Shipwrecked!

A ship's bell hangs alongside three rather more ancient bells in the bell tower of a beautiful Lincolnshire church, St John the Baptist, Belleau.

It came from a full-rigged sailing ship "Bacchus" which was wrecked not far away, on the east coast of England.   She was carrying a cargo of timber, sprang a leak and was grounded.

Image from shipnostalgia.com and State Library of Queensland

Bacchus, launched in 1867 from Liverpool, was wrecked in November 1902.    The image above shows the wreck which was taken to Hull.    In 1903 she was sold to be broken up - £1150.

Her bell was bought at auction, I believe, then gifted to a small tin chapel in a village churchyard.

When the tin chapel was no longer fit for purpose the bell was moved to a beautiful church less than half a mile away and there it hangs today.

This church was rebuilt in 1862, of chalk, the exterior is faced with greenstone from a few miles away.

This old crusader watches over the place.   More of him another time.

Coincidentally, the church organ was installed in 1867, the same year that ss Bacchus was launched.

Linking today with Inspired Sunday