Forms: (2–3 berefreid, berfreit), 4 berfrey, -fray, -froiss, 5 barfray, 5–7 belfray(e, 6 belfroy, bellfray, -froy, belfrie, -fre, 6–7 belfery, 6– belfrey, belfry, (7 belfore, befroy, beffroy, 8 bellfry.) [ME. berfrey, -ay a. OF. berfrei, -ai, -ay (also berfroi, later belfrei, belfroi, befroi, mod. beffroi), pointing to a late L. type berefrēdus, from berefrĭ·dus, adopted f. Teutonic *bergfrid; in MHG. bercvrit, -frit, berchfrit, berfrit (also berhfride), MDu. bergfert, -frede, in sense 1 below. The subsequent change of the first r to l by dissimilation from following r (as in armarium, almarium, almerie; peregrinum, pelegrin, pilgrim; parafredus, palefrei, palfrey) is common in later med.L.; it is rare, and exceptional in Fr. (where the normal form dropped the r, befroi, beffroi); in Eng. belfray did not appear bef. 15th c., being probably at first a literary imitation of med.Lat.; its acceptance was doubtless due to popular association with BELL, and the particular application which was in consequence given to the word. The meaning has passed from a ‘pent-house’ a ‘movable-tower’ used by besiegers and besieged, to ‘a tower to protect watchmen, a watch-tower, beacon-tower, alarm-bell tower, bell-tower, place where a bell is hung.’ The sense of ‘pent-house’ or ‘shelter-shed’ is retained dialectally in Lincolnshire and Notts.
The etymology of Ger. bergfrid, bercvrit, presents some difficulties; but it is generally agreed that the latter part is a form of OHG. fridu, OTeut. friþu-z, ‘peace, security, shelter, place of shelter or safety’ (cf. the range of meaning of OE. friðu, frið, ME. FRITH), the final vowel being dropped as in proper names, Gottfrid, Sigfrid, etc.; and that the former part is the stem of berg-en to protect, defend; the whole meaning ‘protecting’ or ‘defensive place of shelter,’ an obvious description of a pent-house fitted to ward off missiles from those to whom it gave shelter during siege operations. (The possibility that berg- here means ‘mountain’ seems precluded by the sense: but see the discussion of the word by Dr. Chance in N. & Q., VI. xii. 284, 412, etc.) For the form taken by bergfrid in Romanic, and thus in Eng., cf. the adoption of OHG. fridu in late L. as fridus, frēdus ‘peace, protection,’ the proper names from G. -frid, Gottefridus, Godefrey, Galfridus, Geoffrey, and the sb. AFFRAY, OF. esfrei, mod. effroi, parallel to berfrei, beffroi. Med.L. had the forms berefridus, berfredus, bil-, bal-, belfredus, berte-, balte-, bati-, buti-fredus, with the latter of which cf. the It. battifredo, assimilated by popular etymology with battere to beat (the tocsin), to strike (as a clock).]
† 1. A wooden tower, usually movable, used in the middle ages in besieging fortifications. Probably, in its simplest form, it was a mere shed or pent-house, intended to shelter the besiegers while operating against a fortification; but in its developed form it was constructed with many offensive appurtenances, so as to make it a formidable engine of attack. See the quotation from Ld. Berners. Obs.
[Will of Malmesb., IV. 141 (in Du Cange), Turris non magna in modum aedificiorum facta (Berefreid [other MSS. berfreit] appellant), quod fastigium murorum æquaret. Simeon Durh. an. 1123 Ligneam turrim quam Berfreit vocant, erexit.]
c. 1300. K. Alis., 2777. Alisaundre … Fast asailed heore wallis, Myd berfreyes, with alle gyn.
c. 1325. E. E. Allit. P., B. 1187. At vch brugge a berfray on basteles wyse, Þat seuen syþe vch a day asayled þe ȝates.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, X. 708. Alexander … Lap fra a berfrois on the wall.
c. 1430. Syr Gener., 7811. He purveid for maygnelles and belfrayes, And othre ordinaunce.
1483. Cath. Angl., 21.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. cix. 131. Two belfroys of great tymbre, with iii. stages, euery belfroy on four great whelys, and the sydes towardes the towne, were covered with cure boly [F. cuir bouilli] to defende them fro fyre and fro shotte; and into euery stage, ther weren poynted C. archers.
