Context (Production / use)
The Portable Antiquities Scheme has registered numerous bells similar to this one, also inscribed 'W G', including BERK-88AD9C. The record for that bell notes that: 'W G probably indicates that it was made by William Gwynn of Aldbourne, who was active 1770-1813.' At least one other crotal bell in the Museum's collections (TEMP.00686) has the same initialling.
Event Date
Author: David Kay

Context (Found together / assemblage)
This bell was found in a bag of similar bells (TEMP.00685-TEMP.00703) with a handwritten note reading 'NO PROV'.
Event Date
Author: David Kay

Description (Physical description)
Spherical crotal bell with intact suspension loop. Two circular holes, one enlarged by damage, in upper half, with an elongated sound slot joining two further holes in the lower half. The upper half is undecorated, whilst the lower half has worn Sunburst-style decoration, with a three-armed cross surrounded by a semicircle on one side, and the initial 'W G' surrounded by a semicircle on the other. The inner cavity contains a spherical cast iron 'pea'. The body of the bell has sustained considerable damage, especially the upper half where one of the holes has been forcibly enlarged, and fracture lines run across to the other upper hole and down to the edge of the lower sound slot. About a third of the outer surface is also corroded.
Event Date 7/11/2018
Author: David Kay

Context (Amendments / updates)
Whilst there is no catalogue card, accession register entry, or other contextual information available for this specific object, given the information obtained from the Portable Antiquities Scheme (see Production note), the Period field has been filled as 'Post Medieval; 18th century; 19th century'. Similarly, whilst we do not know this object's find spot, it was made in a foundry in Wiltshire, therefore, the Place field has been filled as 'Europe' British Isles; England'.
Event Date 7/11/2018
Author: David Kay

Context (Found together / assemblage)
Nineteen apparently unaccessioned crotal bells (TEMP.00685-TEMP.00703) were found together in the museum store. Some or all of them may have been accessioned and become disassociated with their museum number, or they may never have been formally accessioned into the museum's collection.
Event Date 7/11/2018
Author: David Kay

Context (Related Documents)
See 'Report on Collections Research and Cataloguing Project on Post Medieval 'To Be Disposed Of' Material' by David Kay in the archive (Doc.474) for background information.
Event Date 2019
Author: Esther Laver