Beaupre Bell

Beaupre Bell Esq. (1704-1745) Antiquary, Of Beaupre Hall, Norfolk

Beaupre Bell, was the first son of Beaupre Bell Esq., and Margaret, the daughter of Sir Anthony Oldfield, and was a fifth generation descendant of Sir Robert Bell and his wife Dorthie, of the ancient and great family of Beaupre or De Bello Prato.

His father Beaupre Bell, was a very eccentric individual with many singularities, having "hardly allowed his son the common necessaries of life", however, owned an estate worth £1500 per annum and also was reported to have had over 500 horses, all of which were unbroken and allowed to roam wildly about the estate, (a possible cause of the damaged Beaupre Hall heraldic glass). He possessed a remarkable library, and although neglected and left to ruin with the rest of the mansion, access to this library may have helped with moulding his son into the celebrated antiquary.

Beaupre Bell attended Westminster College and moved on to Trinity College, Cambridge where he finished his education.

He had an eye for all things ancient, with a particular interest in Roman coins. Bell is known to have authored several works on this subject, one of which touches the interest of the coins minted by Roman Emperors.

He became Vice-President of the Spalding Gentlemans Society in 1726. He is known to have rendered great assistance to Francis Blomefield.

Beaupre Bell died from consumption on his way to Bath.

By his will he bequeathed his collection of priceless coins and medals to Trinity College, Cambridge, together with 12 volumes of manuscripts that were catalogued together with the medieval manuscripts by M R James.