1530. Palsgr., 197. Bellfray, beavfroy.
2. A shed used as a shelter for cattle or for the protection of carts and agricultural implements, or produce. Still in local use: ‘a shed made of wood and sticks, furze, or straw.’ (E. Peacock, Gloss. of Manley & Corringham, Lincoln.)
1553. Court-Roll of Manor of Scotter, Lincoln, 9 Octr., R. R. amovit omnia ligna sua super le belfrey et jacent in communi via.
1590. Invent J. Nevil in Midl. Co. Hist. Collector, II. 29. Item the belfrey with other wood, xxs.
1873. in Peacock, Gloss. M. & C., 21. The belfrey … was ruinous, and liable to fall upon the passers-by.
† 3. A tower for the protection of a watchman, a watch-tower; a beacon-tower, alarm-bell tower. (A sense perhaps not used in England, though common in France.) Obs.
1612. Foxe, A. & M. (1684), III. 899. Being now come nigh to the Befroy (which is a watchtower standing before the City-Hall where the Clock is).
c. 1645. Howell, Lett. (1650), I. 461. A beacon or watch-tower is called beffroy, whereas the true word is l’effroy.
4. A bell-tower; generally attached to a church or other building, but sometimes standing separate.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 30. Bellfray, campanarium.
1494. Fabyan, VII. 330. The scolars … put the legatte in such feere, that he, for his sauegarde, toke the belfray of Osney, and there helde hym.
1556. Chron. Grey Friars (1852), 73. The grett belfery that stode in Powlles church-yerde.
1674. trans. Scheffer’s Lapland, viii. 26. Adjoining to their churches they have belfrys, and houses for the use of Priests.
1849. Freeman, Archit., 177. The introduction of steeples or belfries.
1861. N. A. Woods, Pr. Wales in Canada, 347. A little glass lantern, like a belfry.
b. The room or story of the church tower in which the bells are hung.
1549. Thomas, Hist. Italie, 74. Saincte Markes steeple is … so well built, that withinfoorth an horse maie be ledde vp vnto the bellfroy.
1601. Shaks., Per., II. i. 41. If I had been the sexton, I would have been that day in the belfrey.
1714. Gay, What d’ye call it, Prel. 3. Fetch the Leathern Bucket that hangs in the Bellfry.
1823. P. Nicholson, Pract. Build., 571. The part above the belfrey, which contains the clock-work, is of an octagonal form.
† c. That part of the floor of the church under the tower, where the ringers stand to ring the bells, sometimes parted from the main body of the church by a curtain; this was the seat of the poor, and sometimes used as a schoolroom. Obs.
1549. Latimer, Serm. bef. Edw. VI. (Arb.), 125. Yea, a poor woman in the belfre hath as good authoritie to offer vp thys sacrifyce, as hath the byshop in his pontificalibus.
1588. Fraunce, Lawiers Log., Ded. ¶ iv. b. They may plague poore boyes with false Latine in a belfraye.
a. 1617. Hieron, Wks., II. 75. The gentleman that sitteth in the quire, as well as the poore that is ranged in the belfry.
1637. Bastwick, Litany, II. 17. In the Font or belfore, or other part of the Church.
1659. Gauden, Tears Ch., 253 (D.). Teaching school in a belfry.
d. (See quot.)
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., Belfry is more particularly used for the timber-work, which sustains the bells in a steeple: or that wooden structure to which the bells in church-steeples are fastened.
5. Naut. ‘An ornamental framing, made of stanchions, at the after-beams of the forecastle, with a covering, under which the ship’s bell is hung.’ Weale’s Rudim. Navigation.
1769. Falconer, Dict. Marine (1789), Ecusson,… a scutcheon upon the stern, forecastle, or belfry.
1776. Phil. Trans., LXVII. 88. The electrical matter darted from the mast to the belfry.
6. attrib., as in belfry-key, -stage, -tower, -window.
1870. F. Wilson, Ch. Lindisf., 169. The belfry stage has semi-circular headed couplets.
1874. Parker, Illustr. Goth. Archit., I. vi. 202. Magdalen College … tower was originally intended to stand alone as a campanile, or belfry-tower.
1879. Sir G. Scott, Lect. Archit., II. 38. The belfry-windows are often of two lights.
1883. St. James’s Gaz., 30 Nov., 5/1. [The churchwardens] have also the custody of the belfry-keys.
