Burham Old Church

BURHAM, St Mary (Old Church)

Photo RCO 2006

	Formerly 3 bells
	Tenor 3˝ cwt approx. in E flat (heaviest bell: 4ž cwt approx.)
	Maidstone District
	Frame: Partly mediaeval, adapted 1632, 1821 and 1881.
	Retuning: Never subsequently retuned
	Ground Floor
	Bells transferred to the New Church, then later dispersed to: St Mildred, Preston; St Michael & All Angels, Maidstone, and one stolen.

DETAILS OF THE BELLS

Bell	Weight	Diameter	Note	Cast	Founder
1	3ž cwt approx.	25"	F	1700	Richard Phelps
2	4ž cwt approx.	29"	E	1734	Richard Phelps
3	3˝ cwt approx.	25ź"	E flat	c. 1300	Richard de Wimbis

The tenor was probably the lightest of the three and fully 3ž" smaller than the second. It had been heavily skirted to raise its strike note, which was presumably originally D. The tall shape and thin profile of this 14th century bell were different from its 18th century companions. It may be assumed that if the previous bells had similar characteristics, the treble was 25" in diameter with note E and the previous tenor 29" but note C, the founder was clearly unable to appreciate the need to relate to the design of the mediaeval bell.

RICHARD PHELPS FECIT 1700 W

RICHARD PHELPS MADE ME J734

x RICHARD

WYMBIS

FECIT

The bell frame consisted of mediaeval sills, centre-posts and straight braces and was designed for three bells hanging side by side. It bore the following on its east head:

1632 : F T . R D . T V
E L T . P (carved crest) F K
1821

The tenor pit had the following letters:

I D

and other obliterated.

c.1300		Bell cast by Richard de Wimbis. It was presumably originally D, but had since been very heavily skirted to raise its note.
c. 1450		In 15th Cent a 3 bell frame was constructed.
1632		The old bells were taken down, the frame was reconstructed for ringing the bells., there was some casting activity and the bells were rehung.
1700		Smallest bell recast by Richard Phelps.
1734		The church accounts include entries for the casting, carriage and handling of a new bell, cast by Richard Phelps. The middle bell was tuned by skirting.
1821		Further work was carried out on the frame.
1881		A new parish church was built on a different site. The old church ceased to be a Parish Church and was used as a mortuary chapel (until between the wars). The bells, frame and fittings were transferred to the New Church.
1956-7		Church restored by the Friends of Friendless Churches.
1981		The 3 bells that were transferred to the new church were returned to the old church for storage. The church was declared redundant and vested in The Churches Conservation Trust.
1982		The 1734 bell was transferred to St Michael and All Angels, Maidstone as a clock bell.
1982	Summer	The ancient tenor bell was stolen while it was awaiting rehanging.
1983		The 1700 bell was transferred to St Mildred, Preston-next-Wingham as a treble to augment the 5 bells to 6.


The church was derelict when this photo was taken in 1945. The tower parapet was altered during the restoration of 1956.