Sutton Bonington St Anne

Bells

Bell turret

Detail of the second
bell dating from 1827

Standing high above the apex of the west wall is the bell turret accommodating two bells. According to the Rev W. E. Buckland, ‘Godfrey thinks the treble bell dates from the 14th century and if so was one handed back by the commissioners’. The other bell was recast in 1827. Inscribed on the treble bell are the words ‘Ista Compana Facta est ex Honore Sancte Anne’ translated as ‘This bell was made out of respect to St. Anne’; it is the work of Johannes of York, bellfounder of Leicester in the second half of the 14th century. The second bell has the simple inscription ‘T. Mears of London Fecit, 1827. Rev John Lafont, Rector, James Orme, Church Warden’.

The bells after having been removed were inspected at John Taylor’s Bell foundry on the 19 May 2000, whilst the condition of the bells were reasonable, the bells and fittings together were ‘precarious’ and referred to a previous restoration in 1896 being equally precarious. A faculty application to restore the bells and fittings was granted and the work completed.

Further work was done to make the belfry safe and install a new rope guide in 2009.

In 1552 at the Edward VI inventory there were 'two small bells of one accorde'.

In 1764 there were two small bells.