St Thomas object is a "Treasure of Exeter"
Bell cast at the Birdall's foundry, St Thomas in about 1620
Royal Albert Memorial Musuem
Exeter archaeology excavations at the foundry site in St Thomas
Exeter Archaeology
Birdall's bell features in RAMM exhibition
By Tony Lethridge and RAMM staff
A bell cast in St Thomas almost 400 years ago featured in the recent RAMM exhibition. The exhibition showcased some of Exeter's greatest treasures. Local resident Tony Lethridge was invited to nominate a treasure.
He explains: "I have chosen to champion The Guildhall Bell for its links with the industrial and business community which has thrived in St Thomas for centuries and remains evident today among folk west of the Exe. The bell-foundry of St Thomas was located on land which later became my grandfather's garden and kennels where he bred champion greyhounds. I learnt to drive there when it became a car park..."
The Birdalls often signed their bells by inscribing letters on them. Archaeologists investigated the site, which is in front of St Thomas railway station, before the new library and shopping centre was built there. In the photo you can see a bell pit where the casting was done. Bells were bult up around clay cores. Stubs of three of these cores are visible at the bottom of the photo. Towards the centre an archaeologist is uncovering the flue of the furnace, which points towards the bell pit.
The Birdalls foundry also features in a new St Thomas local history trail, to be launched on 7 November 2008.