ASHFORD, St Mary the Virgin |
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DETAILS OF THE BELLS |
Bell
Weight
Diameter
Note
Cast
Founder
1
4-2-12
26"
G
1970
Whitechapel
2
4-3-26
28"
F
1965
Mears & Stainbank
3
5-0-17
291/4"
E flat
1762
Lester & Pack
4
6-1-0
311/8"
D
1762
Lester & Pack
5
6-0-0
313/4"
C
1620
Joseph Hatch
6
7-2-2
341/2"
B flat
1651
William Hatch
7
9-1-17
371/2"
A flat
1633
Joseph Hatch
8
12-1-14*
4015/16"
G
1898
John Taylor & Co.
9
14-3-9
441/2"
F
1620
Joseph Hatch
10
21-2-22
511/16"
E flat
1796
Thomas Mears I
Semitone
6-2-12
32"
D flat
1885
Gillett, Bland & Co.
| *Taylor's records in 1898 show that this bell was cast at 13-0-4 and tuned to 12-2-3. Whitechapel weighed the bell in at 12-2-3 in 1965! |
INSCRIPTIONS |
| 1. | ||||||||
| SUBSCRIBED BY ASHFORD RINGERS & FRIENDS |
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| 2. | GILLETT & CO CROYDON 1885 | |||||||
| I. P. A. |
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| 3. | LESTER & PACK OF LONDON FECIT 1762 (border) | |||||||
| 4. | LESTER & PACK OF LONDON FECIT 1762 (border) | |||||||
| 5. | IOSEPHVUS HATCH ME FECIT 1620 | |||||||
| 6. | WILLIAM HATCH MADE ME 1651 | |||||||
| 7. |
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| 8. |
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+
1898+ |
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| 9. |
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| 10. | JOHN BENNETT HORTON & JOHN BAYLY CHURCH WARDENS 1796 (border) THOS MEARS OF LONDON FECIT (border) | |||||||
| S. | CAST BY GILLETT & CO CROYDON 1885 | |||||||
The initials on the 2nd (IPA) are those of the Vicar in 1885. The usual 'Mears, London' formula on the waist and the 'cast by' on the inscription ring were deliberately omitted, in view of the rather unusual circumstances surrounding the recasting. This may also be why there is no 'Whitechapel' on the treble. |
PREVIOUS BELLS |
Bell |
Weight |
Note |
Cast |
Founder |
Comments |
| Extra Treble | 4-0-15 | F | 1885 | Gillett, Bland & Co. | Recast as current 2nd |
| 6th (of 8) | 11-3-25 | G | 1620 | Joseph Hatch | Recast 1898 |
| Tenor | E flat | 1620 | Joseph Hatch | Recast 1796 |
| Extra Treble | CAST BY GILLETT & CO CROYDON 1885 | |||
| I. P. A. | ||||
| 6th (of 8) |
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| Tenor |
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HISTORY |
1470
Tower built.
1552
Record of 5 large bells and a smaller one in the tower.
1620
Treble bell added and 4th, 5th and tenor of ring of six recast by Joseph Hatch.
1633
Old 3rd of 6 recast by Joseph Hatch.
1651
Old 2nd of 6 recast by William Hatch.
1762
2 treble added and bells rehung in a new frame.
1763
14th March
Bells rededicated.
1796
Tenor recast by Thomas Mears.
1878
6th reported to be cracked.
1885
Two additional carillon bells and machine added by Gillett & Co.
1898
6th recast and bells rehung by John Taylor. 1924
Front 7 bells rehung by Gillett & Johnston with new ball bearings, gudgeons and clappers. The canons are thought to have been removed from the other bells at this time (although it could have happened in 1885; certainly not in 1898). 1925
Tenor rehung by Gillett & Johnston.
1965
Smaller carillon bell recast. The ringing bells were tuned and rehung in a new frame for 10 by Mears & Stainbank. 1970
Treble added and smaller carillon bell hung for ringing to make a ring of 10.
PHOTOGRAPHS |
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| The 6th (now the 8th) being drilled at Taylor's in 1898. |
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| The new treble pictured here
in 1970 together with the fittings for this and the other treble. For the story of how the metal for this bell was collected, see "A Treble for Ashford". |
