Tolethorpe Hall (near Stamford) and Peterborough, where I walked for miles and miles and miles, visited beaches, museums, art galleries, churches and cathedrals. Ok, so I may have visited one or two little shops along the way, and eaten rather too much at some splendid eateries as well!

As I've already mentioned, everywhere I go I learn something new and find some connection to Loughborough, and in Truro this was certainly the case. I've been to Truro before, but each time my mind is subconsciously focused on something different. This time I was keen to visit the cathedral: on previous visits, I'd simply soaked up the atmosphere, stared in awe at the architecture and generally felt humbled. This time, I had bells at the back of my mind: a forthcoming exhibition at the Loughborough Library will focus on Taylors bells so I wasn't just thinking any old bells!

The guidebook (1) told me that the cathedral was relatively new, the first two foundation stones being laid in 1880, and the building finally completed in 1910. The architect was chosen by that familiar method whereby architects submit plans and drawings of a proposed structure to a panel of judges who then select their preferred entry. Seven architects were shortlisted, and George Bodley received four votes, John Loughborough Pearson seven. The cathedral design chosen was, therefore, that created by John Loughborough Pearson. Now there's a name to connect to!!




And what of the bells? Would it surprise you to learn that the set of 10 bells, hung in tow piers, are Taylor's bells, and were first run at their dedication service in 1910? No, I didn't think it would!! The bells are named after Cornish and Celtic saints, like St Petroc and St Piran. A bit of research later at home revealed that in 2011 a further four new bells were added to the original ten, cast by Taylors in celebration of the cathedral's 100th anniversary.

No visit to any town is complete without a long walk around the outskirts, to experience a bit more than just the central shops, amenities and cultural activities. So, I headed off to something on the map that had caught my eye, which, in the event, yielded more than I could have imagined! 

Heading off out of town, along River Street, passing the Royal Cornwall Museum, up Frances Street past the Wig and Pen pub, at the turn off to St George Road I could see a vast viaduct in the near distance - and what a sight it was! The design of the original viaduct (constructed between 1859 and 1889) was based on advice received from Isambard Kingdom Brunel, but this was replaced in 1904. 

The impressive granite structure is the longest in Cornwall, having 16 arches (2), is 86 feet high, (3) and was the last of the originals to be replaced. 

It was built alongside the original, of which 14 piers are still standing. The original creation was known as Carvedras viaduct, and this later one is sometimes known as the Moresk Viaduct and is the route taken by the Paddington (London) to Penzance train. Of course, this all reminded me of our very own viaduct at Stanford, over Meadow Lane and the River Soar. Only 9 arches, but still pretty impressive, this locally listed structure was built by Henry Lovatt, from Wolverhampton, as part of the Great Central Railway line to London.  

And to finish with Truro, next to the viaduct was a glorious park called Victoria Park. Like our very own Queen's Park, this was created to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1897. Like our park, there is a bandstand which is used for regular band concerts during the summer months (4). 

Here's Hathern Concert Brass playing in our own Queen's Park bandstand today:

And some accompanying pictures

Ever wondered why our park often gets very boggy during outbursts of rain? Something to do with the myriad of leats that run underneath, and are culverted towards Iceland (5) - Truro also has such leats. 

And here's one of our ponds, complete with wildlife!

Connections with war are also apparent in both parks, although I suspect the one in Truro is a temporary commemoration related to the 100th anniversary of the RAF.

Goodness me, I could go on forever, but I must stop now!! If I get time, subsequent posts will investigate further the churches I visited that had Taylors bells (and the cathedral which didn't - well, they did have their own bellfounder, Henry Penn!), the industrial connections between Hayle and Loughborough, and sundry other connections that came to mind while I was away! 

Incidentally, as holiday reading I treated myself to a copy of Evergreen, This England and MyCornwall. I was expecting to read things of general interest, but was amazed to find articles of specific interest to me, like: 'The wool churches of the Cotswolds' (I recently visited the Cotswolds for the first time ever, and Loughborough had an important part to play in the wool trade); a picture of Kiby Muxloe Castle (built by the Hastings family who were Lords of the Manor of Loughborough) showing its impressive and tranquil ruins; an article on Philip Sparke a composer of brass band music (Hathern BB have played some of his compositions); a lovely article about the 'Mon and Brec' (I used to walk alongside this canal to get to school!); an article on Cornish inspirations which led me to walk part of the cliff path from Lamorna to Carnes Barges to see the house in which Derek Tangye lived and wrote; an article about the Oliver Cromwell (no need to tell you enthusiasts reading this that I'm talking about the steam engine!!), I could go on and on ... 

References:

(1) Truro Cathedral: a souvenir book, pg. 29
(2) 16 arches according to this website; 20 piers according to this one.
(3) 86 feet according to this website; 92 according to this one.  
(4) Here's the programme of concerts in our own park bandstand.
(5) This is all much better explained in this document relating to proposed (and subsequently rejected, I believe) development of the Granby Street car park area, than I could do. See pages 49-50 particularly.

