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LYMINGE, Ss Mary & Ethelburga

Photo BGB

8 bells
Tenor 15-3-25 in E
Grid Ref. TR161408
Canterbury District
Frame: 1904 Mears & Stainbank
Retuning: 2002 Whitechapel
Ground Floor
PEALS
¯ Bells prior to retuning in 2002
Recording by William Hibbert
¯ Bells after retuning in 2002
Recording by William Hibbert

DETAILS OF THE BELLS

Bell

Weight
(Prior to retuning)

Weight
(After retuning)

Diameter

Cast

Founder

1

5-1-24

4-3-14

29"

1904

Mears & Stainbank

2

6-0-4

5-1-12

30¼"

1904

Mears & Stainbank

3

6-3-1

6-0-15

32⅜"

1904

Mears & Stainbank

4

6-1-27

33¾"

1631

John Wilnar

5

7-1-0

35¾"

1785

William Mears

6

8-3-6

3711/16"

1727

Samuel Knight

7

9-0-26

40½"

1785

William Mears

8

18-0-11

15-3-25

46"

1759

Lester & Pack

An old plaque (dated April 1904) on the wall of the church gives:

1 5-1-20
2 6-0-0
3 6-3-9
8 17¾ cwt approx.

The tenor was weighed in January 2002 at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry and is soon to be retuned.
The tenor bears the inscription J8-0-27 suggesting that this was the originally measured weight.

INSCRIPTIONS

1. MEARS & STAINBANK, FOUNDERS, LONDON.
ROBERT D. EVES., M.A.
RECTOR OF LYMINGE,
GAVE ME.
A.D. 1904.
"PRAISE YE THE LORD"
2. MEARS & STAINBANK, FOUNDERS, LONDON.
KATHERINE,
WIFE OF THE REV: ROBERT D. EVES,
RECTOR OF LYMINGE,
GAVE ME.
A.D. 1904.
"THE LORD'S NAME BE PRAISED"
3.  
CAST IN 1810,
AND
RECAST IN 1904,
BY
MEARS & STAINBANK.
ROBERT D. EVES, M.A. RECTOR.

JOHN HOWARD, M.P.
ALFRED BROADLEY

}

CHURCHWARDENS.

4.
IOHN Diamond.gif (1312 bytes) WILNAR Diamond.gif (1312 bytes) MADE Diamond.gif (1312 bytes) ME Diamond.gif (1312 bytes) 1631 Diamond.gif (1312 bytes) W N
 
5. WM MEARS OF LONDON FECIT 1785 MESSRS THOS FORDERD & JNO SWAINE CH. WARDENS
 
6. SAM= KNIGHT FECIT J727 WILL= MARCH ROBART WOOD C W
 
7. MESSRS THOS FORDERD & JNO SWAINE CHURCH WARDENS WM MEARS OF LONDON FECIT 1785.
 
8. J8 = 0 = 27 (engraved on crown of bell under headstock on wheel side)
  MR RICHARD KENNET CHURCH WARDEN J759 LESTER & PACK OF LONDON FECIT (crest) ` ` ` (crest)
  (ornamental border of 36 loops)
 

EARLIER BELLS

In 1756-7, the composition of the ring was recorded as follows:

Bell

Weight Diameter

Cast

Founder

Comments

1

7¼ cwt approx.

33¾"

1631

John Wilnar

Present 4th

2

1585

Thomas Hatch

Recast 1785

3

9½ cwt approx.

3711/16"

1727

Samuel Knight

Present 6th

4

1727

Samuel Knight

Recast 1785

5

1508

Unknown

Recast 1759

1
IOHN Diamond.gif (1312 bytes) WILNAR Diamond.gif (1312 bytes) MADE Diamond.gif (1312 bytes) ME Diamond.gif (1312 bytes) 1631 Diamond.gif (1312 bytes) W N
 
2. J B 1585. IN YE NAME OF GOD AMEN  T H
 
3. SAM= KNIGHT FECIT J727 WILL= MARCH ROBART WOOD C W
 
4. WILLIAM RIDGEN. SAMUEL KNIGHT FECIT 1727
 
5. Sancta Maria Ora Pro Nobis

A treble bell was added in 1810 to make 6:

Bell

Weight Diameter

Cast

Founder

Comments

1

6-2-12

33"

1810

Mears & Stainbank

Recast 1904

HISTORY

1508

Tenor recast at the bequest of Rev'd Thomas Duffyn.

1552

Record of 5 bells.

1585

2nd (of 5) recast by Thomas Hatch.

1631

Treble (of 5) recast by John Wilnar (this is the current 4th). Stahlschmidt writes that "Local tradition affirms that [this] bell was cast on the green near the church, and that silver coins were thrown into the molten metal by members of the Honywood amily of Sibton.

1727

3rd and 4th (of 5) recast by Samuel Knight.

1758 Rev'd Bryan Faussett wrote:
The Church is an Handsome Building of Flint Stones; and consists of ye Body, and 1 Side Isle toward ye North. The whole Structure is cover’d with Lead. The Bells, which are 5 in Number, hang in a beautyfull Square Tower, at ye West End, having a Small Spire in ye Middle. The Bells have ye following Inscriptions.
1. John Wilnar made Me. 1631. W.N.
2. J.B. 1585. In ye Name of God. Amen. T.H.
3. William Marche, Robert Wood, Samuel Knight fecit. 1727.
4. William Rigden, Samuel Knight fecit. 1727.
5. Sancta Maria, Ora pro Nobis.

1759

Tenor recast by Lester & Pack. In the inscription is the weight 18-0-27. Mears & Stainbank later estimated this to be too high.

1787

2nd and 4th (of 5) recast by William Mears.

1799 Edward Hasted wrote:
The church, which is dedicated St. Mary and St. Eadburgh, consists of two isles and a chancel, having a square tower steeple, with a low pointed turret on it, at the west end, in which are five bells.

1810

Treble added by Thomas Mears to make 6.

1904

Treble recast and 2 trebles added by Mears & Stainbank to make 8. Whole peal rehung in a new frame.

1960

Bells rehung, although only the headstocks were sent to the Whitechapel foundry.

2002

Bells retuned by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry and rehung by Matthew Higby.

GALLERY

Photo Matt Higby 2002

The 8 bells were removed in January, 2002, and loaded on this lorry
heading for the Whitechapel Bell Foundry.