BELFRY, BELFREDUS, is used by military writers of the middle age for a sort of tower erected by besiegers to overlook and command the place besieged. Belfry originally denoted a high tower, wherein sentinels were placed to watch the avenues of a place, and prevent surprise from parties of the enemies, or to give notice of fires by ringing a bell. In the cities of Flanders, where there is no belfry on purpose, the tower of the chief church serves the same end. The word belfry is compounded of the Teutonic bell, and freid, "peace," because the bells were hung for preserving the peace.