The Origins of Gloucester Bell Founding

Bell founding has been a Gloucester industry for at least seven hundred years. The earliest reference is to a burgess called 'Hugh the Bellfounder' in about 1270. From around this date the names of bell founders can be found in almost every generation.
An important late-fifteenth century bell founder was Robert Hendley, whose name appears on the fourth bell of St. Nicholas, Westgate Street. One of his successors, William Henshawe, was sufficiently important to be five times elected mayor of Gloucester between 1503 and 1520. It is Henshawe's foundry that is believed to have given it's name to 'Bell Lane', now 'Bell Walk' in the Eastgate Shopping Precinct.