Miles Graye

Miles Graye was a dynasty of English bell-founders; who had foundries in Colchester and Saffron Walden in Essex, during the 17th-century. It is believed that the family cast over 415 bells, many of which remain in use today.

There were three generations of bell founders of that name, who cast in their two foundries. They were also journeymen craftsmen who travelled around East Anglia making bells in the fields and churchyards, and who practised their craft from the reign of Queen Elizabeth I to King James II. A Miles Graye is recorded as being a householder in Colchester in 1567, and it was his son who became the famous bell-founder, Miles Graye I.

Miles Graye I (c1575-1649) Miles Graye I has been described as 'the prince of bell-founders', and began his career as an apprentice at a foundry in Colchester, which belonged to a Richard Bowler. The exact date of his birth is not known, but it was probably in about 1575. The first reference to him as a bell-founder in The Church Bells of Essex is 'by no means creditable to him'. In 1598, Miles was examined by the bailiffs at the Colchester Quarter Sessions and made a voluntary confession accepting that "he is the father of the child with which Alice Mullynges is pregnant", he presumably having met the young woman at the house of Richard Bowler, and who may well have been a domestic servant there. and the Saffron Walden parish registers record the baptismal entries of several children of "Miles Gray and of Jane his wife", namely Jacob, 26 November 1630; Jane, 17 January 1632 ; Jane, 19 June 1633 ; Marie, 5 August 1638 ; and Robert, 19 February 1639. The burials of two daughters are also recorded — Jane, 19 February 1631, and Mary, 12 August 1643.

The foundry was obviously not far from the church as the cost of carrying bells to and from Saffron Walden Church is very low. No bells are recorded as having been cast by Miles Graye II after 1642 and he appears to have left the business at that time, possibly due to the Civil War, although some have argued that he may have had a disagreement with Miles Graye I, possibly over his father's new wife, as he and his sisters received only a shilling each in their father's will. the ring of three bells at Hauxton, Cambridgeshire cast in 1666 by Miles III Graye, and the ring of four bells at West Hanningfield, Essex cat in 1676 by Miles III Graye.

However a number of rings exist where Miles Graye cast the majority of the bells including Bramford, Ipswich St Margaret, Broxted, Acton, Bassingbourne, Swaffham, Little Horkesley, and Gestingthorpe.