Hampshire Church Bells: The Founders and Inscriptions.

PRE-ISBN

Extracted from the Forward, written by ‘W.A.F.’:

“The diocese owes a deep debt to Mr Colchester for this excellent record of the Hampshire Bells. It is a contribution to the history of the County we all love, which has been long and Mr Colchester, the Treasurer of the Diocesan Guild of Ringers, and himself an experienced ringer, has conferred a great benefit upon us by satisfying the need. It has been, I know, a labour of love; but all the more welcome for that reason, and it has been a very real and thorough labour of many months. …. The account of the Bells was first undertaken by the Rev. C.E. Matthews, the President of the Hampshire Guild of Ringers, then Vicar of Bursledon, now Vicar of Milford-on-Sea; and to him we are largely indebted for the information he collected, and for the expert knowledge which he brought to the work. When the multiplication of more serious cares compelled Mr Matthews to resign this charge, rather more than a year ago, Mr Colchester most kindly agreed to continue the work, and with his wonted energy has already brought it to completion. … As Bishop Lightfoot was fond of saying, “History is the best cordial for drooping spirits.”

Extracted from the Preface, written by ‘W.E. Colchester’:

“… It has been necessary to finish my task in a specified time, and therefore the record will be found to be incomplete in places. An interleaved copy of the book will be placed in Wolvesey Library, in which the results of future research will be entered. The plaster casts from which the illustrations have been drawn have been placed in the Winchester Museum, and are therefore available for inspection by those interested. …”