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RINGWOULD, St Nicholas
Photo RCO 2005
6 bells
Tenor 8-1-8 in B
Grid Ref. TR360483
Frame: 1887 Mears & Stainbank
Canterbury District
Ground Floor
PEALS

DETAILS OF THE BELLS
Bell Weight Diameter Pitch Cast Founder

1

3-0-25

241/8"

G

1887

Mears & Stainbank

2

3-2-17

251/8"

F

1887

Mears & Stainbank

3

3-3-21

27"

E flat

1957

Mears & Stainbank

4

4-2-10

28"

D

1887

Mears & Stainbank

5

5-3-7

31"

C

1887

Mears & Stainbank

6

8-1-8

35"

B flat

1957

Mears & Stainbank

INSCRIPTIONS
1. I. W. 1638
 

RECAST BY MEARS & STAINBANK, LONDON 1887  

2. I. W. 1638
 

RECAST BY MEARS & STAINBANK, LONDON. 1887  

3. + IOHANNES . EST . NOMEN . EIUS +
RECAST BY MEARS & STAINBANK LONDON 1887         

RECAST

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57
4. I. W. 1638
 

RECAST BY MEARS & STAINBANK, LONDON. 1887  

5. I. W. 1638

DEO . ET . ECCLESIAE . DEDIT . FRANCISCUS . DERING . 1638 . I. W.

M. A. NISBETT, RECTOR
J. E. MONINS
J. MAXTED		 } CHURCHWARDENS.

1887.

RECAST BY MEARS & STAINBANK, LONDON. 
6.      
IN MEMORY OF
MY DEAR HUSBAND
KENNETH D. O'CALLAGHAN
1875-1954

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57

MEARS, LONDON
The inscriptions beginning "RECAST BY MEARS..." appear on the soundbow. The 1957 inscriptions are in Mears' modern lettering; the gothic lettering on the recast 3rd is probably a facsimile of the Victorian lettering on its predecessor. The remaining inscriptions on the 1887 bells are in Mears' plain capitals.

FORMER BELLS
Bell Weight Diameter Pitch Cast Founder Fate

1

2-2-20

23"

G

1638

John Wilnar

Recast 1887

2

2-3-25

25"

F

1638

John Wilnar

Recast 1887

3

3-3-4

27"

E

14th Cent

Unknown

Recast 1887

3

4-1-17

261/8"

E

1887

John Wilnar

Recast 1957

4

4-1-0

29"

D

1638

John Wilnar

Recast 1887

5

5-3-21

32"

C

1638

John Wilnar

Recast 1887
The original ring of 5 were as follows:
1. I à W 1638
2. I à W 1638
3. + IOHANNES * EST * NOMEN * EIUS
4. I à W 1638
5.
shield.jpg (966 bytes)
DEO à ET à ECCLEBackwardsS.jpg (744 bytes)IAE à DEDIT à FRANCIBackwardsS.jpg (744 bytes)CUBackwardsS.jpg (744 bytes) à DERING à 1638 I à W

The shield on the tenor was the Dering Shield.

The 1887 3rd was inscribed:
3. + IOHANNES * EST * NOMEN * EIUS
RECAST BY MEARS & STAINBANK LONDON 1887

THE BELL THAT NEVER ARRIVED

The 1887 ring was originally intended to be a minor five. The 3rd of this ring still exists at Standlake, Oxfordshire where it is the treble of a ring of six. It is an extremely thick casting. Details as follows:
Bell Weight Diameter Pitch Cast Founder

1

5-3-5

E

1887

Mears & Stainbank
1. MEARS & STAINBANK, FOUNDERS, LONDON. 1887.
IN MEMORY OF
QUEEN VICTORIA'S JUBILEE 1887.
LAUS + DEO

HISTORY

c.1350

A bell was cast, destined to become the future 3rd of 5.

1628

Tower was rebuilt.

1638

4 bells forming 1, 2, 4, 5 around the 14th Cent. bell were cast by John Wilnar.

1887

All 5 bells were recast by Mears & Stainbank as a minor 5. They were hung in a wooden 6-bell frame with room for a tenor. The 3rd was then exchanged for a new bell to make the scale major. The old bell became the treble at Standlake, Oxon.

1949

Bells rehung by Mears & Stainbank with new gudgeons, bearings and frictional parts.

1957

The 3rd (of 5) was again recast a semitone lower and a new tenor was added to make 6 (still in a major key).

1982

John Taylor Bellfounders recommended rehanging the bells with mainly new fittings in a new frame.

GALLERY
Photos DrL August 2011