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GREAT CHART, St Mary the Virgin

8 bells
Tenor 13-0-16 in F
Grid Ref. TQ979419
Ashford District
Frame: 1959 Mears & Stainbank
Retuning: Mears & Stainbank 1959
Upstairs gallery
PEALS
¯ SOUND CLIP
(recorded by Damian S Smith)

DETAILS OF THE BELLS
Bell Weight
(prior to retuning)*		 Weight
(latest weight)		 Diameter Cast Founder

1

4-1-4

26¾"

1987

Whitechapel

2

4-3-13

27¾"

1987

Whitechapel

3

5-3-26

5-2-1

30¼"

1876

John Taylor & Co.

4

6-1-26

5-3-7

32¼"

1875

John Taylor & Co.

5

8-1-21

8-0-4

35⅛"

1875

John Taylor & Co.

6

8-2-7

8-0-18

35¾"

1875

John Taylor & Co.

7

11-3-11

10-3-9

40"

1761

Lester & Pack (maiden)

8

13-0-16

43⅛"

1805

Thomas Mears I
*These weights are taken from John Taylor's casting book 1876. The tenor did not go to Taylor's in 1876. There are doubtlessly some weights measured by Mears & Stainbank in 1959 recorded somewhere.
1.  

 LEWIS ALLAN DAY
FAITHFUL SERVANT OF THIS CHURCH
TO CELEBRATE HIS 80TH. YEAR

19

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87

WHITECHAPEL
2.  

 I SING PRAISES TO THE LORD

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87

WHITECHAPEL
3. J: TAYLOR & CO. FOUNDERS LOUGHBOROUGH 1876.
 
4. J: TAYLOR & CO. FOUNDERS LOUGHBOROUGH 1875.
 
5. J. TAYLOR & CO. BELLFOUNDERS LOUGHBOROUGH 1875.
 
6. J. TAYLOR & CO. BELLFOUNDERS LOUGHBOROUGH 1875.
 
7. 1761 LESTER & PACK OF LONDON FECIT
 
8. THOMAS MEARS & SON OF LONDON FECIT 1805
 
 

EARLIER BELLS

Bell

Weight
(supplied)

Diameter

Cast

Founder

Fate

1 (of 5)

7-1-1

32⅛"

1761

Lester & Pack

 Recast 1875

2 (of 5)

7-3-3

34½"

1761

Lester & Pack

 Recast 1875

3 (of 5)

8-3-16

36½"

1761

Lester & Pack (maiden)

 Recast 1875

Tenor (of 5)

13-3-25

43"

1761

Lester & Pack

 Recast 1805

Prior to this, there was a ring of five bells as follows.  The inscriptions were recorded In 1758 by Bryan Faussett.

Bell

Cast

Founder

1

1636

John Wilnar

2

1610

Joseph Hatch

3

1614

Joseph Hatch

4

 1418-1440

Richard Hill

5

1606

Joseph Hatch
     
1. Nicholaus Toke S G H I W 1636
 
2. Joseph Hatch made me 1610
 
3. Joseph Hatch made me W M C W 1614
 
4.

Sum Rosa Pulsata Mundi Maria Vocata

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5. Joseph Hatch made me 1606
 

HISTORY

1418-1440

A bell was cast by Richard Hille.

1552

Record of 4 bells ("Item iiij or great bells and a saunce bellItem ij handbells.")

1606

Tenor (of 5) cast by Joseph Hatch.

1610

2nd (of 5) cast by Joseph Hatch.

1614

3rd (of 5) cast by Joseph Hatch.

1636

Treble (of 5) cast.

1761

Bells recast by Lester & Pack.

1805

Tenor recast by Thomas Mears.

1875

Front 3 recast by John Taylor.

1876

Treble added by John Taylor to make 6.

1959

Bells retuned and rehung in a new frame for 8 by Mears & Stainbank.

1987

2 trebles added and hung by Whitechapel.

2000

 A new upstairs ringing gallery was constructed.