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LOVE'S GUIDE TO THE CHURCH BELLS OF KENT

Welcome to the Kent section of Love's Guide.  This site is maintained by Dickon Love as a place to record his research into belfry archaeology and history in the County of Kent (and those parts considered by some to be in London formerly in the County of Kent).  Information comes from many sources, and Dickon is grateful to all those who have contributed to this research, particularly those listed below.

This information is taken from a more complete database, all of which is hoped to become available on this site. Any corrections, comments or additions would be gratefully received.


Dickon Love is an active bellringer in the City of London and is a Past Master and Hon Librarian of the Ancient Society of College Youths, who are responsible for ringing the bells at the major towers in the City.  He is also a member of the Cambridge University Guild, the Middlesex County Association & London Diocesan Guild and the Kent County Association.  His primary interest is in the history of bells and bell towers, and the focus of his research is on the the Cities of London and Westminster and the County of Kent.  He is Tower Keeper at St Magnus the Martyr and St Mary Woolnoth, running the projects to install new bells at St Dunstan-in-the-West and St James Garlickhythe, is Churchwarden at St Magnus the Martyr, and Parish Clerk of St Clement Eastcheap. He makes his living as a management consultant working in central government.
Bell Restoration News
Seal Chart
 The back 2 bells have been recast and the ring is being remodelled into a ring of 6 with the former 4th as the tenor.  The bells were cast at Whitechapel.  More >
Edenbridge, Fircroft Way
 A new ring of 8 was erected in a tower in a warehouse in Edenbridge.  The Royal Jubilee Bells were rung in May 2012 and then transferred to a boat on the River Thames before finding a permanent home in the City of London.  More >
St Nicholas, Otham
 The 3 bells here have been augmented to 6.  2 Alfred Bowell bells have been secured and a treble has been cast by John Taylor Bellfounders.  More >
St Giles, Farnborough
The existing 9 cwt Gillett bell has been joined (independently) by a new lightweight ring of 6 (tenor 2-2-26).  Five of these new bells are from the front six of the ring of ten that was originally cast for Old St Martin's, Worcester. More >
St Mary, Westwell
A scheme has been approved to install a new light six under the existing bells, with the old tenor rehung for swing chiming as a bourdon, although (Nov 2012) this scheme now appears to have gone quiet. More >

Weights of bells are given in the manner traditional among ringers, namely using the form cwt-qtr-lbs.

Recordings may be found of some of the Kent belfries that do not yet have full detail pages attached to them. They are given provisionally below:

SYDENHAM, St Bartholomew - a single bell by Thomas Mears, cast in 1832.

Additional photographs that I have loaded but without the full detail pages are given below:

BEXLEY, Asylum A small bell hanging in a gable of the former asylum in Bexley. Details currently unknown (photo 3/9/04)
GOODNESTONE, Faversham church
KEMSING, Edith Hall A small bell which, with squinting, would appear to be by John Warner, 1911.
STROOD, St Mary There is a chime of 3 in this church (now run by The New Testament Church of God) hung for swing chiming of roughly 1, 1? and 2 cwt. Access to the bells is almost impossible. Nothing is known of their history or founder to date. (Photo 2004).
LUDDESDOWN, Ss Peter & Paul The treble bell, uninscribed 15th cent. (Photo 29/3/69)
LUDDESDOWN, Ss Peter & Paul The 2nd bell, R. Hille c. 1430 (Photo 29/3/69)
WEST CLIFFE church
Latest Site Additions
Full Pages
31st Oct - Kingston
4th Aug - Edenbridge (Fircroft Way)
9th Jan - Rochester (St Margaret)
5th Oct - Westmarsh (redundant church in parish of Ash), Ramsgate (Holy Trinity)
15th Mar - Stone by Dartford
30th Dec - Introducing and presenting tuning figures
20th Nov - Blean (both the church and "The Cowshed")
 23rd Nov - Princess Royal Hospital (Farnborough) Chapel, St Peter-in-Thanet (St Andrew, Reading St)
 1st Nov - Wilmington
 22nd Mar - Acol, Acrise, Allington (St Nicholas), Allington (St Laurence), Allington Castle, Ashford Railway Works
 16th Mar - Stodmarsh, Ryarsh, Gravesend (St James), Sutton Valence School
 9th Mar - Hinxhill
8th Mar - Bromley (St John)
4th Mar - Maidstone (Holy Trinity), Erith School, Otterden
 1st Mar - List of chimes
24th Feb - 30 Years of Silence in Rochester, Ringing Resumes on the Roof of Kent, Detling
23rd Feb - River [MILESTONE: ALL THE RINGS OF BELLS IN KENT NOW APPEAR ON THIS SITE!], Sydenham (St Bartholomew), Abbey Wood, Worth
22nd Feb - New headers and an index of all the church bells (plus some others)
18th Feb - THE GILLETT LISTS (major revamp), Thurnham, Temple Ewell, Teston, Wouldham, Wye, Milstead, Cooling
 10th Feb - Ditton
 15th Jan - Bapchild, Barfreston, Bishopsbourne, Otham, Bilsington (St Augustine's Priory), Badlesmere
 9th Jan - Maidstone (St Paul, New Church), Leybourne, St Paul's Cray, Walmer (Blessed St Mary)
 31st Dec - Shipbourne
22nd Dec - Bonnington, Nonington, Patrixbourne, Seal Chart, Seal
 21st Dec - Nackington
15th Dec - Boughton Malherbe, Boughton Monchelsea, Brenzett, Bridge

