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CITY OF CANTERBURY, All Saints

Formerly 3 small bells, then later record of 1 bell and a clock bell
4½ cwt approx.
Canterbury District
Tower rebuilt 1832, demolished 1938.
Bells variously sold or transferred:
2 in 1769 (location unknown)
1 to Bexleyheath Clock Tower,
1 to St Alphege, Canterbury

DETAILS OF THE BELLS

Bell

Weight

Diameter

Cast

Founder

Transferred

3 bells:

?

?

1627

Joseph Hatch

1769 Sold

?

?

1627

Joseph Hatch

1769 Sold

4½ cwt approx.

30"

1627

Joseph Hatch

1911 Bexleyheath Clock Tower

Clock

2½ cwt approx.

23"

18th Cent

Unknown

1894 St Alphege, Canterbury

INSCRIPTIONS

Bexleyheath Bell ioseph hatch made me 1627
Clock Bell [Blank]

The inscriptions on the other two Hatch bells are not recorded.

HISTORY

c.1200

The first church was built with a nave, chancel, north aisle and south porch with a tower over it.

1552

Record of 3 bells.

1627

The bells were recast by Joseph Hatch.

1757/8

The 3 small Hatch bells were observed by Mr Faussett: "all cast by Joseph Hatch 1627; over these hangs in an open turret a small bell on wch. the clock strikes without inscription".

1768

The mediaeval tower, which impinged on the street and whose clock was suspended half-way across passing right to the other side, was demolished.

1768

2nd Sept

Kentish Gazette announces that the first steeple "with all timber and materials thereto belonging except bells and clock, which will be required to be taken down with all speed" was sold to Abraham Rye for £1.6s.0d.

1769

A domed cupola was erected on the west end of the old nave; 2 of the bells were sold.

1828

The church was pulled down and a new church built on the same site. This had a nave, chancel, south aisle and tower at the west end of the aisle set back from the High Street frontage.

1832

The tower on the new church was completed by Thomas Rickman.

1894

The 18th century clock bell was transferred to St Alphege, Canterbury and hung as the treble of the ring of 6 by S.B.Goslin. The Hatch bell at some point became the clock bell in Bexleyheath Clock Tower.

1903

Church closed for worship.

1911

During alterations on the church the 1627 bell was removed. Mr E Barnett of Crayford rescued the bell which was on the groud, Funds were raised by parading it through the streets & it was hung in the new Bexleyheath Clocktower by S.B. Goslin.

1938

October

The Victorian Church was pulled down, although the churchyard is preserved.

THE MEDIAEVAL CHURCH

The old church is seen in this engraving standing on the High Street. Beyond it is the King's Bridge (the one from which the Old Witches' Ducking Stool can be seen). The clock stretched right across the street. The tower was demolished in 1768 to make way for the new church pictured at the head of this page. Both churches are now gone, but the outline of this church is preserved in the layout of the pavement, and part of the churchyard has been preserved, reminding us of these lofty existences.