FARNBOROUGH, St Giles the Abbot |
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| There are several unanswered questions relating to this tower. The clock bell appears to be 1766, but it is not known where it came from (possibly The Rookery, Bromley Common). There used to be a bell stored in the porch, which is assumed here to be the former Clock bell cast by John Hodson in 1664. It was known as the "Tinker bell" as was stolen in recent years. Hopefully these questions will soon all be answered with further research. | |||||||||||||||
DETAILS OF THE BELLS |
Bell Weight Diameter Cast Founder
1
9-2-19
36"
1951
Gillett & Johnston (6949)
Clock
1766
Lester & Pack
INSCRIPTIONS |
| 1. | [Floral design] | |
| I WAS CAST IN 1951 | ||
6949 IN THIS BELL |
 GILLETT & JOHNSTON FOUNDERS CROYDON |
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| C. | 1766 | |
A stone tablet on the wall of the church records that "The Tenor Bell is dedicated in memory of those killed on active service in the war of 1939-1945 that all who hear this bell may remember the high cost of freedom".
PREVIOUS BELLS
Bell
Weight
Diameter
Cast
Note
Founder
1
6-0-24
31½"
1907
C
Gillett & Johnston (2126)
Recast 1951
1
28½"
1667
John Hodson
Recast 1907
Clock
11"
1664
John Hodson
Stolen
1. REFECTUM. A.D. M.C.MVII. E. TESTAMENTO.
MARIA. ANNA. OLNEY. OBIIT. A.D. MCMV.
IN. MEMORIAM
CONJUGIS. EIVS. FREDERICI.
OLNEY. PATRISQUE. HENRICI. VINCENT.
MATRISQUE. MARIA.1.
IOHN à HODSON à MADE à ME à 1667 W H C. 1664
The Inscriptions for the Gillett bell came from their Order Book. Presumably they also had the name of the founder on it too. It was possible cast with a "V" for "U" throughout.
HISTORY
1552
Record of 3 bells in the tower ("Item iij bells suted of brass in the steple").
1631
26th Dec The church was so damaged by a storm that it was necessary to take it down and rebuild it.
1664
Small bell cast by John Hodson. This became cracked in the past century and was stored in the porch until it was stolen in recent years. This was known as the "Tinker" bell.
1667
Larger bell recast by John Hodson.
1724
The tower and spire was damaged by a storm.
1766
The present clock bell was cast by Lester & Pack. It was not originally for the church and it is not precisely known where it came from.
1838
Tower struck by lightning, severely damaging it requiring it to be extensively rebuilt. The timber spire was not replaced and the tower was given a flat roof with a parapet crowned with a stone pinnacle at each corner.
1887
Record of 2 bells in the tower.
1907
Single bell recast by Gillett & Johnston with 2 cwt added with a view to making it suitable to be the tenor of a new ring of 6. It was cast at 6-1-16 and sent out on 4th July. (Order book date 17th June.) It was hung with new fittings in the existing frame.
1949
Jan. The tower was gutted by fire, which destroyed the bells. Gillett & Johnston offered estimates for bells of various sizes, pointing out that they had cast the original bell.
1951
The tower was restored under Miss Cunningham, church architect and Hobday & Maynard, architects in Bromley. At this time the spire was restored to the tower also.
1951
28th Jan. Bell cast by Gillett & Johnson using metal from the old bell. It was hung in a new cast iron frame and cost £282. The old clock from the Stables at The Rookery, Bromley Common (a large house which once stood on what is now the Bromley College of Technology), was purchased for the church for £25 and refurbished by Gillett & Johnston. The clock strikes the hours on the 1766 bell which possibly came from The Rookery also.
1969
John Taylor & Co estimated for adding five bells to make a ring of six (£3,400) or seven bells to make a chime of eight - the tenor remaining hung for ringing (£2,600).
PHOTOGRAPHS |
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| The single bell, hung for ringing. | |
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The clock bell hung from a beam high in the tower. |