You are welcome to quote passages from any of my posts, with appropriate credit. The correct citation for this looks as follow:

Dyer, Lynne (2018). Taylors, Truro, parks and bandstands. Available from: https://lynneaboutloughborough.blogspot.com/2018/07/taylors-truro-parks-and-bandstands.html  [Accessed 22 July 2018]

Take down policy:

I post no pictures that are not my own, unless I have express permission so to do. All text is my own, and not copied from any other information sources, printed or electronic, unless identified and credited as such. If you find I have posted something in contravention of these statements, or if there are photographs of you which you would prefer not to be here, please contact me at the address listed on the About Me page, and I will remove these.

Thank you for reading this blog. 

Lynne

On Taylors Zeppelins railways churches soldiers and plants

Ok, so I admit it! Today I am being grumpy because it is simply too hot! It's too hot to do anything, too hot to hang out red washing, too hot to cook a roast chicken and too hot to walk anywhere! I had planned to do the Art Trail, but the heat has sapped away any energy I had - and I never have much of that at the best of times!

Having said that, this week has been another interesting one, with loads going on, so lots of choices to make about what to do. 

Thursday was a super day: I met up with some visitors from Canada who were researching their Loughborough roots. As if meeting them and receiving their thanks wasn't enough, they were also kindly brought me a little gift. You can read a bit more about their visit over on the Old Rectory blog. 

Afterwards, I was out and about in town taking pictures of Zeppelin-related things for a friend who is writing a book about Zeppelin raids in the UK during the First World War. The photo session was only partially successful: I managed to safely stand in the middle of The Rushes without getting run over (it seemed quiet for a Thursday), but the sun was a bit too hot for me to walk to Empress Road. Ah well, maybe another day. In the meantime, I scoured my hard drive for slightly older photos that would do the trick.

On the way home I popped into the library to drop a few things off for a forthcoming exhibition on Taylors Bell Founders, and to see the current exhibition about the three railways in Loughborough. Do pop along if you get a chance: it's a most interesting exhibition, very informative and easy to follow. Well done to all involved.

Let's not talk about Friday. I don't always work on a Friday but this week I had to go in because I am having a massive clearout prior to moving office. 32 year's worth of paperwork is a lot to sort through!! I was interested that a friend who had said they wanted to research into railway posters had sent me some copies of posters, which I had kept for some reason: I guessed now was the time to dispose of them. I was amused, also, to find that in 1996, when I had created my first web pages, I had talked about Mount St Bernard Abbey, and had printed out some information about it: obviously the Railton work a friend and I have recently done for St Paul's church in Woodhouse Eaves, was a continuation of work I started over 20 years ago!!

As a late birthday celebration, we popped over to Oakley Grange for breakfast on Saturday: very nice, and not too hot under the umbrella. Sadly, I missed that pesky Scotsman who was once again steaming through Loughborough! Lunchtime found us in the town centre. How fortuitous that town was really busy, and the Armed Forces Day was in full swing. Lots of interesting stalls to visit, cars/landrovers/bikes to look at and soldiers to talk to. There was also a fantastic part of Loughborough's In Bloom competition entry in the form of a set of shelves adorned with used boots full of plants which had been made up by local school children.

In the afternoon we went over to St Paul's church in Woodhouse Eaves to hear a talk on the Taylor's bells they have, and to learn a bit more about bell founding. 

Absolutely fascinating to hear about all the detailed records that have been unearthed, both from the Taylor's archive, and from the church's own records. Great too, to talk to lots of folk, to see some of the banners on display, and to pick up a booklet about the stained glass windows in the church. Makes me all the more determined to fit in that trip to the stained glass museum in Ely (and hope it's open this time)!

Last evening was spent in Birstall at the gala. Hathern Band were playing the proms-type finale again, and again, it was a good 'un, especially that trombone piece!

So, maybe I've done enough this week, and can be forgiven for staying indoors, writing blog posts today?!

You are welcome to quote passages from any of my posts, with appropriate credit. The correct citation for this looks as follow:

Dyer, Lynne (2018). On Taylors, Zeppelins, railways, churches, soldiers and plants. Available from: https://lynneaboutloughborough.blogspot.com/2018/07/on-taylors-zeppelins-railways-churches.html  [Accessed 1 July 2018]

Take down policy:

I post no pictures that are not my own, unless I have express permission so to do. All text is my own, and not copied from any other information sources, printed or electronic, unless identified and credited as such. If you find I have posted something in contravention of these statements, or if there are photographs of you which you would prefer not to be here, please contact me at the address listed on the About Me page, and I will remove these.

Thank you for reading this blog. 

Lynne