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CITY OF CANTERBURY, St Margaret
(now "The Canterbury Tales")

Formerly 3 bells
Tenor 6-3-0 in Bb
Grid Ref.
Canterbury District
Frame: c. 1625 believed to be in situ
Retuning; Never subsequently retuned
Upstairs ringing room (from c.1850)
Bells dispersed in 1968 to St Peter's, Canterbury, All Saints & St Mary, Droxford, Hants and Ss Peter & Paul, Newchurch

DETAILS OF THE BELLS

Bell Weight Diameter Note Cast Founder

1

3-2-11

27"

D

1903

Samuel B. Goslin

2

4-2-23

29½"

C

1625

Joseph Hatch

3

6-3-0

32½"

B flat

1625

Joseph Hatch

INSCRIPTIONS

1.  
S. B. GOSLIN. FOUNDER. LONDON.
RECAST . EASTER. 1903
2.
IOSEPHVS HATCH ME FECIT jhatch.jpg (1912 bytes)

1625 BackwardsN.jpg (750 bytes) BackwardsN.jpg (750 bytes)

 
3.
IOSEPHVS HATCH ME FECIT jhatch.jpg (1912 bytes)

1625 D E

 

THE DISPERSED BELLS

Bell

Destination

Recast Weight

Cast/
Tuned

Founder

1

Treble at St Peter, Canterbury

n/a

1968

Whitechapel

2

Treble at All Saints & St Mary, Droxford, Hants

4-2-1 1968 John Taylor & Co.
3

Treble at Ss Peter & Paul, Newchurch

4-1-15 1968 Whitechapel

Inscription on the Droxford bell:

IOSEPHVS HATCH ME FECIT jhatch.jpg (1912 bytes)

1625 BackwardsN.jpg (750 bytes) BackwardsN.jpg (750 bytes)

GIFT OF H.M.A.
IN MEMORY
OF R. & H. F. & R. A. ALLCARD

SEMEL ET SEMPER

GIVEN BY
ST. MARGARET'S CANTERBURY

RECAST BY JOHN TAYLOR & CO.
1969

Inscription on the Newchurch bell:

IOSEPHVS HATCH ME FECIT jhatch.jpg (1912 bytes)

1625 D E

IN MEMORIAM
JOHN WILLIS 1883 - 1967
VICE PRESIDENT

KENT COUNTY ASSOCIATION OF CHANGE RINGERS

THE FORMER TENOR
S. MARGARET'S CANTERBURY

RECAST

19

wc1981.jpg (2438 bytes)

69

WHITECHAPEL

The 2nd and tenor were recast in 1968 despite the date 1969 appearing in the inscriptions.

 EARLIER BELLS

Prior to recasting in 1903 by Samuel Goslin, the treble bore the following details:

Bell Weight Diameter Note Cast Founder

1

3½ cwt approx.

27"

? D

1599

Thomas Hatch

BY à ME à THOMAS à HATCH à T à M à C à W

1599

(There was a crowned rose beneath the date)

HISTORY

1552

Record of 3 bells and a sanctus bell in the tower. The sanctus has subsequently disappeared without trace.

1599 Treble (of 3) recast by Thomas Hatch. The church said "We presented that our bells are broken and cannot conveniently be rung, also our bells do want ropes. The befrie lofts are at reparaciouns and also there wanteth a ladder to go into the roomes where the bells do hange as heretofore there hath been..."
1625 2nd and tenor (of 3) recast by Joseph Hatch.
1850 New spiral stair turret built and ringers moved upstairs. It was reported that the condition of the bells was so bad that two boys had been injured in swinging them, and that the treble was cracked.
1903 The cracked treble was recast by Samuel Goslin, who also rehung the other bells (tenor for ringing, others for swing chiming). The treble broke in half as it was being lowered. Chiming apparatus was installed.
1942 Church damaged by bombing.
1956 Church reopened as a centre and church for the deaf.
1968 The 3 bells were removed from the church. The treble was tuned and went to St Peter's, Canterbury (as the treble of 4), the middle bell recast and sent to Droxford, Hants as a treble to augment the 4 to 5, and the tenor recast as a treble to augment the 5 to 6 at Newchurch.
c. 1985 The church was closed and refurbished as "The Canterbury Tales" tourist and heritage centre.

GALLERY

The former treble bell, now at St Peter's, Canterbury. (Photo Nov. 1968) The tenor bell complete with Mr Goslin's iron stay and latchet slider. The treble and tenor on the floor, Nov. 1968. The wheel in the background has been converted into a coathanger at St Alphege, Whitstable.
Photo DLC collection Photo RCO 2006  
The second bell on the lorry leaving the church.

St Margaret as it looked in 2006.

 

DRAWINGS OF THE FRAME

These drawings were made by David Cawley in 1968.

¬ W                     Renewed ¯          ® E

South and North Ends
(Chiming hammers at North)

 

¬ Chiming hammers 1903

                             N                                       S           N                                     S

West Elevation                              East Elevation

N

Plan of Tower