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BILSINGTON, Ss Peter & Paul
and St Augustine's Priory

Photo DrL 27th Dec 2004
 
1 bell in tower and 1 on display (formerly ring of 3)
Tenor: 5-0-4 in D flat (Nominal 1100 Hz)
Tenor of former ring: 9 cwt approx. in G
Grid Ref. TR042343
Ashford District
Tuning: Never subsequently retuned
Frame: c.1590 designed for 4 bells.
Hung dead.
¯ Sound Clip of the bell in the tower
(37kB recorded by Dickon Love, 27th Dec 2004)
¯ Sound Clip of the cracked Chamberlain Bell
(86kB recorded by Dickon Love, 28th Dec 2003)

DETAILS OF THE BELLS
Bell Weight Diameter Pitch Cast Founder

1

5-0-4

29"

D flat (-13)

1931

Mears & Stainbank

2

9 cwt approx.

38½"

G

c.1430

William Chamberlain

INSCRIPTIONS
 
1.
RICHARD PHELPS MADE ME 1710. MEARS & STAINBANK RE-MADE ME. 1931 wc1923.jpg (2327 bytes)
 
2.
Fig27.jpg (1104 bytes)Fig26.jpg (1108 bytes)Fig25.jpg (1045 bytes) In Multis Annis Refonet Campana Iohannis
 
 

EARLIER BELLS
Bell Weight Diameter Cast Founder Fate

1 of 3

4-3-13

29"

1710

Richard Phelps

Recast 1931

2 of 3

details unknown
1. MICHAEL IEMETT CH:WARDEN RICHARD PHELPS MADE ME. 1710.
 
 

HISTORY

c.1430

Present tenor cast by William Chamberlain.

1552

Record of 3 bells ("iij belles in the steple").

c.1590

Frame for 4 was constructed. The 3rd pit was never occupied.

1710

Treble recast.

c.1750-1800

2nd (of 3) sold.
1799 Edward Hasted wrote:
The church, which is dedicated to St. Peter and St. Paul, is a small building, of but one isle and one chancel, having a low pointed wooden turret on the roof at the west end, in which are two bells.

1887

Stahlschmidt records 2 bells, both cracked, and that there were formerly 3.

1931

Treble again recast and rehung dead in the 4 bell frame with a lever clapper. The tenor was hung on display outside in a "wishing well" type structure.

GALLERY
Photo DrL 27th Dec 2004 Photo DrL 27th Dec 2004 Photo DrL 27th Dec 2004
The cracked Chamberlain bell hanging outside the church. (Pictured also are the Vicar, Rev'd Richard Love, and Tim Dean.) Facing west. Richard Love is in the pit formerly occupied by the Chamberlain bell. Three other pits are in the foreground. The pit to the far right is the one that contains the only bell in the tower. The Mears bell hung dead.
Photo DrL 27th Dec 2004 Photo DrL 27th Dec 2004 Photo DrL 27th Dec 2004
A curved brace in the pit that used to contain the 2nd. The pit that has always been empty. The deadstock on the bell.
 
Photo DrL 27th Dec 2004 Photo DrL 27th Dec 2004 Photo DrL 27th Dec 2004
The 1931 bell. The remains of the latchet style slider. Unusually it is wrought iron throughout. Looking south. The pit at the back is the one that has always been empty. The foreground pit used to contain the missing 2nd. The empty tenor pit is to the right.
The inscription on the Chamberlain bell.  Click on each word/stamp to enlarge. (Pictures RCO)

St Augustine's Priory
 
1 bell ¼ cwt between C and C sharp
Grid Ref. TR042355
Clock bell hung in turret over former stables, hung dead
St. Augustine's Priory was founded in 1253 by Henry III, and became the home of the Black Canons. For the next three centuries the Priory played a distinguished role in history, welcoming pilgrims on their journey from the ancient Cinque Ports of Hythe, New Romney and Rye to Canterbury. But after Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries in 1535 the building fell into disrepair. It was secretly used by smugglers from the Romney Marsh in the eighteenth century. The Priory was restored at the beginning of the last century with the original yellow ragstone, and oak timbers saved from the thirteenth century. Today, the Priory consists of Chapter House, Grand Hall and Prior's lodgings accommodated over three floors.
Bell Weight Diameter Cast Founder

Single

¼ cwt approx.

11 1/16"

?1910

? Cornille-Havard or Felix van Aerschodt
[blank]
29¾   [roughly scratched on soundbow]

No inscription but profusely ornamented and with large, projecting canons.