Hide
hide
Hide

Transcript

of

S. Paul’s, Devonport Church Bell

Devon & Cornwall Notes and Queries vol. IX, (January 1916 to January 1917), p. 13.

by

Marmora

Prepared by Michael Steer

St Paul's Anglican Church was built between 1876-79 at a cost of £425 to the design of architect William Gadsby. It is considered a fine example of a church built in timber. The building was substantially damaged by fire on 12 January 2001 but has since been expertly restored. The article, from a copy of a rare and much sought-after journal can be downloaded from the Internet Archive. Google has sponsored the digitisation of books from several libraries. These books, on which copyright has expired, are available for free educational and research use, both as individual books and as full collections to aid researchers.

Note 61. S. PAUL'S, DEVONPORT, CHURCH BELL.- There is an ancient bell at S. Paul's, Devonport, though it was not transferred to its present belfry before 1851. It was obtained from old S. Michael's, Worcester, (the Tower of that church having been removed to make room for local improvements), with three other bells of less interest from Alban's, Worcester, now in the steeple of S. James the Great, Keyham, Devonport! It is supposed to be the work of Thomas de Lynne, though the legend is somewhat confused: - " + Est, Angelus, Gabriel, Thomas, Missus, Lynly." On the other side of this initial cross there is a niddy-noddy grotesque, then the heads of a queen and a king, and a youth, and a lion's head is placed between each word as a stop. The King's head being beard- less, as represented on the Great Seal, may be Henry VI. ; if so, the Queen would be Margaret of Anjou, and the youth her son Edward. The niddy-noddy is composed of a human face, with a large wing growing out of, and concealing the neighbourhood of, the right ear, supported on two rather distorted legs and feet. The expression of the face may fairly be estimated when one thinks of what sailors call noddies," and the idea associated with the patient animal called "Neddy-Noddy." The faces of the queen, king, and youth are decidedly amiable, with a marked tendency to a smirk.                         ANDREW J. HAMLYN