Welsh Journals

laut pray for us.) The enigmatic word is 'Tellaut'. The theory has been put forward that the word 'Tellaut' is a miscutting by an illiterate or non-Welsh engraver of a manuscript copy which probably read 'Teliaue' and suggests a former dedication of Rhossili church to St. Teilo. The other theory is that St. Tellaut is an obscure Cornish saint. It is interesting to note that many of the bells retain their canons (i.e. the loops of metal cast on the crown of the bell for the purpose of fastening it to the headstock) especially those that hang in open bell- cotes. These bells are fitted with a lever attached to the headstock with the rope tied to the free end for swing chiming. Nowadays it is unusual to cast 'canons' on the bell and the bells are now secured to the headstock by casting a flat face or 'boss' on the crown of the bell through which securing bolts clamp it to the headstock. Founders' errors such as spelling mistakes and faulty grammar with figures inverted are common in bell inscriptions and the inscription on the first bell at Pennard church is a typical example with PENNAD for PENNARD and DAUKIN for DAWKINS. Many of the early 18th century bells were cast by William Evans of the famous Chepstow bellfoundry, while others were cast by the local bellfounding firm of David and Thomas Davies of Oystermouth. Unfor- tunately their bells were not of the high quality of the Chepstow foundry. The influence of the Bristol Channel as a seaway for transportation is shown in the Bilbie bell from Chewstoke, Somerset, at Llanddewi and the Flemish bell at Nicholaston. Some of the Gower bells were cast in the churchyard, a practice characteristic of the poorer rural Gower parishes who could not afford to have a bell specially cast by a well- known foundry. May the fine bells of the Gower churches continue to ring out sum- moning the faithful to pray and worship as they have done over so many hundreds of years. References Davies, J.D. History of West Gower. (Swansea, 1877-94). 4 vols. Evans, J.T. The church plate of Gowerland (Stow-on-the-Wold, 1921) Halliday, G.E. The Flemish bell of St. Nicholas at Nicholaston church, Gower. 1 Archaeologia Cambrensis, 1908 pp. 149-154.) Lucas, R.L.T. Rhossili parish church. 1980. Lucas, R.L.T. A short history of Reynoldston parish church. 1975.