ASHBY PAVA, Church of Saint Peter (SP 525 887)
Felling date range: 1635-55
Frame head (5/5) 1614(h/s), 1621(h/s), 1622(h/s), 1624(2c+c8NM), 1625(h/s); Jack brace (1/4) 1630(14); Sill(1/3) 1615(h/s); Brace (3/4) 1609, 1630(6), 1632(13).
Site Master 1572-1625 (t = 5.8 OAK HO, W. BROM, W. MID; 5.6 LANGFORD MANOR, NOTTS; 4.5 CHEDDLETON, S. STAFFS); 1549-1630 (t = 5.5 COLSTON BASSETT CHURCH, NOTTS; 5.4 ASTLEY CASTLE, WARWICKS; 5.3 ELY CATH, CAMBS)
Simple jack-braced, pegged oak frame for three bells, with four trusses, of one build. This frame is slightly unusual in that the sills of the trusses are mortised into the sills of the end frames. Tree-ring analysis supports the stylistic dating to the 1630's
ASTON FLAMVILLE, Church of St. Peter (SP 463 028)
Felling date range: after 1636
Beam (2/2) 1574, 1620.
Site Master 1475-1620 (t = 7.2 E. MID; 7.4 ALFORD MANOR, LINCS; 7.2 KEYWORTH BARN, NOTTS)
At this church there is not a 'bellframe' as such, just these two substantial moulded oak beams between which the bells simply hang. Fluted on all sides they are thought to have been reused from a previous phase of building. Due to the carving and slightly rotted surface it has been impossible to get a more precise date.
BRINGHURST, Church of St. Nicholas (SP 841 922)
Felling date range: 1693-1711
Frame head (3/5) 1552, 1606, 1664(h/s); Sill (5/5) 1626, 1632, 1672(h/s), 1677(3), 1687(9); Brace (5/5) 1658, 1679(h/s), 1681(h/s, 1), 1692(15);
Site Master 1502-1687 (t = 10.3 E. MID; 9.9 ASTLEY CASTLE, WARWICKS; 9.0 DE GREYS MAUSOLEUM, DERBYS); 1619-1681 (t = 6.6 E. MID; 6.1 GUIDE HO, NOTTS; 6.1 S. LUFFENHAM HALL, RUTLAND); 1646-1692 (t = 7.7 WHEELWRIGHT'S; CHATHAM DOCKS; 6.3 S.LUFFENHAM HALL, RUTLAND, 6.0 BLIDWORTH CHURCH, NOTTS)
A jack-braced, pegged oak frame with four trusses attached to the end frames with lapped dovetail joints at the sills. Previously thought on stylistic grounds to be dated to the early seventeenth century.
GAULBY, Church of St. Peter (SK 695 010)
Felling date range: after 1701
Frame head (1/7) 1686(h/s); brace (0/1); Sill (0/2).
Site Master 1623-1686 (t = 6.6 ELY CATH, CAMBS; 5.3 SOUTHWELL MIN, NOTTS; 5.1 BLIDWORTH CHURCH, NOTTS)
An oak frame for six bells, with four parallel pits and two transverse and of one build. Unfortunately tree-ring analysis was not very successful at this site, with only one timber dating. However the felling date of after 1701 does not contradict the stylistic dating of mid-eighteenth century to which the bells, thought contemporary, also date from.
GRIMSTON, Church of St. John the Baptist (SK 685 219)
Felling date range: 1628-48
Frame head (5/6) 1582, 1618(h/s), 1623(7), 1742(h/s), 1749(4); Jack brace (0/2); Brace (1/4) 1754(8); Strut (0/1); Sill (1/1) 1741(h/s); Wall timber (2/2)1582, 1619(12).
Site Master 1511-1624 (t = 6.1 HARDWICK HALL, DERBYS; 5.5 FRITH HALLL FARM, DERBYS; 5.2 CARTLEDGE HALL, DERBYS) 1674-1754 (t = 6.5 CATHOLME, STAFFS; 6.1 WHEELWRIGHTS SHOP, KENT; 6.0 OLD BARN, STRATFORD, WARWICKS)
A jack-braced frame at louvre level, with four trusses. Of one build originally, the analysis here supports the stylistic dating to the 1630's. Additionally there are later replacements to the timbers of one of the trusses between 1759-79.
KNIPTON, Church of All Saints (SK 825 311)
Felling date range: 1489-1502 (probably 1491/2)
Post (4/7) 1468(1), 1470(9), 1474(9), 1480(14); Brace (6/6) 1458, 1462(h/s), 1468(h/s), 1469(h/s), 1471(h/s), 1488(17); Sill (1/3) 1490(15C+1 or 2 lost).
Site Master 1348-1488 (t = 7.0 HAGWORTHINGHAM CHURCH, LINCS; 6.7 E. MID; 5.9 GAINSBORO, HALL, LINCS); 1413-1490 (t = 5.6 WHITES FARM; NOTTS, 5.5 ORDSALL HALL, CHESHIRE; 5.4 SINAI PARK, STAFFS)
One of the most interesting bellframes in Leicestershire, this oak frame for three bells is of short headed queen-post type (ie double king posts) Pickford type 3.G, similar to bellframes at Lambley and Bramcote, Notts.all truss short heads are not pegged to the king posts or braces but held by nailed straps, which have a top-threaded section and a nut.
