Little is known about the early history of Bampton bells. T.J. Francis in his Religious history of the Parish of Bampton, Devon 2001 at page 17 states "...In 1553 there were four bells in the tower ... in 1729 the second bell was re-cast and 121 lbs. of metal added, making two bells from the one. The cost was £15. 15. 0d for the metal and re-casting and £2. 10. 0d for carriage...". So Bampton church then possessed five bells from 1729 until 1800.
In 1800 these five bells were re-cast into a ring of six by Thomas Bilbie of Cullompton, assisted by Francis Hill of Bradninch. The cost of re-casting and re-hanging in a new timber frame was £123. 12. 6d.
Thus there are now six bells (excluding the Practice Bell) in the tower at Bampton. The details are as follows:
Treble:
"When I call follow all"
T. Bilbie Fecit 1800
Diameter 30½ inches Weight 5-2-13.
Second:
Thomas Bilbie Cullompton Fecit 1800
Revd. B. Davey Vicar
Diameter 30¾ inches Weight 5-2-7.
Third:
Mr Thomas Surridge & Mr William Branscombe
Church Wardens
T. Bilbie Cullompton Fecit 1800
Diameter 33½ inches Weight 6-1-18.
Fourth:
T. Bilbie Fecit
"God preserve the Church and King"
Mr. T. Surridge & Mr. W. Branscombe
Ch: Wardens 1800 Revd. B. Davey Vicar
Diameter 34¾ inches Weight 7-0-10.
Fifth:
Mr. Thomas Surridge & Mr. William Branscombe Ch. W
Revd. B. Davey Vicar T. Bilbie Fecit 1800
Diameter 38¼ inches Weight 9-0-12.
Tenor:
"I to the Church the living call and to the grave do summon
all"
Thomas Bilbie Cullompton Fecit 1800
Diameter 43½ inches Weight 14-0-3. (in F#.)
Diameter/Weight details thanks to Andrew Bull [Source: John Scott - Taylor job book]
Thus these six bells were all cast by Thomas Bilbie at Cullompton in 1800. It is unusual to have all bells cast locally by the same founder.
| In 1962 these bells were re-tuned and re-hung on ball bearings
in a new metal frame by Taylors of Loughborough. |
 |
In the church of St. Andrew, Chew Stoke in Somerset, there is a memorial plaque to the Bilbie family of bell founders and clockmakers. The plaque records the following information. There is also a display of an early Bilbie bell and clock in the church.
| 1666 - 1724 | Edward Bilbie I |
| 1694 - 1726 | Edward Bilbie II |
| 1702 - 1778 | Thomas Bilbie |
| 1716 - 1786 | Edward Bilbie |
| 1727 - 1780 | Thomas Bilbie II of Cullompton |
| 1729 - 1773 | Abraham Bilbie |
| 1730 - 1789 | William Bilbie |
| 1736 - 1767 | John Bilbie of Axbridge |
| 1766 - 1796 | Edward Bilbie IV |
| 1768 - 1829 | Thomas Webb Bilbie |
| 1768 - 1820 | James Fear Bilbie |
| 1769 - 1813 | Thomas Castleman Bilbie of Cullompton |
Therefore it appears that the founder of our bells was likely
to have been Thomas Castleman Bilbie and that he was 31 years of
age at the time he cast our bells.