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Margate
 

Margate, St John the Baptist


Photo: Dickon Love

  • 8 bells hung for full circle ringing
  • Tenor: 21-2-3 in D♯.
  • Grid Ref: TR355704
  • Rung from: Ground Floor
  • Frame: 1900 John Taylor & Co.
  • Denomination: Church of England
    Diocese (Anglican): Canterbury
    Archdeaconry (Anglican): Canterbury
  • Kent County Association of Change Ringers District: Canterbury
  • Building Listed Grade: I Click for Heritage details.
  • Peals rung at the tower

Details of the Bells

Bell Weight
(most recent)

(As received 1900)
Diameter Note Date Founder Canons Retuned
® Treble 6-0-46-2-331" D♯ 1823 Thomas Mears II Removed 1900 John Taylor
® 2 6-1-236-3-2532⅜" C* 1823 Thomas Mears II Removed 1900 John Taylor
® 3 8-1-2634¼" B♯ 1900 John Taylor & Co., Loughborough Flat Never
® 4 10-3-711-1-1135¾" A♯ 1785 William Mears Removed Never
® 5 12-2-1013-0-2341⅛" G♯ 1785 William Mears Removed Never
® 6 11-3-1412-1-2341⅜" F* 1785 William Mears Removed Never
® 7 14-2-2615-1-044⅛" E♯ 1785 William Mears Removed Never
® Tenor 21-2-322-1-2251½" D♯ 1785 William Mears Removed Never

®  - Hung for full circle ringing

Bellframes

Position
Frame Bells Year Maker Material Truss(es) Local
Layout
Lower tier 1 3,4,6,7,8 1900 John Taylor & Co., Loughborough Cast iron
8.3.D.a
5.12
Upper tier 2 1,2,5 1900 John Taylor & Co., Loughborough Cast iron
8.3.D.a

Inscriptions

How the bells are tuned

Prior to 1900

Bell Weight
(most recent)*
DiameterNoteDateFounderRetunedFate
3rd (of 8)8-2-1134¼"C1785William MearsNeverRecast in 1900

* Source of weight figures: John Taylor furnace book

Ring of five prior to 1785

Bell DateFounderRetunedFate
TrebleLate 16th CentThomas HatchNeverRecast in 1785
21615Joseph HatchNeverRecast in 1785
3BlackletterUnknownNeverRecast in 1785
4BlackletterUnknownNeverRecast in 1785
Tenor1445-1449John SturdyNeverRecast in 1785

History

c 1400 2 bells cast, later forming 3 and 4 of 5.
c 1440 Bell cast by John Sturdy, later forming the tenor.
c 1585 Bell cast by Thomas Hatch (at some time forming the treble of 5).
1615 2nd (of 5) recast by Joseph Hatch.
1723 Lewis, in his "History of Thanet" quotes the five bells as being "tunable".
1785 Bells recast into a ring of 6 by William Mears. They were opened on Monday 12 December by the Society of Canterbury Ringers. [1]
1823 2 trebles added by Thomas Mears to make 8.
1900 3rd recast and bells rehung in a new composite 2-tier frame by John Taylor. Note that they did NOT retune the back 5 bells but did tune the 2 trebles.
1935 Bells overhauled by John Taylor.
2011 The tenor was given a wooden shafted clapper, by John Taylor.
[1] On MONDAY next will be opened, at MARGATE, in KENT, A NEW PEAL OF SIX BELLS cast by Mr. MEARS, of LONDON (the late LESTER, PACK and CHAPMAN) by the SOCIETY OF CANTERBURY RINGERSL when every Friend fond of that Art, the Favour of their Company will be particularly esteemed. (Kentish Gazette - Friday 09 December 1785)

Gallery



Photo: Christopher J Cooper, 2000

The 7th bell.
Photo: Christopher J Cooper, 2000


Photo: Christopher J Cooper, 2000

An old photograph of the bells and ringers in 1900
Photo: Simon Friend's collection, Margate

Elsewhere in the Parish

Margate, Jubilee Tower
Hour bell and 4 quarter chimes
Margate, Pier
Formerly single bell, 3-0-0, washed away
Margate, The Centre
Formerly 2 sets of hour bell and 4 quarter bells (3-2-6 and 3-1-20), now in storage


Love's Guide to the Church Bells of Kent Page updated: 1 August 2020