ANCIENT CHURCH BELL

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 3493, 1 November 1926, Page 7

ANCIENT CHURCH BELL

OVER 400 YEARS OLD. EXAMPLE OF A FLEMISH ART. The church bell of Eddleston, Peeblesshire, has lons boon known to bo one of the oldest 'bells in Scotland. Its date was certified to be 1507, but from the situation and confined space j of the belfry it could never be pro-1 perly examined. (twins 1° the; dilapidation of the belfry, it was; found necessary, recently, to take down the bell, and its inscription and; beauty were thus fully revealed. The bell ‘is of bronze, ana weighs 'about two hundredweight. The loops for tie rope are finely chased. Raised lines at intervals round the bell give the work grace and finish. On the top curve is a circle of interwined fleur-de-lis, perfectly carved. and beneath are the inscription and date.. The inscription in raised capitals runs:— IC BEN GHEGOTEN INT JAEK ONSi HEEREN MCCCCVII. i “I was got in the year of our Lord. 1507.” The date is interesting, as it coiu-j cides with the grant of the lands of; Blackbarony by James IV. to John; Murray, "his familiar cleric and daily: servitor.” It is not stretching the long I arm of coincidence too far, says a 1 writer in the Scotsman, to infer that the bell was the gift of John Murray j or of his family to the Parish Church.; in order to mark significantly their I succession to the Eudeston estates. John Murray was the direct ancestor! of Viscount Elibank, ot Sir John; Murray, the present holder of thej ancient baronetcy; of General thej Hon. James Murray, first Governor-; General of Canada; and of the late-Lieut-General Sir James Wolfe Mur-! ray, of Cringlelie. John Murray followed his King to Flodden, and died with him there. Perhaps the bell; rang for Mass for him and for thej Eddleston men -who died on Flodden j field. Beneath the inscription are three j medallions in relief, at regular inter-i vals round the bell. The first is agroup, of the Virgin and Child. The Virgin Mary, crowned, is holding the infant Jesus with her right arm while with her left hand she caresses His foot. The Child is turning away from his mother. His face has a happy expression, and the body is full of energy. Unfortunately the face of the mother is somewhat corroded. Her robes fall in natural and graceful folds. No picture of (he Virgin ( and Child has been more reverently { conceived. On the. halo of the infant| if is possible to read the word | Homo. |

1 Thn second medallion is of a nude 1 boy seated on a grotesque prostrate (i git re. On his left shoulder the boy supports a cross encircled by a j wreath. Flowers arc seen round the ! figure ,and the medallion is surround- ; ed by a scroll lettering which has not been deciphered. This may be Ihe i figure of St. John the Baptist, whom 1 artists of that day used to picture as | having received the cross from the I child Jesus. On the third medallion lis seen ihe figure of an owl. A star is in the sky .and in front is elegant tracery. j There is no doubt, remarks the I writer quoted, that the bell was oast ! in the Netherlands at the beginning of the great period of Flemish art, and is an example of this early art at its best. Genius skill, and reverence have gone to the making. The minuti cst flower is as perfect as the largest I letter. Everything has been finished! with meticulous care. One artist in) .metal-work suggested that it was too: i beautiful to be put aloft in the belfry. | It was a work o fart ,nnd should bej hung where people could see and ad-| mire it . That is exactly the modern viewpoint, which is almost irreconciliablej with the ideal of the bell-maker wnoi made, bis bell io swing on high, oven! : though its art and beauty were un-j seen of mortal eye. j : goon again the hell will swing and! .call the people to prayer as in days .gone by, but the valley folk will in ,future have a new sense of the religious significance of ils call, and will! .recognise (ho love and zeal that went! to its making. They are heirs of a| .wonderful treasure, which they oughtj faithfully to guard. I