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ASH (near Sandwich), St Nicholas
(and Trinity House, Westmarsh)

Photo RCO 2006

 
10 bells
Tenor 21-3-0 in E flat
Grid Ref. TR287584
Canterbury District
Frame: 1978 John Taylor
Retuning: 1926 Mears & Stainbank
               then 1978 John Taylor
Upstairs Ringing Room
PEALS

DETAILS OF THE BELLS

Bell

Weight*
(before retuning)

Weight
(after retuning)

Diameter

Cast

Founder

1

-

5-1-16

27

1978

John Taylor & Co.

2

-

5-2-18

28½"

1978

John Taylor & Co.

3

6-2-5

6-0-20

30⅞"

1790

Thomas Mears I

4

6-3-21

6-1-17

32"

1790

Thomas Mears I

5

7-1-16

7-0-18

34"

1790

Thomas Mears I

6

8-3-19

8-1-24

36"

1790

Thomas Mears I

7

10-1-19

10-1-2

39¼"

1927

Mears & Stainbank

8

12-0-7

11-1-11

41"

1790

Thomas Mears I

9

16-0-26

15-1-17

45"

1790

Thomas Mears I

10

21-1-18

21-3-0

50¾"

1927

Mears & Stainbank

* According to Mears & Stainbank in 1926.
Taylor's probably have better details as the retuned tenor appears heavier!

1.  
CAVE DEUS VIDET
CECIL EDRIC FOAT, JAMES REMPHREY HUDSON CHURCHWARDENS
jtaylor83.jpg (2207 bytes)
1978
2. CHRIST CHURCH, DOVER LLEWELLINS & JAMES 1904
JAMES REMPHREY HUDSON CHURCHWARDEN
RECASTING DONATED BY
CECIL EDRIC FOAT CHURCHWARDEN
jtaylor83.jpg (2207 bytes)
1978
3. .ROBT TOMLIN & RICHD SUTTON CH. WARDENS
THOS MEARS LATE LESTER PACK & CHAPMAN OF LONDON FECIT. 1790.
4. [1 Whitechapel loop] .ROBT TOMLIN & RICHD SUTTON CH. WARDENS
THOS MEARS LATE LESTER PACK & CHAPMAN OF LONDON FECIT. 1790.
5. . ROBT TOMLIN & RICHD SUTTON CH. WARDENS THOS MEARS LATE LESTER PACK & CHAPMAN OF LONDON
FECIT 1790
6. . ROBT TOMLIN & RICHD SUTTON CH. WARDENS THOS MEARS LATE LESTER PACK & CHAPMAN OF LONDON FECIT
1790
7. RECAST BY M & S. LONDON. 1927 .
S. COLDHAM KNIGHT,
WALTER G. VINING,  CHURCHWARDENS.
8. THOS MEARS LATE LESTER PACK & CHAPMAN OF LONDON FECIT 1790 ROBT TOMLIN & RICHD SUTTON CH. WARDENS
 
9. THOS MEARS LATE LESTER PACK & CHAPMAN OF LONDON FECIT 1790 ROBT TOMLIN & RICHD SUTTON CH. WARDENS
 
10. RECAST BY MEARS & STAINBANK, FOUNDERS. LONDON. 1927.
   
S. COLDHAM KNIGHT,
WALTER G. VINING,  CHURCHWARDENS.
 

EARLIER BELLS

Bell Cast Weight Diameter Cast Founder Fate

5 (of 8)

10-0-6

39½"

1790

Thomas Mears II

Recast 1927

8 (of 8)

21-1-9

50¾"

1790

Thomas Mears II (Maiden bell)

Recast 1927
5. THOS MEARS LATE LESTER PACK & CHAPMAN OF LONDON FECIT 1790 ROBT TOMLIN & RICHD SUTTON CH. WARDENS
 
8. THOS MEARS LATE LESTER PACK & CHAPMAN OF LONDON FECIT 1790 ROBT TOMLIN & RICHD SUTTON CH. WARDENS
 

Prior to the supposed ring of 8 of 1778 there were 5 bells:

Bell Cast Founder
1 1581 Unknown
2 1615 Joseph Hatch
3 1620 Joseph Hatch
4 1620 Joseph Hatch
5 1641 Henry Wilnar
 
1. .... 1581
 
2. ioseph hatch made me 1615
 
3. ioseph hatch made me 1620
 
4. ioseph hatch made me 1620
 
5. HENRY WILNAR MADE ME 1641
 

The present treble was recast from the bell at Christ Church Dover.  It's details were as follows:

Bell Weight Diameter Note Cast Founder
Single Bell 6½ cwt approx. 32" C 1904 Llewellins & James

This was installed to replace a bell of 1844.

