THE OLD - Old Wirral.com

THE BELLS OF WIRRAL
The custom of engraving a name upon
a bell is said to have originated with Pope
John XIII, who consecrated a bell and
gave it the name " John." The baptism
of bells was certainly in use from very
early times, and it appears that the
sponsors of bells were often people of
quality, while the officiating priest was of
high ecclesiastical rank. Thus at St.
Lawrence, Reading, in 1499, the church
wardens record that they paid 6/8 for the
hallowing of the great bell named
"Harry," Sir William Symys and
Mistress Smythe being godfather and
godmother.
The ritual of consecration was elaborate.
The service began with a Litany and a
series of antiphonal psalms. Then the
bell that was to be blessed was washed
with holy water containing salt, wiped
with a towel and anointed with holy oil,
seven times on the outside and four times
on the inside. The bell was then incensed
and hung. After such an imposing ceremony
a very considerable amount of
sanctity naturally attached itself to a
church bell, and the idea soon arose that
the bell
One of
had certain miraculous powers.
these was the ability to quell
47