Bell Tower - St Olave - Exeter, Devon
Posted by: 
SMacB
N 50° 43.302 W 003° 32.030
30U E 462317 N 5619013
Bell tower of St Olave's church, Exeter, with a chime of 2 bells.
Waymark Code: WM15PK9
Location: South West England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 02/05/2022
Views: 0
Bell tower of St Olave's church, Exeter, with a chime of 2 bells.
St Olave's church bears evident marks of antiquity particularly the tower which is of Saxon construction. The church has three aisles and a vaulted roof supported by six massive pillars.
|
Bells |
2 (chime) |
|
Tenor |
3¾ cwt (420 lb or ~190 kg) |
SOURCE - (Visit Link)
"It seems likely that St Olave’s church originated as a house-chapel belonging to Gytha, countess of Wessex, sister-in-law to King Canute and mother of Harold, the last Anglo-Saxon king of England. She owned a considerable part of the pre-Conquest parish, and endowed its church with sizeable estates. It also seems that Canute adopted a policy of courting the local saints of the countries he had conquered, So if the king was favourably disposed towards Olaf as a saint, it would also give a positive message to his family members and also to the many Viking settlers within the eastern side of England. It may be fanciful, but since Olaf of noble birth had been able to become king, perhaps Gytha thought prayers to him for her son Harold to become king might be appropriate.
Later medieval tradition records that when William the Conqueror laid siege to Exeter in 1068, the priest of St Olave’s enabled Gytha to escape. Subsequently Gytha’s confiscated Exeter properties, including the church, were handed over to French monks who used the income to found St Nicholas’ priory, the remains of which lie in the alley behind the church, and with which St Olave’s remained closely associated throughout medieval times.
Of Gytha’s church nothing survives, except perhaps the small square tower, later built into the body of the church, but clearly visible from the street outside. Its position, standing within the sanctuary, is very unusual and possibly unique.
Towards the end of the fourteenth century the church was largely rebuilt, .... An arch was cut through the tower wall to provide an opening into the chancel, and a ‘squint’ piercing its north¬east angle so that an attendant could see the altar and ring the bell at certain points in the service. [A] medieval bell hanging in the tower is inscribed in Latin: Voce mea viva depello cuncta nociva, i.e. ‘By my lively voice I disperse all that is harmful’.
More alterations were made in the earlier nineteenth century. The south wall was completely dismantled and rebuilt a few feet further south, abutting the street and flush with the tower."
SOURCE - (Visit Link)