Died 1741 (aged 36–37) | Name Beaupre Bell | |
Born 1704 ( 1704 ) | ||
Beaupre Bell Esq. (1704–1741) was an English 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 old family of Beaupre or De Bello Prato.
His father Beaupre Bell was eccentric and "hardly allowed his son the common necessaries of life", but owned an estate worth £1500 per annum and also was reported to have had over 500 horses, all unbroken and allowed to roam wild. He possessed a good library, though neglected with the rest of the mansion.
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 authored several works on this subject, one on the coins minted by Roman Emperors.
He became Vice-President of the Spalding Gentleman's Society in 1726, and gave assistance to Francis Blomefield.
Beaupre Bell died from consumption on his way to Bath. By his will he bequeathed his collection of coins and medals to Trinity College, Cambridge, together with 12 volumes of manuscripts that were catalogued, together with the medieval manuscripts, by Montague Rhodes James.