HISTORY

1581

Treble (re)cast, probably by Robert Mot.

1615

2nd of ring of 5 recast by Joseph Hatch.

1620

3rd and 4th of 5 recast by Joseph Hatch.

1641

Tenor of 5 recast by Henry Wilnar.

1760   Rev'd Bryan Faussett wrote:
This Church consists of The Great, and North, Chancells, The Body, and 2 Side Isles. The Tower, which is cap’t with a Spire, stands between the Great Chancell and the Body. In it hang 5 Bells, thus inscribed.
1. …………./ 1581.
2. Joseph Hatch made Me. 1615.
3. Joseph Hatch
made Me. 1620.
4. Joseph Hatch
made Me. 1620.
5. Henry Wilner made Me. 1641.

1778

Thomas Swain asked to provide a new ring of 8. The frame was built and while there are no records of the bells ever being cast, it is quite possible he provided a new ring of 8. (See below)

1790

Ring of 8 recast by Thomas Mears.

1904

Bell recast at Christ Church, Dover.

1927

Frame strengthened; 5th and tenor recast.

1977

Dec.

The bell from Christ Church, Dover was removed and stored at St Nicholas, Dover until required for Ash.

1978

Bells rehung in new frame and augmented with 2 bells by John Taylor & Co. The treble was recast from the metal from the bell from Christ Church, Dover.

1996

Tower found to be cracked: ringing curtailed for a couple of years while works were put in place to strengthen it.

Local historian David Cave wrote a booklet on the bells when they were rehung and augmented to 10 in 1978. In it, he makes a good case for Thomas Swain recasting the old 5 into 8 in 1789. The cost alone (£256.6.10) would have been about right for a new ring and framework; in fact the cost of the recasting by Mears in 1790 was only £161.1.9 which, presumably, would have been for bells only (and maybe a few fitttings). There are some similarities to Cranbrook where the old tenor in 6 was recast into 3 trebles and put in a new frame by Mears in 1782, but the result was so unsatisfactory that the bells were replaced within 20 years. Perhaps something like this happened at Ash also? David Cave reports that Mears claimed he used the old bells by Mot, Hatch & Wilnar, but the source for this assertion has not been found; it unlikely that Mears would have detailed it in this way although he might have mentioned the number of old bells traded in.

GALLERY

  Photo DLC  
 

The Dover bell prior to recasting.

 

 

WESTMARSH, Trinity House (Ware)
(formerly Holy Trinity Church)

 

1 bell weighing approx. ½ cwt
Grid Ref. TR278609
With peg argent.
In the village of Ware
Formerly a single bell removed in 1969 to form part of the treble of St Mary's, Ashford
"A Treble for Ashford" by Rev'd David Cawley.
Bell Weight Diameter Cast Founder

1

½ cwt approx.

12" approx

?

?

 

EARLIER BELL

Bell Weight Diameter Cast Founder

1

0-2-7

14" approx

1841

Thomas Mears II

1841   Single bell cast by Thomas Mears II.
1842   A small church was built as a satellite church to the parish of St Nicholas, Ash.
1849   Westmarsh was formed into a separate ecclesiastical parish.
1895   Church was renovated.
1958   Further repairs were made to the church.
1960   Electric heating was installed in the church.
1969   The parish of Westmarsh was reunited with that of Ash.
1969   The bell was removed by the KCACR to Ashford (St Mary) as metal for the new treble of ten.
1971 29th Jun Church declared redundant.
1972 30th May Declaration of Redundancy Scheme. The church was later renovated into a house called "Trinity House". At some point a small bell was placed in the empty gable end.