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CHEVENING, St Botolph

Chevening, photo Brian Butcher

8 bells
Tenor 10-1-13 in G
Grid Ref. TQ489577
Tonbridge District
Frame: Whitechapel 1999 (extended 2007
Retuned: 2nd retuned 1999 Whitechapel
PEALS
¯ SOUND CLIP
(Recording by Dickon Love of the 6 bells, 28th Mar 2005)

DETAILS OF THE BELLS

Bell Weight
(1938)
Weight
(1999/2007)
Diameter Cast Founder

Treble

3-1-21  

2007

Whitechapel

2

3-2-13  

2007

Whitechapel

3

4-0-15 261/2"

1999

Whitechapel

4

4-1-8

4-1-6

283/8"

1715

Richard Phelps

5

5-2-1 301/4"

1999

Whitechapel

6

6-1-8 313/4"

1999

Whitechapel

7

8-0-26 35"

1999

Whitechapel

Tenor

10-1-17

10-1-13 381/2"

1938

Gillett & Johnston (5922)

Gillett & Johnston quoted the tenor as being in G sharp. Whitechapel quote it as G. This has yet to be investigated.

INSCRIPTIONS

 
1.
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"THE LITTLE ONE"

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TONY AND SUE CRESSWELL GAVE ME
IN LOVING MEMORY OF
THEIR WONDERFUL DAUGHTER
AMY LOUISE
17TH JUNE 1992 - 19TH FEBRUARY 2006

 

20

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07
WHITECHAPEL

ALTHOUGH I AM BUT LIGHT AND SMALL                I WILL BE HEARD ABOVE YOU ALL

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CAROLE, KATY AND ANNA GAVE ME
IN MEMORY OF
A BELOVED HUSBAND AND FATHER
BRIAN CHARLES OLIVER SCOTT
9TH AUGUST 1942 - 1ST OCTOBER 2004

 

20

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07
WHITECHAPEL
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19

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99
WHITECHAPEL
4. IN HON : ANNÆ  F : NATU : MAX : GEOR : ET WILHELM : PRUM : WAL : R : PHELPS MADE ME 1715
   
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19

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99
WHITECHAPEL
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99
WHITECHAPEL
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CHRISTOPHER JOHNSON - RECTOR

HAROLD HOSGOOD JONES OF THIS PARISH GAVE ME

 

19

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99
WHITECHAPEL
8. FAC:AO:FELICISSIMÆ INAUG:GEORGII M:B:F:&HIB:REGIS F:D:P:P:PRO SALUTE REL:PROT:ECCL:&LEGUM
  REGNIS EDW:GEE:D:D:RECTOR BENEF:A:WARD R:DENHAM I:SMITH T:COTTON CH:W 1715 R:PHELPS RECIT
 

RECAST BY
GILLETT & JOHNSTON
FOUNDERS.
1938

5922
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THE FORMER RING OF 6

Bell

Est Weight

Diameter

Note

Cast

Founder

Notes

1

4¾ cwt approx

283/8"

D#

1715

Richard Phelps

Still in the tower

2

5½ cwt approx.

C#

1715

Richard Phelps

Lost prior to 1867

3

6 cwt approx.

B

1715

Richard Phelps

Lost in c. 1870

4

8 cwt approx.

A#

1715

Richard Phelps

Lost prior to 1867

5

10½ cwt approx

G#

1715

Richard Phelps

Recast in 1938

6

14 cwt approx.

F#

1715

Richard Phelps

Lost prior to 1867
1. IN HON : ANNÆ  F : NATU : MAX : GEOR : ET WILHELM - PRUM : WAL : R : PHELPS MADE ME 1715
   
3. IN HON:WILHELMINÆ PR : WAL : REGIÆ SOBOLIS FELIC:MATRIS v  I SMITH T : COTTON CH : W : 1715
   
5. FAC:AO:FELICISSIMÆ INAUG:GEORGII M:B:F:&HIB:REGIS F:D:P:P:PRO SALUTE REL:PROT:ECCL:&LEGUM
  REGNIS EDW:GEE:D:D:RECTOR BENEF:A:WARD R:DENHAM I:SMITH T:COTTON CH:W 1715 R:PHELPS RECIT
   

HISTORY

1715

Ring of 6 given by General (later the first Earl) Stanhope to commemorate the accession of George I. These were hung in a new frame.

1855

The church records show: "At a Parochial Visitation held at this Church on Tuesday May 1 1855. It was recommended to provide two new floors to the Belfry, and a complete new framework, wheels etc for the Bells: and it were greatly to be desired that the three missing bells should be replaced at the same time. The louvre boarding would fall to be replaced at the same time. Chas Lane, Rural Dean"

1867

Record of only 3 bells left in the tower. The original 3rd was noted to be cracked. It soon disappeared.

1887

Record of only 2 bells left - the treble and 5th.

1938

Tenor of the remaining 2 bells recast, and both bells rehung by Gillett & Johnston on RSJs. The treble was not tuned.

1999

4 new bells were cast to form bells 1, 3, 4, 5 around the existing 2 bells. They were cast and hung in a new frame by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry.  The frame had a foundation for 8 bells. Whitechapel did not retune the existing bells.

2000

The bells were dedicated by the Bishop of Tonbridge on 20th Feb.

2007

2 new bells were added to augment the ring to 8.

PHOTOGRAPHS

Originally the treble of a ring of 6, the bell below is the last survivor of this ring. It is now the 2nd of the remodelled ring of 6.
Photo DrL 28th Mar 2005
Photo DrL 28th Mar 2005

Views of the belfry.

Photo DrL 28th Mar 2005

The 2nd, originally the treble of the first ring of 6 in this tower.

Photo DrL 28th Mar 2005

The Gillett & Johnston 5th. Unusually they reproduced the inscription on the former bell in facsimile.

Photo DrL 28th Mar 2005 The 5th.

Photo DrL 28th Mar 2005

Looking up from the ground floor, 6 rope holes can be seen where the former ring of 6 was rung. There are signs that these bells were rung from a gallery (now removed).