at the cost of £21.18. New ropes cost £1.8.6d. and "To John
Glascock, Beer and taky down and puttg. up ye Bell 7.6".
The present ring was, with one exception, recast in 1781,
when the Rev. John Marriott was vicar. His name appears on
one of the bells and the names of churchwardens on the
others. Three of the bells also carry charming inscriptions
"Music is medicine for the mind" on the second bell: "Voco
venite" (I call, come) on the 4th bell and "Percute dolce
cano" (Strike softly I sing) on the 6th.
Some notable peals have been rung here. In 1781 the year
when the bells were recast a band from Belchamp Walter
achieved a peal of Bob Major 5040 changes in 3 hours and 2
minutes. In 1825 a peal of Oxford Treble Bob Major was rung
by the Walden company of ringers in 3 hours and 17 minutes.
But, though there were no complaints about the bells
there was considerable grumbling that they were so badly
hung that the ringers could not do justice to them. Finally they
were overhauled in 1921 and a special service held on the 1st
October to celebrate their re-opening was attended by fifty
ringers who came from various parts of the country. A fortnight
later a band of ringers from Sible Hedingham rang a peal of
5040 changes of Grandsire Triples in 3 hours and 15 minutes.
The rehanging had been supervised by Mr. Bowell, and
it was not until the Vicar suggested that he might like to
examine "the small outside bell, hanging in the cupola, upon
which the clock hammer used formerly to strike the hours"
that is was found to bear the inscription Ave, Maria, Gratia
Plena". This made it clear that it had been cast in Pre-
Reformation times and was the old Angelus or Sanctus bell.
It was in very bad condition and almost rusted from its place.
But by 1939, it had been restored and was again in use
through the generosity of the American descendants of
Daniel Shedd, a Finchingfield man who went to New England
in 1640. The bells were again rehung in 1950.
The clock was installed in 1902, the year of Edward VII's
coronation. It was made and erected by John Smith of Derby
with a guarantee of not more than three seconds variation
a week.