Broadstairs, Holy Trinity

BROADSTAIRS, Holy Trinity

Photo DLC Jul 2011

	1 bell hung dead
	Tenor: 1ž cwt approx. in B
	Grid Ref. TR397680
	Canterbury District
	Retuning: Never subsequently retuned
	Tower demolished 1924
	Main bell sold for scrap 1952 leaving current bell

Bell	Weight	Diameter	Pitch	Cast	Founder
Single bell	1ž cwt approx.	20"	B	1924	Mears & Stainbank

1.	M & S. LONDON.
	THE GIFT OF I. P. POWELL ESQ^R, OF QUEX PARK, IN THIS: COUNTY FOR THE USE OF BROADSTAIRS CHAPEL A. D. 1829: RECAST 1924

Bell	Weight	Diameter	Note	Cast	Founder	Fate
Single	?	?		1829	Thomas Mears II	Recast 1924
Single	6 cwt approx.	34˝"		1861	Naylor Vickers (2734)	Scrapped 1903
Single	12-1-9	40˝	G + 0.18	1903	John Taylor & Co.	Sold 1952

NAYLOR VICKERS & Co 1861 SHEFFIELD E. RIEPE'S PATENT No. 2734

TIBI HONOR, OMNIPOTENS, MAXIME, ALTISSIME, SEMPITERNE REX. AD VITAM ETERNAM NITAMUR. MCMIII

This bell was given by Thomas Raven, and the first letters of the inscription spell his name.

1829	Small bell cast by Thomas Mears II, given by John Powell Powell of Quex Park (creator of the ring of 12 there) for the new church.
1830	Church consecrated. Originally a chapel of ease to St Peter's, known as "Bradstow Chapel".
1850	Separated from St Peter's and assigned its own district.
1861	Steel bell cast by Naylor Vickers.
1862	The church was given a tower, built by architect G.L. Taylor at a cost of Ł846. A clock was given by Thomas Crampton and the bell presented. The church was known as "The Petrified Haystack".
1866	Church became Broadstairs Parish Church with its own parish formed from St Peter's.
1903	The steel bell was removed and a new bell was cast and hung for ringing. The initial letters of the inscription spelled the name of the donor, Thomas Raven. It was hung with a cast-iron headstock and Hesse clapper.
1915	Partial rebuilding of the church commenced (Michael Durrant, Architect). It was converted from a Commissioners Gothic box into a Romanesque basilica. A bell turret was erected to take a Sanctus bell at the east end. A bell hangs there, so high that no details have been ascertained. It is about 24" diameter, hung dead.
1924	The tower, said to be insecure was demolished. The church was further rebuilt and extended. The Taylor bell and the clock were stored pending the building of a new tower. The Mears bell was recast by Mears & Stainbank
1952	The tower project having been abandoned, the Taylor bell and fittings and the clock were all sold to a Thanet scrap dealer. Perhaps they still exist! The Sanctus bell is that now used for services.
2011	The bell, which had been hung for electric chiming, was rehung for swing chiming by John Taylor Bellfounders.

Photos from DLC collection.

Church in 1872.	Church as it looked prior to 1924. Postcard used 1922.	The Sanctus bell.

Picture dated c.1920 after removal of pinnacles and shortly before the whole west end was demolished and the church extended. The base of the new tower is on the north side of the chancel.