Chatham

CHATHAM, The former Church of St Mary

Photo Nov 2002 DrL

	8 bells
	Tenor 25-0-21 in D sharp
	Tenor Nominal: 611Hz (D sharp - 31)

	Grid Ref. TQ757684
	Rochester District
	Frame: 1897 John Warner
	Retuning: Never subsequently retuned
	Upstairs in Detached Tower
	Church redundant
	PEALS

DETAILS OF THE BELLS

Bell Weight Diameter Cast Founder

1

7-0-10

33Ľ"

1897

John Warner & Sons

2

7-0-19

32"

1897

John Warner & Sons

3

7-3-25

34Ľ"

1897

John Warner & Sons

4

10-1-6

37"

1897

John Warner & Sons

5

12-2-24

41"

1897

John Warner & Sons

6

14-3-24

43"

1897

John Warner & Sons

7

18-3-27

47"

1897

John Warner & Sons

8

25-0-21

52"

1897

John Warner & Sons

INSCRIPTIONS

1.	CAST BY JOHN WARNER & SONS LTD LONDON 1897
	RECAST 1812 FOR CHATHAM PARISH BY ORDER OF ARCHIBALD CHARLES WINEYER GIDEOM DAVIS CHURCHWARDENS RECAST 1897
2.	CAST BY JOHN WARNER & SONS LTD LONDON 1897
	"JANE" THIS BELL WAS GIVEN BY CHARLES RICHARD BESSENT IN MEMORY OF HIS MOTHER JANE BESSENT 1897
3.	CAST BY JOHN WARNER & SONS LTD LONDON 1897
	"CHARLES BESSENT" THIS BELL WAS GIVEN BY CHARLES RICHARD BESSENT IN MEMORY OF HIS FATHER CHARLES BESSENT 1897
4.	CAST BY JOHN WARNER & SONS LTD LONDON 1897
	"HAROLD" THIS BELL WAS GIVEN BY H.J.T. BROWNE MAYOR OF CHATHAM IN MEMORY OF HIS DEAR WIFE CAROLINE BROWNE AND HER SON HAROLD 1897
5.	CAST BY JOHN WARNER & SONS LTD LONDON 1897
	"MARY" THIS BELL WAS GIVEN BY MARY VINES IN MEMORY OF HER FATHER AND MOTHER CHARLES AND MARY WITHECOMB OF THIS PARISH 1897
6.	CAST BY JOHN WARNER & SONS LTD LONDON 1897
	"CHARLES" THIS BELL WAS GIVEN BY ANN RANDALL IN MEMORY OF HER FATHER AND MOTHER CHARLES AND MARY WITHECOMB OF THIS PARISH 1897
7.	CAST BY JOHN WARNER & SONS LTD LONDON 1897
	"NELLIE" THIS BELL WAS GIVEN BY ELIZABETH SARAH WITHECOMB IN MEMORY OF HER SISTER ELLEN (NELLIE) OF THIS PARISH 1897
8.	CAST BY JOHN WARNER & SONS LTD LONDON 1897
	"VICTORIA" THIS BELL WAS GIVEN BY CHARLES RICHARD BESSENT (CHURCHWARDEN) AND ELIZABETH BESSENT HIS WIFE TO COMMEMORATE THE SIXTY YEARS REIGN OF QUEEN VICTORIA 1837 - 1897 THE PEAL OF WHICH THIS BELL FORMS PART WAS CALLED THE VICTORIA PEAL BY SPECIAL PERMISSION OF HER MAJESTY QUEEN VICTORIA J. TETLEY ROWE - RECTOR

FORMER BELLS

Bell	Weight	Diameter	Cast	Founder	Fate
Single	4-2-2		1651	William Hatch	In storage
Clock		38"	1812	Thomas Mears II	Recast as treble 1897

HISTORY

1651

Clock bell cast by William Hatch.

1788

Church built.

1812

Bell cast by Thomas Mears II.

1884

Chancel added.

1897

"Victoria Tower" built and ring of 8 cast. The Hatch bell was put on display in the church.

1898

2nd Feb.

Dedication of the Victoria Ring.

1920

Bells rehung by Alfred Bowell with steel headstocks.

1920 July:
To rehanging the eight bells, painting ladders & rewiring clock hammers Ł157. Paid cq. 17 Aug 1920.

1974

Church made redundant. Some time later it was turned into the Medway Heritage Centre.

2002
The Heritage Centre closed and the bells remained silent until the future of the building and tower was decided by the Diocese.

2004
The William Hatch bell was stolen from the church. Following local publicity, it was recovered at a local scrap yard, the owner having paid Ł150 for it. It was put into the care of the Kent CACR pending its reuse somewhere.

PHOTOGRAPHS

Photo DLC collection

This is an unusual photographs of the church shortly after the Victoria Tower was built, but before the old tower was demolished.

Photo DLC collection

The ring of eight bells on display prior to hanging in the church.

The small William Hatch bell on display in the church above the entrance to the spiral staircase that was the entrance to the former tower. This bell was stolen in 2004 but recovered a few weeks later and went into the care of the Kent CACR for reuse elsewhere.