Rochester Cathedral

ROCHESTER
Cathedral of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary

	10 bells
	Tenor 30-0-14 in D
	Grid Ref. TQ743685
	Rochester District
	Frame: 1960 John Taylor & Co
	Retuning: Never subsequently retuned
	Upstairs Ringing Room
	PEALS
	Ż SOUND CLIP (9.86s recording by Roger Button)

DETAILS OF THE BELLS

Bell Weight Diameter Cast Founder

1

5-3-7

27¹/2"

1921

Gillett & Johnston

2

6-1-19

29¹/8"

1921

Gillett & Johnston

3

6-1-22

30"

1921

Gillett & Johnston

4

6-3-17

31¹/2"

1921

Gillett & Johnston

5

7-1-19

33¹/4"

1921

Gillett & Johnston

6

9-1-21

36¹/2"

1921

Gillett & Johnston

7

11-1-26

40¹/8"

1921

Gillett & Johnston

8

15-0-9

43³/4"

1921

Gillett & Johnston

9

20-0-13

48"

1921

Gillett & Johnston

10

30-0-14

53³/4"

1921

Gillett & Johnston

INSCRIPTIONS

1. CAST BY GILLETT & JOHNSTON, CROYDON, 1921.

TO THE GLORY OF GOD
AND IN PROUD MEMORY OF OUR DEAR SON
2ND LIEUT. GEORGE WHITE WILLIS RAF,
WHO WAS KILLED IN FRANCE
ON 4TH JANUARY, 1919.
AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN AND IN THE MORNING WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.
AS THE STARS THAT ARE STARRY IN THE TIME OF OUR DARKNESS
TO THE END, TO THE END THEY REMAIN.

1

2. CAST BY GILLETT & JOHNSTON, CROYDON, 1921.

TO THE GLORY OF GOD
AND IN PROUD MEMORY OF OUR DEAR SON
2ND LIEUT. GEORGE WHITE WILLIS RAF,
WHO WAS KILLED IN FRANCE
ON 4TH JANUARY, 1919.
AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN AND IN THE MORNING WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.
AS THE STARS THAT ARE STARRY IN THE TIME OF OUR DARKNESS
TO THE END, TO THE END THEY REMAIN.

2

3. RECAST BY GILLETT & JOHNSTON, CROYDON, 1921.

IN REMEMBRANCE OF
S. REYNOLDS HOLE, DEAN,
DIED 27TH AUGUST - 1904.
             T.H.F.

3

4. RECAST BY GILLETT & JOHNSTON, CROYDON, 1921.

RECAST IN REMEMBRANCE OF
FREDERICK WADE HOBSON
DIED 25TH MAY 1903
AND OF
ELIZA KEYWORTH HOBSON
HIS ONLY DAUGHTER
DIED 15TH SEPTEMBER 1914

T. H. FOORD
GAVE ME.
1904.

4

5. RECAST BY GILLETT & JOHNSTON, CROYDON, 1921.

RECAST AS A GIFT FROM THE CATHEDRAL RINGERS

IN REMEMBRANCE OF
W. W. F.,
DIED 10TH SEPTEMBER - 1881.
                T. H. F.

5

6. RECAST BY GILLETT & JOHNSTON, CROYDON, 1921.

RECAST IN MEMORY OF
HAROLD ALBERT BRAND AND CHARLES WALTER EDWARD
CATHEDRAL CHORISTERS
WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR
1914-1918

IN REMEMBRANCE OF
M. F.
DIED 1ST JULY - 1896.
                    T. H. F.

6

7. RECAST BY GILLETT & JOHNSTON, CROYDON, 1921.

RECAST IN MEMORY OF
BERTRAM LUARD-SELBY
CATHEDRAL ORGANIST AND CHOIRMASTER.
DIED ST STEPHEN'S DAY 1918.
LAUDO DEUM VERUM, PLEBEM VOCO, CONGREGO CLERUM.

IN REMEMBREANCE OF
E. S. W.
DIED 6TH SEPTEMBER - 1896.
                        T. H. F.

7

8. RECAST BY GILLETT & JOHNSTON, CROYDON, 1921.

VIDUA ET SOCII
ME REFECERUNT.
IN MEMORIAM
ERNALDI LANE D. D.
HUJUSCE ĆDIS DECANI.
OBIIT 16TH JAN., 1913.
ADESTE FIDELES.

8

9. RECAST BY GILLETT & JOHNSTON, CROYDON, 1921.

RECAST IN MEMORY OF
SAMUEL CHEETHAM, D. D.,
ARCHDEACON AND CANON OF ROCHESTER
DIED 19TH JULY 1908.

OLIM THALEBOT
NUNC TALBOT VOCOR,
IN DIE S. ANDRAEA MCMIV.
                                            T. H. F. RESTAURAVIT.

9

10.

RECAST BY GILLETT & JOHNSTON, CROYDON, 1921.

I WAS RECAST IN MEMORY OF
FRANCIS EDMUND STORRS, R. N. V. R.,
SON OF THE DEAN,
DIED 10TH NOVEMBER 1918,
EVE OF THE ARMISTICE.
KATÉPÓQH Ó QÁNATOS EÍS NÍKOS

10

PREVIOUS BELLS

The ring of 8 that was recast in 1921 into the present bells was as follows:

Bell Weight Diameter Pitch Cast Founder

1
6-3-14
31¹/2"

D

1904

Mears & Stainbank

2
7-2-6
32³/4"

C sharp

1904

Mears & Stainbank

3
8-2-15
35¹/8"

B

1904

Mears & Stainbank

4
9-3-20
37³/4"

A

1904

Mears & Stainbank

5
12-0-14
41"

G

1904

Mears & Stainbank

6
16-0-9
44"

F sharp

1712

James Bagley

7
18-2-5
47³/4"

E

1904

Mears & Stainbank

8
26-1-0*
52"

D

1834

Thomas Mears II

* Tuned weight, 1904.
Of the inscriptions given below, the 1904 ones are conjectured from evidence on the new bells
and the style employed by Mears & Stainbank at the time. To date no detailed version of the
inscriptions has been found.