Other Amendments/Additions
12th May - Frinsted
26 Nov - Farnborough (full details and pictures)
10 Oct - St Peter in Thanet (inscriptions), Frinsted, Margate Jubilee Tower (under Margate St John)
8 Oct - Reformatting of the Rings of 10, 12 and Complete Rings
2 Oct - Margate Jubilee Tower (under Margate St John) - details of earlier chime
19Sept - Tuning figures for Otham and Farnborough
17 Sept - Otham (augmented to 6)
13 Sept - Farnborough (bell frame, thanks to DLC)
17th Aug - Lamberhurst (sound file)
4th Aug - Rings of 8 and Lost Rings updated, Farnborough
9th Apr - Some old pictures of Christ Church Erith, Beckleyheath Clock Tower, Northumberland Park and Sidcup (thanks to Alex Britton).
9th Jan - Little Chart (Old Church) - photos thanks to DLC
30th Dec - Aldington, Chelsfield, Wormshill (pictures)
29th Dec - Major addition of tuning figures, replacing all earlier sets.  The Full Index also includes those which have been added by way of identifying the key of different rings.  Note that some of these differ from Dove's Guide and other publications, but every addition is backed up by new analysis as I slowly audit all bells.
15th Nov - Cheriton (bells retuned)
7th Nov - Broadstairs (HT) pictures
5 Oct - Sandwich (St Peter) tenor rehung), St Peter in Thanet (St Andrew Reading St), Broadstairs (Holy Trinity).
4 Oct - Herne augmented to 9.
30 Aug - Ringwould belfry pics, Cheriton (thanks to DLC), Minster-in-Sheppey
9 May - Brenzett, Old Romney, Ospringe, Sheldwich, Dymchurch, Boughton Aluph (revamps and new pics thanks to RCO)
5 May - Deal (tuning & pics), Stone (pics)
22nd Mar - Folkestone (Ss M&E) photo (thanks to J Clitheroe), tuning figures: Chatham, Brenchley, Eastling, Chelsfield, Mereworth, Cranbrook
21st Mar - Northfleet - weights of retuned bells, Margate (tuning figures, thanks to Andrew Higson)
15th Mar - Folkestone (Ss Mary & Eanswythe) (amended tuning figures, thanks to Andrew Higson), Great Chart inscriptions (thanks to Graham Coker)
14th Feb - Folkestone (Ss Mary & Eanswythe)
4th Feb - Photos of Cheriton bells at Taylor's bellfoundry.
30th Dec - Tuning figures and revamp for Bromley (Ss Peter & Paul), Beckenham (Christ Church), Rochester Cathedral, Chislehurst (Annunciation), Birchington-on-Sea, Boxley (figures before and after retuning)
30th Nov - Aldington, Farnborough, Whitstable (St Alphege), Great Chart
29th Oct - Gillett lists - addition of Ravensbourne School
11th Oct - Hothfield photo (MCP), Canterbury Cathedral pages revamped
24th Sep - Milton (Gravesend) (thanks to Michael Mitchell in identifying people in the photograph), Gravesend (St James) confirmation that it was hung for ringing, Chatham (former bell has a new home)
24th Aug - Monkton, Wormshill (new treble)
15th Jul - Chevening
27th May - Ash-cum-Ridley (pre-retuned weights)
10th May - Ash-cum-Ridley, Deal (St Leonard)
2nd Apr - Ash-next-Sandwich
22nd Mar - Ryarsh, Worth, Adisham, Aldington, Appledore, Ash-next-Sandwich
17th Mar - Minster in Sheppey
9th Mar - Boughton-under-Blean, Goodnestone by Sandwich, Herne, Hothfield, Swanley, Lenham, Sturry, Wormshill, Lower Hardres
4th Mar - Newchurch, Charlton
3rd Mar - Adisham, Waltham, Sandhurst, Harbledown (St Nicholas), Bonnington, Margate (Holy Trinity New Church)
1st Mar - Westwell, Monkton, St Nicholas at Wade, Challock. Molash, Langley, Frinsted, Eythorne, East Langdon, Leeds, Minster-in-Thanet, Canterbury (St Martin)

Gillett & Johnston Bells in Kent
 The Gillett Record
I have been doing a special study of all bells in Kent from the Gillett & Johnston Foundry in Croydon. This is on-going research and may be seen here.

Sources of Information
Most of the information has come from my own research in the ringing press, bell foundry records and other published sources, as well as from visits that I have undertaken to individual belfries. Also, help has been provided by various ringers, special thanks are given below. Virtually all the photographs are my own.

PARTICULAR THANKS GO TO:

Rev'd David Cawley (Margate)
Richard Offen (Perth, WA)
Chris Pickford (Kinver)
Brian Butcher (Hythe)
and the late Nick Davies and Peter Romney
for providing and QAing information.

Also to those who provide positive feedback from the site which helps make it such a pleasure to maintain.

Also from the Lovesguide Series:

Church Bells of the City of London Church Bells of the
City of Westminster		 Church Bells of Prague

Launched September 1998 - Last updated 12th May 2013