KNOSSINGTON, Church of St John the Baptist (SK 810 101)
Felling date range: 1732-52
Frame head (2/3) 1717(h/s), 1721(6); Post (0/1); Sill (2/3) 1715(h/s), 1718(1); Brace (2/3) 1719(h/s, h/s).
Site Master 1662-1721 (t = 6.5 MAIN ST, COSBY, LEICS; 6.2 CATHOLME, STAFFS; 5.6 E.MID)
A simple pegged oak frame for one bell. It only has two trusses and has extra jack braces and sits directly on the belfry floor. Tree-ring analysis supports the hypothesis that the frame dates from the recasting of the bell in 1731.
MUSTON, Church of St John the Baptist (SK 829 379)
Felling date: 1611
Sill (5/5) 1575, 1585(h/s), 1588(h/s), 1596(h/s), 1611(21C); Brace (7/7) 1560, 1571, 1580, 1590(h/s), 1592(h/s), 1605(21C), 1607(12); Frame head (7/7) 1575, 1583(-,h/s), 1587(h/s)1590(h/s,h/s), 1591(h/s), 1595(h/s); Jack brace (5/5) 1590(h/s), 1601(2), 1602(8), 1607(9), 1611(36C).
Site Master 1437-1611 (t = 9.2 E. MID; 8.7 STONLIEGH ABBEY, WARWICKS; 7.9 TUSMORE GRANARY, OXON)
There are two almost identical bell frames at this site, each for two bells, one above the other, both of jack-braced construction with three trusses. The high degree of matching between samples from both frames points towards these being contemporary, as is suggested by structural analysis also.
REARSBY, Church of St Michael (SK 651 145)
Felling date range: 1705-25
Jack Brace (1/4) 1531; Frame head (5/6) 1657, 1689(h/s), 1692(h/s), 1693(4); Brace (0/4); Sill (1/1) 1691(h/s).
Site Master 1609-1693 (t = 5.4 CHURCH FARM, HAYTON, NOTTS; 5.2 SOUTHWELL MIN, NOTTS; 5.2 BOLSOVER CASTLE, DERBYS); 1631-1692 (t = 5.6 BLIDWORTH CHURCH, NOTTS; 4.9 OLD BARN, STRATFORD, WARWICKS; 4.5 CLAYDON HO, BUCKS)
A Jack-braced oak frame for three bells, with four trusses. The braces are less substantial than on some frames which led to it been stylistically dated to the early to mid eighteenth century, an assumption supported by tree-ring analysis.
SHENTON, Church of St John the Evangelist (SK 387 003)
Felling date range: 1481-1501
Brace (3/8) 1467(h/s), 1471(h/s, h/s); Frame head (2/3) 1460(h/s), 1462(h/s); Strut (0/1).
Site Master 1402-1471 (t = 6.6 CHURCH COT, CADEBY, LEICS; 5.5 MANOR FARM, BRADFIELD, S. YORKS; 5.1 ORDSALL HALL, CHESHIRE)
A jack-braced oak frame for three bells. This frame is unusual in that it has two parallel pits and a transverse pit across the end, rather than the usual three parallel pit form. Within the frames timbers are four curved braces that clearly come from an earlier medieval frame, no other timbers show any sign of reuse at all. It was thought that these represented reused timbers in an otherwise seventeenth century frame, however in light of the analysis here, where all the dated timbers come from the late fifteenth century, it this obvious that this assumption needs reassessing.
WELHAM, Church of St Andrew (SPP 477 293)
Felling date: spring 1634
Frame head (3/3) 1608(h/s), 1623(16), 1633(22¼C); Jack brace (3/3) 1607(h/s, 1), 1624(17); Sill (4/4) 1609(h/s), 1616(9), 1620(11), 1628(22); Brace 1560, 1609(h/s), 1612(h/s), 1629(18), 1630(23).
Site Master 1443-1633 (t = 10.9 NUN APPLETON HALL, YORKS; 10.2 BOLSOVER CASTLE, DERBYS; 10.0 E. MID)
A jack-braced, pegged frame for two bells with three trusses. Originally there were three bells here and the frame has been cut down at the eastern end where the third bell was removed. One of the samples analysed had complete sap wood and the beginnings of spring growth cells for the following year, thirteen of the over fourteen samples dated are consistent with this date, giving us the felling date above.
KIBWORTH HARCOURT, Kibworth Harcourt Post-Mill (SP 689 944)
Felling date: 1773
Site Master 1582-1773 (t = 11.5 Stoneleigh Abbey, Warwicks; 10.6 East Midlands; 9.7 Quenby Hall, Leics)
This is the only surviving post-mill in Leicestershire, and one of only 48 of the type in the entire country. It has two common sails and two sprung sails, upon a mid-to late-nineteenth century brick roundhouse at its base. The structure comprises basal timbers of two horizontal beams forming an 'X', from which rises the central mill-post. This supports two parallel north-south beams (connected by short east-west cross-beams either side of the central mill-post), which run to wall plates at their north and south ends. The north and south wall plates in their turn support further wall plates to east and west. Upon these four wall plates stand four corner posts which form the basic box-like structure of the upper portion of the mill which contains two floors. The structure of the upper level of the mill is of simple close-studded framing comprising the four principal corner posts, smaller wall posts and studs. These walls are clad in relatively modern oak and softwood weatherboard cladding. A. J. Arnold, R. E. Howard, and C. D. Litton, 'Tree-Ring Analysis of Timbers from Kibworth Harcourt Post-Mill, Kibworth Harcourt, Leicestershire', CfA report 76/2004.