THE ASHENDEN BELL

IOHN v PALMAR v MADE v THIS v BELL v GEORGE v HOOPER v ARTER v RVCK v WARDENS

1638

HISTORY

1623

Bell cast/recast by Joseph Hatch (forming tenor of 3).

1624

Bell cast/recast by Joseph Hatch (forming treble of 3).

1638

Bells cast/recast by John Palmer (forming the middle bell).

c.1865

Tower rebuilt

1929

Bells rehung in a new teak frame for 3 bells by Gillett & Johnston. The bells were not however tuned and remained as a Minor 3 as the Incumbant would not allow them to leave the church (in case they were stolen or inadvertently recast).

1948

Two treble bells were added as a War Memorial to make 5 by Gillett & Johnston. Again, the other bells were not tuned for the same reason, so became a Minor 5 in C Minor (tenor 6¼ cwt). The new bells were hung in steel extension pits.

1968

A treble bell was added to make 6 by John Taylor, hung in an additional steel frame. The next Incumbant also insisted no tuning took place - the bells became a Minor 6 in C.

1981

A canon broke on the tenor so the back bells were rehung on new headstocks and tuned at the same time (by John Taylor) to form a Major 6. (In fact the treble and 5th were not tuned; the 2nd, 3rd and particularly the tenor were flattened and the 4th was sharpened by heavy skirting. This involved some fairly heavy cutting to the 3rd, but being a Gillett bell, it was thick enough to take it.) The bells were rehung by the Kent CACR.

1981

17th Mar

Bells dedicated.

2002

The 4th bell was reported to be oddstruck and inspection showed it to be hanging crooked on its headstock (presumably since 1981). Attempts were made to correct this. The local band removed and refitted the clappers after rebushing.

GALLERY