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TONBRIDGE, Ss Peter & Paul

Photo DrL 31st Dec 2004
8 bells + Sanctus
Tenor 19-1-0 in E flat
Grid Ref. TQ591468
District: Tonbridge District
Frame: 1774 Pack & Chapman
Retuning: 1952 Mears & Stainbank
Upstairs Ringing Room
PEALS
¯ Sound Clip of the Sanctus Bell
(24kB recorded by Dickon Love, 31st Dec 2004)

DETAILS OF THE BELLS
Bell Weight Diameter Pitch Cast Founder

1

5-2-21

29"

E flat

1951

Mears & Stainbank

2

6-0-20

30"

D

1951

Mears & Stainbank

3

6-1-26

32"

C

1951

Mears & Stainbank

4

7-2-4

337/8"

B flat

1774

Pack & Chapman

5

8-3-23

363/4"

A flat

1774

Pack & Chapman

6

10-1-27

393/8"

G

1774

Pack & Chapman

7

14-1-27

427/8"

F

1951

Mears & Stainbank

8

19-1-0

481/2"

E flat

1897

Mears & Stainbank

Sanctus

½ cwt approx.

131/4"

A flat

c.1700

Unknown

INSCRIPTIONS
1. (border) I MEAN TO MAKE IT UNDERSTOOD THAT THOUGH I'M LITTLE YET I'M GOOD

PACK & CHAPMAN OF LONDON FECIT 1774
RECAST 1913 & 1951 wc1951.jpg (2432 bytes) MEARS & STAINBANK. LONDON
2.  (border)   IF YOU HAVE A JUDICIOUS EAR. YOU'LL OWN MY VOICE IS SWEET & CLEAR

PACK & CHAPMAN OF LONDON FECIT 1774
RECAST 1951 wc1951.jpg (2432 bytes) MEARS & STAINBANK. LONDON
3.     (border) TO HONOUR BOTH OF GOD & KING OUR VOICES SHALL IN CONCERT RING

PACK & CHAPMAN OF LONDON FECIT 1774
RECAST 1951 wc1951.jpg (2432 bytes) MEARS & STAINBANK. LONDON
4. (border) WHILST THUS WE JOIN IN CHEARFUL SOUND MAY LOVE & LOYALY ABOUND
PACK & CHAPMAN OF LONDON FECIT 1774
5. (border)
MUSICK IS MEDICINE TO THE MIND
PACK & CHAPMAN OF LONDON FECIT 1774
6. (border)
YE PEOPLE ALL WHO HEAR ME RING BE FAITHFUL TO YOUR GOD & KING
PACK & CHAPMAN OF LONDON FECIT 1774
7.    YE RINGERS ALL THAT PRIZE YOUR HEALTH & HAPPINESS BE SOBER MERRY WISE & YOU'LL THE SAME POSSESS
   PACK & CHAPMAN OF LONDON FECIT 1774
RECAST wc1951.jpg (2432 bytes) 1951

CANON RUSSEL B. WHITE. VICAR
H. E. WILLIAMS. O.B.E., V.D..
L. H. FOSTER		 } CHURCHWARDENS
8. "PACK & CHAPMAN OF LONDON FECIT."

"REVD HENRY HURPUR, VICAR."
"JOHN. MUGRIDGE & W. MARTIN, CHURCHWARDENS. 1774."

RECAST BY MEARS & STAINBANK, 1897.
REVD C. G. BASKERVILLE. VICAR.
T. E. MILLIDGE,
G. D. WARNER,		 } CHURCHWARDENS

TE DEUM LAUDAMUS

The border is the "Whitechapel Border".
The headstock on the Sanctus bell is carved with the name:
H CORKE
He appears on the ringing room wall as a former Steeplekeeper and Deputy Tower Capt.

PREVIOUS BELLS

Bell

Weight

Diameter

Cast

Founder

Fate

1 (of 8)

 6-0-8

29½"

1813

Mears & Stainbank

Recast 1951

The 1774 Ring of 8 were supplied as followed:

Bell

 Weight Diameter

Cast

Founder

Tuning

Fate

1

 6-1-3 291/2"

1774

Pack & Chapman

Maiden bell

Recast 1951

2

 6-2-1 301/4"

1774

Pack & Chapman

Maiden bell

Recast 1951

3

 6-2-22 317/8"

1774

Pack & Chapman

Maiden bell

Recast 1951

4

 7-3-15 337/8"

1774

Pack & Chapman

Maiden bell

Tuned 1951

5

 9-1-23 363/4"

1774

Pack & Chapman

Maiden bell

Tuned 1951

6

 10-3-25 393/8"

1774

Pack & Chapman

Tuned ¼

Tuned 1951

7

 14-0-9 43"

1774

Pack & Chapman

Tuned ¼

Recast 1951

8

 19-3-5 481/2"

1774

Pack & Chapman

Maiden bell

Recast 1897

HISTORY

1774

Ring of 8 cast to replace an earlier ring of 6.

1879

Church completely restored and a south aisle was added.

1897

Tenor recast by Mears & Stainbank.

1913

Treble recast by Mears & Stainbank.

1948

John Taylor & Co. visited the tower and condemned the frame. They found the 7th cracked and quoted for recasting it and tuning the other secen with all new fittings and frames (including for the Priest's bell. They also quoted for recasting the lot (except the Priest's bell) to a new eight, 19 cwt in E ("along the lines of the bells we cast for St George, Gravesend or The Annunciation, Chislehurst").

1951

1,2,3 and 7 recast by Mears & Stainbank who tuned and rehung the bells.

PHOTOGRAPHS

Photo DrL 31st Dec 2004

The belfry, with the tenor in the foreground.
Photo DrL 31st Dec 2004

The Sanctus bell hung in its own pit in the frame.