7.	IOHN WILNAR 1638
9.	HONORI DEI VSVI ECCLESIAE   IOHN WILNAR  1638

c. 1000	A small church was built by the Anglo-Saxons.
c.1200	The Normans added a tower and enlarged the church.
1540	By this time the original church building had been enlarged further and the Anglo-Saxon parts rebuilt. The Leeds Abbey on the south side of the church had been dissolved and no-longer controlled the activities of the church. There may have been bels at this time, although no record is known to exist.
1617	A Great Bell weighing about one ton was cast by Joseph Hatch and hung in the tower.
1638	John Wilnar cast 3 lighter bells, making them four.
1751	A major restoration of the church took place. Henry Meredith of Leeds Abbey paid for a bell (the present 5th). The present 6th was paid for by Churchwardens Robert Hatch (maybe a relation of Joseph and William Hatch) and William Woollett. The lighter four bells were paid for by The Hon. robert Fairfax of Leeds castle. The order was placed with Robert Catlin of Holborn who hung the bells in a new frame. At the same time a wooden spire was erected which stood until 1932 when it became unsafe. The celebrated "Leeds Youths" began ringing at the tower.
1898	Some bells were quarter turned and (unsatisfactorily) rehung.
1911	Alfred Bowell rehung the bells on new plain bearings. He also recast the 7th and 9th bells and cut the canons off the rest (except 1 and 2), fitting them on RSJ-type headstocks. The tenor was fitted with an independent clapper staple. Ellacombe apparatus was also fitted.
1923	Alfred Bowell supplied new gudgeons & rehung the tenor.
	1923 22 May: To supplying new gudgeons & rehanging the tenor bell in Leeds church including expenses £14. Less station 3/10 Total £13-16-2. Paid cq. 11 June 1923.
1932	The original spire became dangerous and was removed.
1933	Alfred Bowell supplied some second hand handbells which appear to have been returned without payment.
	1933 March: To set of S.H. [second hand] handbells £3-5-0. [makred "returned"]. No payment received. 1938 7 Jan: To 10 new bell ropes as per cont. £11. net. Paid cq 11 Jan 1938.
1963	The spire was replaced and the ringing room redecorated. Carelessness with the redecoration resulted in the loss of much of the interesting writing on wooden panelling around the walls by ringers of the 19th Century.
1980s	The space below the ringing room was converted into a kitchen and meeting room. The Ellacombe Hammers were removed and an ugly heating system was installed in the ringing room.
2000	The Ellacombe Hammers were cleaned with the intention of replacing them.

Photos Christopher J Cooper, 2000

THE LEEDS YOUTHS

The Leeds Youths were one of the most prolific ringing societies in Kent, predating the Kent County Association of Change Ringers by a considerable margin. Here are some notes about their history.

1751	The Lenham Society rang the first peal on the newly augmented bells at Leeds, of "Bob Quators". This was followed by a 7200 of Bob Royal. The ringers of the Lenham Society were very pleased with the bells and subsequently moved their headquarters here from Harrietsham (having moved from Lenham previously). They renamed their company "The Leeds Youths".
1753	A 20,160 of Bob Major was rung by The Leeds Youths using relays.
Apr. 7- 8, 1761	The whole extent of Plain Bob Major was rung with relays in 27 hours!
1761-1784	The Leeds Youths rang the first peals of Double London Court Bob Major (one was rung at St Dunstan-in-the-East in london, but this was considered to be false, so the one at Leeds was the first true peal), DLCB Royal, Morning Pleasure Major and Royal and Morning Exercise Major and Royal. The Leeds Youths also beat the Company of Wye Youths with the test piece being a peal of Bob Major. The Wye Youths, failing to complete their peal on both occasions. During this period the Leeds Youths rang peals at other towers in Kent -Cranbrook, Goudhurst, Ashford, Elham, Chiddingstone and Maidstone (All Saints). They opened the new ring of bells at this latter tower in 1784 with the second ever peal of Kent Treble Bob Royal (the first having been rung at Leeds shortly before).
1788	Eight of the eldest Leeds Youths rang a peal of Bob Major. the youngest was 63 and the tenor man was 82!
1802	The Leeds Youths opened the new ring of bells at borden, although the peal they attempted that day was lost. (They subsequently scored two since.)
1813	James Barham, leader of the Youths, rang his last peal, aged 88.
1818	James Barham died, aged 88, and was buried in the churchyard. The Leeds Youths, without their leader, started to faded away.
1830	The last peal, Kent Treble Bob Royal, was rung by the Leeds Youths. They continued for another decade before fading away completely.
1832	A Society that had broken away from the London College Youths over a disagreement, rang a peal of Stedman Caters - the first in the tower. Two men were required to ring the tenor.
1840s	Two peals were rung for the Leeds Society, possible in an attempt to revitalise the Youths. Both these and the ASCY peal is recorded on peal boards in the tower. There have been more recent attempts to resurrect the Leeds Youths, but none with any credibility.