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Smarden
 

Smarden, St Michael

Photo: Richard Offen, 2006

  • 6 bells hung for full circle ringing
  • Tenor: 18-1-21 in E.
  • Grid Ref: TQ879422
  • Complete ring cast at the same time
  • Rung from: Open Gallery
  • Denomination: Church of England
    Diocese (Anglican): Canterbury
    Archdeaconry (Anglican): Ashford
  • Kent County Association of Change Ringers District: Ashford
  • Building Listed Grade: I Click for Heritage details.
  • Peals rung at the tower


    • ♫ Sound clip of the ring of bells.(Damian S Smith)

Details of the Bells
Bell Weight
(most recent)		Diameter Note Date Founder Canons Retuned
® Treble 6-0-530" C♯ 1922 Alfred Bowell, Ipswich Flat Never
® 2 6-2-031¹⁵⁄₁₆" B 1922 Alfred Bowell, Ipswich Flat Never
® 3 7-2-1934⅛" A 1922 Alfred Bowell, Ipswich Flat Never
® 4 9-3-2136⅞" G♯ 1922 Alfred Bowell, Ipswich Flat Never
® 5 13-1-2141¹⁄₁₆" F♯ 1922 Alfred Bowell, Ipswich Flat Never
® Tenor 18-1-2146⅛" E 1922 Alfred Bowell, Ipswich Flat Never

®  - Hung for full circle ringing

Inscriptions

Prior to 1921
Bell Weight
(most recent)		DiameterDateFounderRetunedFate
Treble7-2-034"1760Lester & PackNever
2nd9-0-037"1769Pack & ChapmanNever
3rd10-0-639"1601Robert MotNever
4th12-0-843"1729Richard PhelpsNever
Tenor20-0-1448"1760Lester & PackNever

History
1464 William Matteras gave 5 marks towards a new bell. William Marlar gave 13s. 4d. to the new belfry.
1498 John Skinner left 12d. to the belfry.
1546 A new bell was cast.
1552 Record of 4 bells. [1]
1601 A bell was cast by Robert Mot (3rd of 5). Others may have been recast at the time.
1609 A bell was recast.
1729 4th (of 5) recast by Richard Phelps.
1760 Treble and tenor (of 5) recast by Lester & Pack.
1769 2nd (of 5) recast by Pack & Chapman.
1922 Bells recast into a new ring of 6 by Alfred Bowell. [2]
2004 Bells rehung on ball bearings by Hayward Mills Associates.
[1] Item v bellys and a saunc' bell. (Edwardian Inventory, 1552)
[2] 1922 May: To recasting and rehanging the bells £300. Extra metal added, fixing floor under bell frame and fixing clock hammer £25. Total £325. Paid cq. on a/c £50. cq on a/c £200. cq on a/c £65 13 July 1922. cq £10 2 Feb 1923. 1933 9 Nov: Set of 12 muffles, tie-on, @ 2/6 each £1-10-0. Paid cash 13 Dec 1933. (Bowell records)

Gallery

The tenor on the tuning machine at Alfred Bowell's foundry in Ipswich.
Photo: Bowell records
Recent Peals
The most recent performances, according to BellBoard.
2019-03-095040 Minor
2014-11-205040 Surprise Minor
2007-03-175040 Surprise Minor
2007-01-275040 Plain Bob Minor
2003-02-155040 Surprise Minor (7m)
1997-12-135040 Surprise Minor
1980-11-085040 Minor (4m)
1974-11-235040 Minor (7m)
1974-09-295040 Minor (5m)
1969-02-155040 Minor (6m)
Recent Quarter Peals
The most recent performances, according to BellBoard.
2023-05-071260 Doubles (2m)
2022-02-061260 Doubles (2m)
2019-04-181260 Plain Bob Minor
2019-01-191260 Multi Doubles
2018-12-211260 Plain Bob Minor
2018-12-051260 St Clement's College Bob Minor
2018-11-111260 Doubles (2m)
2018-06-231260 Single Oxford Bob Minor
2018-04-281260 Doubles (7m)
2018-03-111260 Plain Bob Minor
2018-02-181260 Multi-Doubles
2017-11-151260 Multi Doubles
2017-11-121260 Single Oxford Bob Minor
2017-10-251260 Grandsire Doubles
2017-09-201260 Multi Doubles
2017-07-261260 Multi-Doubles
2017-07-191260 Mult-Doubles
2017-07-081272 Kent Treble Bob Minor
2017-06-211260 Multi-Doubles
2017-06-031260 Single Oxford Bob Minor
2016-12-141260 Multi-Doubles
2016-12-111260 Multi-Doubles
2016-08-171260 Multi-Doubles
2016-06-151260 Multi-Doubles
2016-06-121260 Doubles (3m)
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