Love's Guide to the Church Bells of Kent

Benenden, St George

Photo: Dickon Love, Mar 2014

13 bells hung for full circle ringing
Tenor: 18-0-24 in E♭.
Grid Ref: TQ808326
Rung from: Open Gallery
Frame: 1971 John Taylor & Co., made of cast iron. Extended in 2003 by Hayward Mills Associates.
Denomination: Church of England
Diocese (Anglican): Canterbury
Archdeaconry (Anglican): Maidstone
Kent County Association of Change Ringers District: Ashford
Building Listed Grade: II* Click for Heritage details.
Peals rung at the tower

♫ The ring of 8 prior to being augmented.(Roger Button)

♫ Rounds before the first peal on the bells.(Dickon R Love, 21 Dec 2003)

Details of the Bells

	Bell	Weight (most recent)	*(As supplied)*	Diameter	Note	Date	Founder	Canons	Retuned
®	Treble	4-3-24		25"	B♭	2003	John Taylor & Co., Loughborough	Flat	Never
®	2	4-3-16		26"	A♭	2003	John Taylor & Co., Loughborough	Flat	Never
®	3	5-0-18		26.5"	G	2003	John Taylor & Co., Loughborough	Flat	Never
®	4	4-3-10		27½"	F	2003	John Taylor & Co., Loughborough	Flat	Never
®	5	5-1-23		29"	E♭	1971	John Taylor & Co., Loughborough	Flat	Never
®	6	5-3-0		30¾"	D	1802	Thomas Mears I, Whitechapel	Removed	1971 John Taylor & Co
®	7	6-2-6		33"	C	1802	Thomas Mears I, Whitechapel	Removed	1971 John Taylor & Co
®	8	7-3-23	8-1-24	34½"	B♭	1882	John Taylor & Co., Loughborough	Removed	1971 John Taylor & Co
®	9	8-0-11		36½"	A♭	1819	Thomas Mears II	Removed	1971 John Taylor & Co
®	10	10-1-23	11-0-0	40"	G	1923	Alfred Bowell, Ipswich	Flat	1971 John Taylor & Co
®	11	13-2-19		43½"	F	1719	Richard Phelps, Whitechapel	Removed	1971 John Taylor & Co
®	Tenor	18-0-24		48¾"	E♭	1753	Lester & Pack, Whitechapel	Removed	1971 John Taylor & Co
®	Flat 6th	6-0-2		30½"	D♭	2004	John Taylor & Co., Loughborough		Never

® - Hung for full circle ringing

Bellframes

Frame

Bells

Year

Maker

Material

Truss(es)

Local
Layout

All bells

1971

John Taylor & Co., Loughborough

Cast iron

8.3.A.h

Inscriptions

The ring of Six provided in 1719

Bell	Date	Founder	Retuned	Fate
Treble (of 6)	1719	Richard Phelps	Never	Recast 1802
2 (of 6)	1719	Richard Phelps	Never	Recast 1764
3 (of 6)	1719	Richard Phelps	Never	Recast 1819
4 (of 6)	1719	Richard Phelps	Never	Recast 1923
5 (of 6)	1719	Richard Phelps	Never	Still there
Tenor (of 6)	1719	Richard Phelps	Never	Recast 1753

Subsequent recasts

Bell	Weight (most recent)	Diameter	Date	Founder	Retuned	Fate
2nd (of 6)			1764	Lester & Pack	Never	Recast 1882
Treble (of 8)	5-3-15	29½"	1802	Thomas Mears I	Never	Recast 1971

History

	1418	John, Bishop of Sora, was instructed to consecrate 4 bells, hung in a detached timber tower, similar to that at Brookland, though stated to be 132 ft high!
c	1550	Around this time there were 5 bells, tenor 27 cwt.
	1678	The tower and bells were completely destroyed, and the church gutted, by a fire caused by a lightning strike. The bell metal was sold to finance the repair.
	1718	Present tower built.
	1719	New ring of 6 cast by Richard Phelps.
	1753	Tenor (of 6) recast by Lester & Pack.
	1764	2nd (of 6) recast.
	1802	Treble (of 6) recast and 2 trebles added to make 8 by Thomas Mears in a new frame.
	1819	5th recast by Thomas Mears.
	1882	4th recast by John Taylor.
	1923	6th recast and bells rehung by Alfred Bowell on girder headstocks and tie-rodded the frame. [1]
	1924	7th rehung by Alfred Bowell. [2]
	1939	Bowell invoiced for further work and the supply of handbells. [3]
	1971	Treble recast, bells retuned and rehung in a new frame by John Taylor. Bells rededicated on 1 May.
	1994	Sound control installed
	2003	The addition of 4 Taylor trebles by Hayward Mills Associates augments the ring to 12. The try out took place on 20th Nov. and the dedication on 21st Dec. The new 12 were first rung on 10th November and dedicated on 21st December.
	2004	A flat 6th was donated in memory of Mrs Irene Hopwood Smith. It was cast by John Taylor & Co.
	2005	Local ringers lowered the existing 6th and its framework enough to allow new framework for the flat 6th to be installed. The new bell was hung by Haywood Mills Associates.

[1]	1923 14th Nov. To recasting the 6th bell and rehanging the peal of eight bells £20. Paid cq. on a/c £160 23rd Nov. 1923. £40 cq. 5th Jan. 1924. (Bowell records, 1923)
[2]	1924 19th May: To lowering the 7th bell into position and refixing the clapper in same. Three mens' time & expenses £2. Paid cq. 6th June 1932. (Bowell records)
[3]	1939 31st May: To repairs to 12 handbells £2-17-6. Paid cq. 7th June 1939. (Bowell records)

Articles

"Renewal of Kent Eight", Author unknown (The Ringing World) 24 December 1971

"Benenden and Beer", Lebon, J R N (The Ringing World) 13 June 2003

"12,000 Bottles Later ... Benenden are now 12", Love, Dickon R (The Ringing World) 12 March 2004

"And 12,000 Bottles Later …", Love, Dickon R (The Ringing World and Lovesguide) 1 December 2003

The Belfry

The 4th. Photo: Dickon Love, 2003	Tenor in the foreground. Photo: Dickon Love, 2003	The four new trebles (treble at the back counting down to the 4th at the front). Photo: Dickon Love, 2003
Rod Lebon (Tower Captain and inspiration behind the augmentation) standing beside the 4th. Photo: Dickon Love, 2003	Bells 5, 6 and 7 along the east wall Photo: Dickon Love, 2003	South west corner of the belfry. Photo: Dickon Love, 2003
Wider view of the belfry. Photo: Dickon Love, 2014	Wider view of the belfry. Photo: Dickon Love, 2014

The Ringing Room

The ringing room is next to the west window…
Photo: Dickon Love, 2014

... and has a gallery overlooking the church.
Photo: Dickon Love, 2014

Peal Boards

Knitted Performance Board dated approx. 1908
12 Dec 1908: 5040 Grandsire Triples (Birthday: William Lambert)