Belfry

Belfry
Belfry
The upper part of the tower or steeple of a church, for the reception of the bells; or a detached tower containing bells, as the campanile of the Italians

Catholic Encyclopedia. . 2006.

Belfry
    Belfry
     Catholic_Encyclopedia Belfry
    The upper part of the tower or steeple of a church, for the reception of the bells; or a detached tower containing bells, as the campanile of the Italians. The term is sometimes applied to the timber frame by which the bells are supported; also to the room or loft in the tower of a church, from which the bells are rung. Originally it denoted a tower in which sentinels were placed to ring bells and thus give notice of the approach of the enemy, or a tower used in besieging a fortified place; it was of wood and movable. In England the bell-tower usually forms a part of the church, but it is sometimes detached from it, as at Evesham, Worcestershire, and Berkeley, Gloucestershire; Chichester cathedral, Sussex, etc. At Pembridge, in Herefordshire, there is a detached belfry built entirely of wood, the frame in which the bells are hung arising from the ground, with merely a casing of boards.
    In Belgium, one of the earliest architectural expressions of the newly acquired independence (12th century) was the erection of a belfry. The right of possessing a bell was one of the first privileges in all old charters, not only as a symbol of power, but as a means of calling the community together. The tower, too, in which the bell was hung was a symbol of power in the Middle Ages; the first care of every enfranchised community was to erect a "tower of pride" proportionate to its importance. The tower was generally the record-office of the city. All these uses have passed away, and most of the belfries have either fallen into neglect or been appropriated to other purposes. Of those remaining the oldest seems to be that of Tournay, a fine tower, though it is a good deal altered and its effect destroyed by modern additions. The belfry at Ghent was commenced in 1183, but the stonework was only completed in 1337. In 1376 a wooden spire was placed upon it, making the height 237 feet. This spire was recently taken down in order to complete the tower according to the original design, which, like that of most of the unfinished buildings of Belgium has been carefully preserved. When finished it will be about 300 feet in height, and one of the finest belfries in the country.
    FERGUSSON History of Architecture, I, 600, 601; II, 101; PARKER, Glossary of Architecture, I, 53: NICHOLSON, Glossary of Architecture, I. 35; BRITTON Dictionary of Architecture and Archaeology, 82; Dictionary of Architecture, Architectural Publication Society, I, 57; STURGIS, Dictionary of Architecture, I, 268, 272.
    THOMAS E. POOLE
    Transcribed by the Cloistered Dominican Nuns, Monastery of the Infant Jesus, Lufkin, Texas Dedicated to the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume VIII. — New York: Robert Appleton Company. . 1910.


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  • Belfry — Lage in Montana …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Belfry — Belfry, MT U.S. Census Designated Place in Montana Population (2000): 219 Housing Units (2000): 119 Land area (2000): 1.902815 sq. miles (4.928268 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 1.902815 sq.… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Belfry, MT — U.S. Census Designated Place in Montana Population (2000): 219 Housing Units (2000): 119 Land area (2000): 1.902815 sq. miles (4.928268 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 1.902815 sq. miles… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Belfry — Bel fry, n. [OE. berfray movable tower used in sieges, OF. berfreit, berfroit, F. beffroi, fr. MHG. bervrit, bercvrit, G. bergfriede, fr. MHG. bergen to protect (G. bergen to conceal) + vride peace, protection, G. friede peace; in compounds often …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • belfry — c.1400, siege tower (late 13c. in Anglo Latin with a sense bell tower ), from O.N.Fr. berfroi movable siege tower (Mod.Fr. beffroi), from M.H.G. bercfrit protecting shelter, lit. that which watches over peace, from bergen to protect (see BURY (Cf …   Etymology dictionary

  • belfry — [n] tower; part of tower bell tower, campanile, carillon, clocher, cupola, dome, head, minaret, spire, steeple, turret; concept 440 …   New thesaurus

  • belfry — ► NOUN (pl. belfries) ▪ the place in a bell tower or steeple in which bells are housed. ORIGIN Old French belfrei …   English terms dictionary

  • belfry — [bel′frē] n. pl. belfries [ME belfrei, altered by assoc. with belle ( BELL1) < berfrai < OFr berfroi < OHG bergfrid, lit., protector of peace < bergen, to protect (see BURY) + frid, peace] 1. a movable tower used in ancient warfare… …   English World dictionary

  • Belfry — The term belfry has a variety of uses:*Bell tower, an architectural term *Belfry, a type of medieval siege tower *Belfry, Montana, a town in the United States *The Belfry, an English golf club * Belfry , a play by Billy Roche, third part of The… …   Wikipedia

  • belfry — /bel free/, n., pl. belfries. 1. a bell tower, either attached to a church or other building or standing apart. 2. the part of a steeple or other structure in which a bell is hung. 3. a frame of timberwork that holds or encloses a bell. 4. Slang …   Universalium

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