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Maidstone, St Michael & All Angels

Photo: Dickon Love, Jul 2004

  • 8 bells hung for full circle ringing
  • Tenor: 6-1-24 in C.
  • Grid Ref: TQ748552
  • Rung from: Upstairs Ringing Room
  • Frame: 1876 John Warner & Sons, tie bolted by Stuart Taylor in 1979
  • Diocese: Canterbury
  • Peals rung at the tower

Details of the Bells
Bell Weight
(most recent)		Diameter Note Date FounderSerial NoRetuned
® Treble 2-1-1219¾" C 1979 Whitechapel Bell FoundryNever
® 2 2-1-2020¾" B 1979 Whitechapel Bell FoundryNever
® 3 2-2-1622" A 1979 Whitechapel Bell FoundryNever
® 4 2-2-2624" G 1979 Whitechapel Bell FoundryNever
® 5 3-1-426" F 1979 Whitechapel Bell FoundryNever
® 6 3-3-827" E 1979 Whitechapel Bell FoundryNever
® 7 5-0-429" D 1979 Whitechapel Bell FoundryNever
® Tenor 6-1-2432" C 1933 Gillett & Johnston, Croydon4770Never
Clock 4¾ cwt approx.28⅞" 1734 Richard Phelps, WhitechapelNever

® Hung for full circle ringing

Inscriptions

Earlier 1878 ring of eight
Bell Weight
(most recent)		DateFounderFate
Treble4-3-121878John Warner & SonsRecast 1979
25-0-41878John Warner & SonsRecast 1979
35-2-81878John Warner & SonsRecast 1979
46-0-21878John Warner & SonsRecast 1979
56-2-41878John Warner & SonsRecast 1979
Tenor7-1-261876John Warner & SonsRecast 1979

Earlier Penge bell
Bell DateFounderFate
Single Bell1866John Warner & SonsRecast in 1933 at St Paul's, Penge

History
1734 Bell cast for Burham Old Church by Richard Phelps.
1876 25th Oct. The new church with the single John Warner bell, hung in pit 7 of a new 8-bell frame were consecrated. It was given by the Members of the Building Committee for £89.17.6.
1878 5 trebles were added to the single bell in pits 2-6. They were given as follows: (1) Sarah Buckmaster, (2) Henry Hughes, (3) David White, (4) Charles Beaumont, (5) Wigan Family. The stated costs of the bells were (1) £41.7.6. (2) £45.17.6, (3) £49.12.6, (4) £53.12.6, (5) £59.10.0
1933 Gillett & Johnston cast a bell for St Paul's, Penge which was cast in memory of Millicent Scott-Hopkins. Millicent was the daughter of Dr John Sidney Turner and Mrs Emily Jane Turner (née Barry). Mrs Turner donated the new bell in memory of her daughter who died 2 years earlier. Mrs Turner herself died of a heart attack on 21 June 1933. [1]
1974 The bell from St Paul's, Penge was acquired by St Michael's.
1979 The Minor 6 were recast into the fron 7 of an octave by Whitechapel. They were hung in the existing frame together with the bell from Penge forming the tenor. The bell from Burham Old Church was hung as the clock bell.
1980 2nd Feb. Bells dedicated.
[1] Mrs Turner has been identified for many years with St Paul’s Church, Hamlet Road, which she attended with unfailing regularity and her love for the church was demonstrated in many ways. When the organ was restored, she made a generous contribution towards the cost and recently she provided a new bell as a memorial to her daughter, Mrs Scott-Hopkins, who died two years ago. Mrs Turner suffered a grievous loss by her daughter’s passing and had never really recovered from the shock. (Norwood News, Fri 23 June 1933)

Articles

  • "St Michael & All Angels, Maidstone, Kent", Barlow, Thomas M (The Ringing World) 1 February 1980
  • "In Loving Memory of Millicent", Elvers, M (Elvers, M) 1 January 2020
    		•

    Gallery

    Clock bell
    Photo: Graham Heath, 2007
    The 7th on the left, the tenor on the right.
    Photo: Graham Heath, 2007
    The 6th.
    Photo: Graham Heath, 2007


    Photo: Graham Heath, 2007
    Recent Peals
    The most recent performances, according to BellBoard.
    2019-12-315150 Cooktown Orchid Delight Major
    2019-12-285120 Bristol Surprise Major
    2019-09-295152 St Michael The Archangel Surprise Major
    2019-05-255088 Bristol Surprise Major
    2019-04-195040 Stedman Triples
    2018-12-315024 Yorkshire Surprise Major
    2018-08-265040 Grandsire Triples
    2018-03-285024 Spliced Surprise Major (8)
    2017-12-285056 Spliced Surprise Major (8)
    2017-12-155152 Dereham Surprise Major
    2017-10-105088 Yorkshire Surprise Major
    2017-09-295056 St Michael The Archangel Surprise Major
    2017-08-265152 Cambridge Surprise Major
    2017-04-145040 Stedman Triples
    2017-03-215152 Cray Surprise Major
    2017-02-215088 Ipswich Surprise Major
    2016-12-315056 Yorkshire Surprise Major
    2016-12-285040 Stedman Triples
    2016-12-205088 Dorking Surprise Major
    2016-11-185056 Mortlake Surprise Major
    2016-10-175088 Stansted Mountfitchet Surprise Major
    2016-09-265056 Superlative Surprise Major
    2016-09-205088 Ashtead Surprise Major
    2016-09-155088 Yorkshire Surprise Major
    2016-08-235024 Spliced Surprise Major (8)
    Recent Quarter Peals
    The most recent performances, according to BellBoard.
    2020-03-151280 Cooktown Orchid Delight Major
    2020-03-081280 Spliced Surprise Major (4m)
    2020-03-061272 Spliced Surprise Minor (2m)
    2020-03-011344 Lessness Surprise Major
    2020-02-261260 Grandsire Triples
    2020-02-211296 Spliced Surprise Minor (2m)
    2020-02-091344 Waterloo Tower Surprise Major
    2020-02-071269 Spliced Surprise Minor (2m)
    2020-02-021376 Birchington-On-Sea Surprise Major
    2020-01-241344 Lessness Surprise Major
    2020-01-191344 Quex Park Surprise Major
    2020-01-121312 Bristol Surprise Major
    2020-01-101250 Turramurra Surprise Major
    2020-01-051280 Spliced Surprise Major (8m)
    2019-12-221344 Lessness Surprise Major
    2019-12-151263 Stedman Triples
    2019-12-111280 Yorkshire Surprise Major
    2019-12-011280 Yorkshire Surprise Major
    2019-11-241280 Bristol Surprise Major
    2019-11-171344 Turramurra Surprise Major
    2019-11-111260 Grandsire Triples
    2019-11-011260 Plain Bob Doubles
    2019-10-271312 Bristol Surprise Major
    2019-10-201376 Ullesthorpe Surprise Major
    2019-10-181320 Plain Bob Minor
    Full list of peals on Bellboard here
    		 Full list of quarters on Bellboard here

    Love's Guide to the Church Bells of Kent Page updated: 1 April 2016