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Kennington
 

Kennington, St Mary


Photo: Richard Offen, 2006

  • 6 bells hung for full circle ringing
  • Tenor: 10-2-25 in G♭.
  • Grid Ref: TR022451
  • Rung from: Glazed Gallery
  • Frame: 1971 Whitechapel Bell Foundry
  • Denomination: Church of England
    Diocese (Anglican): Canterbury
    Archdeaconry (Anglican): Ashford
  • Kent County Association of Change Ringers District: Ashford
  • Building Listed Grade: II Click for Heritage details.
  • Peals rung at the tower

  • Sound clip of the ring of bells.(Mark Chittenden-Pile)

Details of the Bells

Bell Weight
(most recent)

(As supplied)

(As received 1971)
Diameter Note Date Founder Canons Retuned
® Treble 4-2-195-1-35-0-1428⅝" E♭ 1883 Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel Removed 1971 Whitechapel
® 2 4-3-64-3-2730" D♭ 1804 Thomas Mears I, Whitechapel Removed 1971 Whitechapel
® 3 6-0-156-0-2732½" C 1602 Robert Mot, Whitechapel Conventional 1971 Whitechapel
® 4 6-0-16-0-633¾" B♭ 1784 Chapman & Mears, Whitechapel Removed 1971 Whitechapel
® 5 9-1-169-2-1337¼" A♭ William Oldfield Conventional 1971 Whitechapel
® Tenor 10-2-2510-3-1341" G♭ 1602 Robert Mot, Whitechapel Conventional 1971 Whitechapel

®  - Hung for full circle ringing

Bellframes

Position
Frame Bells Year Maker Material Truss(es) Local
Layout
Lower tier 1 1,3,4,5,6 1971 Whitechapel Bell Foundry Metal

Upper tier 2 2 1971 Whitechapel Bell Foundry Metal

Inscriptions

How the bells are tuned

Earlier bells

Bell DateFounderFate
Treble (of 5)Pre-ReformationUnknownRecast 1804
3rd (of 5)Pre-ReformationUnknownRecast 1784

History

c 1550 1,3 and 4 ( of 5) cast by William Oldfield.
1552 Record of 5 bells. [1]
1602 2nd and tenor (of 5) recast by Robert Mot.
1757 Record of 5 bells in the tower. [2]
1784 3rd (of 5) recast by Chapman & Mears and hung by John Steddy on 31st Dec.
1804 Treble (of 5) recast by Thomas Mears.
1883 Treble added by Mears & Stainbank to make 6.
1971 Bells retuned (by Richard Offen) and rehung clockwise in a new frame by Whitechapel.
[1] First fyve bells in the stepyll. (Edwardian Inventory, 1552)
[2] The Church is built of Stone, and Consists of The Body and 3 Chancells. The Tower stands on ye South [actually W.] Side of the Church; In it hang 5 Bells, with The following Inscriptions. 1. Sancta Maria, Ora pro Nobis. 2. Robertus Motte Me fecit. 1602. 3. Sancte Paule, ora pro Nobis. 4. Jesus est Amor Meus. 5. Robertus Motte Me fecit. 1602. (Rev’d Bryan Faussett, 1757)

Gallery


The 2nd is on the upper tier. The other bell in the foreground is the tenor.
Photo: Richard Offen, Apr 2005

The tenor bell.
Photo: Richard Offen, Apr 2005

Part of the inscription on the 5th.
Photo: Richard Offen, Apr 2005

The canons on the 5th
Photo: Richard Offen, Apr 2005

The tenor
Photo: Richard Offen, Apr 2005

The tenor
Photo: Richard Offen, Apr 2005

The 5th
Photo: Richard Offen, Apr 2005


Love's Guide to the Church Bells of Kent Page updated: 29 May 2023