1. MEARS & STAINBANK, FOUNDERS, LONDON. 1904.

IN REMEMBRANCE OF
S. REYNOLDS HOLE, DEAN
DIED 27TH AUGUST 1904.
T. H. F.

2. MEARS & STAINBANK, FOUNDERS, LONDON. 1904.

T. H. FOORD GAVE ME.
1904

3. MEARS & STAINBANK, FOUNDERS, LONDON. 1904.

RECAST IN REMEMBRANCE OF
W. W. F.
DIED 10TH SEPTEMBER 1881.
T. H. F.

4. MEARS & STAINBANK, FOUNDERS, LONDON. 1904.

RECAST IN REMEMBRANCE OF
M. F.
DIED 1ST JULY 1896.
T. H. F.

5. MEARS & STAINBANK, FOUNDERS, LONDON. 1904.

RECAST IN REMEMBRANCE OF
E. S. W.
DIED 6TH SEPTEMBER 1896.
T. H. F.

6. IAMES BAGLEY OF LONDON MADE ME 1712 A R

7. MEARS & STAINBANK, FOUNDERS, LONDON. 1904.

OLIM THALEBOT
NUNC TALBOT VOCOR.
IN DIE S. ANDREAE MCMIV
T. H. F. RESTAURAVIT

8. FECIT CHRs HODSON. A. D. MDCLXXXIII : REGIS CAROLI II XXXV

REFECIT THOs MEARS. A. D. MDCCCXXXIV : REGIS GULIEMI IV . V

These themselves were modelled from a former ring of 6 in 1904.

Bell Weight Diameter Cast Founder Fate

1
7-3-17
34"

1770

Pack & Chapman

Recast 1904

2
8-0-0
34˝"

?

Unknown

Recast 1904

3
10-2-10
40"

1635

John Wilnar
Recast 1904

4
16-0-9
44"

1712

James Bagley
Recast 1921

5
21-2-18
48"

1683

Christopher Hodson
Recast 1904

6
?*
52"

1834

Thomas Mears II
Recast 1921

* Tuned in 1904 to 26-1-0.

1. CAST IN THE YEAR 1695 RECAST IN THE YEAR 1770 BY PACK & CHAPMAN OF LONDON

2. [Blank]

3. IOHN ŕ WILNAR ŕ MADE ŕ ME 1635

4. IAMES BAGLEY OF LONDON MADE ME 1712 A R

5. Ż CHRISTOPHERVS Ż HODSON Ż A^o D Ż MDCLXXXIII ˘˘˘˘

ANNOQVE Ż SERNIS Ż REGIS Ż CAROLI Ż II^d Ż XXXV

[The Royal Arms]

6. FECIT CHRs HODSON. A. D. MDCLXXXIII : REGIS CAROLI II XXXV

REFECIT THOs MEARS. A. D. MDCCCXXXIV : REGIS GULIEMI IV . V

Some of these bells were recast from earlier bells, some of which are known as follows::

Bell Weight Diameter Cast Founder Fate

1 (of 6)
7˝ cwt approx.
1695

John Wood

Recast 1770

5 (of 6)
20-2-16
?

Unknown

Recast 1683

6 (of 6)
29-0-10
1683

Christopher Hodson

Recast 1834

HISTORY

1154

Record of 3 bells being hung in the Gundulf Tower by Prior Reginald, one of them coming from a former cracked bell.

1251-74

Record that Richard of Waldedene made a bell called Andrew.

1343

Bishop Hamo de Hythe built up the central tower and hung 4 bells in it.

1545

Record of 6 bells in the central tower with the bells in the Gundulf Tower gone.

1635

3rd (of 6) recast by John Wilnar.

1683

5th and Tenor (of 6) recast by Christopher Hodson.

1695

Treble (of 6) recast by John Wood of Chancery Lane.

1711

Richard Phelps gave an estimate to recast the 4th (of 6) although he never actually did.

1712

4th (of 6) recast by James Bagley of Cripplegate, who also quarter-turned the 2nd.

1749

Upper part of the tower and spire rebuilt.

1770

Treble (of 6) recast by Lester & Pack.

1823

Old tower demolished to ringing chamber level and a taller, pinnacled tower built by L N Cottingham.

1834

Tenor (of 6) recast by Thomas Mears.

1838

Some bells repaired and rehung by John Stedman.

1840

Some bells repaired and rehung by John Stedman.

1843

Some bells repaired and rehung by John Stedman.

1882

Bells rehung and Ellacombe chiming apparatus restored by H. Stokes of Woodbury.

1904

Cottingham's work was demolished and the present bell chamber and spire were built and the lower part of the tower refaced by C Hodgson Fowler. Treble, 2nd, 3rd and 5th of 6 recast and the ring augmented to eight by Mears & Stainbank at the expense of Mr Thomas Hellyar Foord. Dedicated 30th November, 1904, by Dr Randall Davidson, Archbishop of Canterbury, and formerly Bishop of Rochester.

1921

Whole peal recast into 10 by Gillett & Johnston. Two new pits were formed on the south side: lowside frames on RSJs.

1960

Bells rehung in a new frame by John Taylor.

c.1935

The frame was braced by the erection of steel 'buttresses' at each corner.

1991

6 of the clappers were refurbished by John Taylor together with a number of pulley wheels.

PHOTOGRAPHS

The bells in the Croydon foundry, 1921. Click on image to enlarge.

The tenor bell.