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Otham
 

Otham, St Nicholas


Photo: KCACR Maidstone District website

  • 6 bells hung for full circle ringing
  • Tenor: 7-1-3 in A.
  • Grid Ref: TQ789540
  • Rung from: Upstairs Ringing Room
  • Frame: 1906 Mears & Stainbank, made of timber, extended by John Taylor Bellfounders in 2011
  • Denomination: Church of England
    Diocese (Anglican): Canterbury
    Archdeaconry (Anglican): Maidstone
  • Kent County Association of Change Ringers District: Maidstone
  • Building Listed Grade: I Click for Heritage details.
  • Peals rung at the tower

Details of the Bells

Bell Weight
(most recent)

(As supplied)
Diameter Note Date Founder Canons Retuned
® Treble 3-1-1124⅝" F♯ 2011 John Taylor & Co., Loughborough Flat Never
® 2 3-2-725¾" E 1925 Alfred Bowell, Ipswich Flat
® 3 4-1-027¼" D 1925 Alfred Bowell, Ipswich Flat
® 4 5-0-1930³⁄₁₆" C♯ 1755 Lester & Pack, Whitechapel Conventional 2018 John Taylor
® 5 6-1-732¼" B William Dawe, London Conventional 2018 John Taylor
® Tenor 7-1-37-1-1135¹⁄₁₆" A 1906 Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel Doncaster 2018 John Taylor

®  - Hung for full circle ringing

Bellframes

Position
Frame Bells Year Maker Material Truss(es) Local
Layout
Resultant
Layout
Single level 1 4,5,6 1906 Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel Oak
6.A
3.1
Single level 1.1 1 2012 John Taylor & Co., Loughborough Steel
1
1
4.1
Single level 1.2 2,3 2012 John Taylor & Co., Loughborough Steel
8.1.B.a
2.X2
6.1

Inscriptions

How the bells are tuned

Previous bells

Bell Weight
(most recent)
DiameterDateFounderRetunedFate
Tenor7-0-2235"1714Richard PhelpsNeverRecast 1906

History

1385 -1418 A bell was cast by William Dawe.
1667 Record of 3 bells. Tenor was rehung on a new headstock.
1672 Bells rehung.
1714 Tenor cast by Richard Phelps.
1755 Present treble cast by Lester & Pack, costing £10. 19s/1d
1906 Tenor recast by Mears & Stainbank who quarater-turned and rehung the bells in a new frame. Before that the bells used to hang between the tower roof supports.
1963 Ringing resumed when Mr Tyler begand to teach a band.
2012 Two Alfred Bowell bells were acquired through the Keltek Trust from the former ring of 5 at Campton, Beds, which themselves were replaced with a new ring of 8 in 2006. These were hung with a new treble, cast by John Taylor in 2011, to augment the ring of 3 to 6 in a new separate cast iron frame, by John Taylor.

Gallery


The three trebles at John Taylor Bellfounders. Two bells from Campton by Alfred Bowell, and a new treble cast at Loughborough
Photo: David Cawley. 2012

The Taylor treble in 2012.
Photo: David Cawley. 2012

Pictures from the 2018 restoration


The wheels arrived.
Photo: Rev'd Richard Love, 2018

Close up of the inscriptions on the tenor.
Photo: Rev'd Richard Love, 2018

The ancient 5th.
Photo: Rev'd Richard Love, 2018

The 5th showing the weld.
Photo: Rev'd Richard Love, 2018

The 5th
Photo: Rev'd Richard Love, 2018

The 5th.
Photo: Rev'd Richard Love, 2018

Peal Boards

Timber Bell/Restoration Detail Board dated approx. 2016

Photo: Richard A Love, 1 May 2017

Timber Performance Board dated approx. 2016
23 Apr 2016: 5040 Doubles (4m) (1st peal on the bells.)

Photo: Richard A Love, 1 May 2017



Love's Guide to the Church Bells of Kent Page updated: 29 July 2018