I'm not too bothered whether they are attached or detached; if they do not originate to hold bells (which I'm perfectly prepared to believe) I'll be interested in theories as to their original purpose.
They're obviously becoming a 'statement' structure of Christian buildings from the Carolingian era; but their origin is equally clearly earlier and further east. Given their importance to 'classic' western Christian architecture, as many of these posts attest, the question is not an insignificant one.
Date: Tue, 31 Jul 2012 17:51:15 +0100
From:
[log in to unmask]Subject: Re: [M-R] Origin of church towers/minarets
To:
[log in to unmask]medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
From: medieval-religion - Scholarly discussions of medieval religious culture [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Thomas Izbicki
Sent: 31 July 2012 16:23
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [M-R] Origin of church towers/minarets
I've seen a reference in a visitation to the bells of a parish hanging in trees.
However, Westlee had no tower; and Twyford had two bells hanging from trees.
Tom Izbicki
From: "Christopher Crockett" <[log in to unmask]>
being blissfully unencumbered by any actual knowledge of the subject, i
wouldn't think that the Bells ==> Towers supposition is valid at all.
Ah but being irredeemably English and a ringer I hold the view that a tower without bells, preferably rung full circle in the English fashion, is a waste of a tower.
somewhere i've seen relatively small timber structures beside churches,
purpose built to hold the bell(s).
c
There’s a detached wooden campanile at Brookland Kent, and there’s also one at Great Burgholt, Suffolk. Here the bells were swung using the ringers’ hands, rather than a rope, to rotate the wheel.
Anne
Visitations of Churches belonging to St. Paul's Cathedral, p. xxvi.
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