Love's Guide to the Church Bells of Kent

Header

Sturry

Sturry, St Nicholas

Photo: Richard Offen, 2005

6 bells hung for full circle ringing
Tenor: 9-3-7 in G.
Grid Ref: TR175601
Rung from: Upstairs Ringing Room
Frame: 1993 Whitechapel Bell Foundry
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

♫ A sound clip of the ring of bells before they were retuned in 1993.(Roger Button)

♫ The bells after retuning.(Dickon R Love, 23 Dec 1993)

Details of the Bells

	Bell		Weight (most recent)	*(As supplied)*	Diameter	Note	Date	Founder	Canons	Retuned
®	Treble		3-3-22	4-2-0	27"	E	1904	Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel	Removed	1993 Whitechapel
®	2		3-3-22		27¼"	D	1622	Joseph Hatch, Ulcombe, Kent	Conventional	1993 Whitechapel
®	3		4-2-25		30½"	C	1802	Thomas Mears I, Whitechapel	Removed	1993 Whitechapel
®	4		6-0-5		32"	B	1622	Joseph Hatch, Ulcombe, Kent	Conventional	1993 Whitechapel
®	5		8-0-20		36"	A	1622	Joseph Hatch, Ulcombe, Kent	Conventional	1993 Whitechapel
®	Tenor		9-3-7	10-2-24	39"	G	1856	Charles & George Mears, Whitechapel	Removed	1993 Whitechapel

® - Hung for full circle ringing

Bellframes

Frame

Bells

Year

Maker

Material

Truss(es)

Local
Layout

1

All bells

1993

Whitechapel Bell Foundry

Earlier bells

Bell		Weight (most recent)	Date	Founder	Retuned	Fate
Tenor (of 5)		10-1-9	1622	Joseph Hatch	Never	Recast 1856
2nd (of 5)			1710	Richard Phelps	Never	Recast 1802
2nd (of 5)			1622	Joseph Hatch	Never	Recast 1710

History

	1622		Ring of 5 cast by Joseph Hatch.
	1710		2nd (of 5) recast by Richard Phelps.
	1757		Record of 5 bells in the tower. [1]
	1802		2nd (of 5) recast by Thomas Mears.
	1856		Tenor (of 5) recast by Charles & George Mears.
	1904		Treble added to make 6 by Mears & Stainbank.
	1929		Bells rehung by Alfred Bowell. [2]
	1993		Bells retuned and rehung in a new frame by Whitechapel.

[1]	This Church consists of The Chancell, Body, and 2 side Isles. In The Steeple which is a neat Spire, and stands at the West End, hang 5 Bells, thus inscribed. 1. Joseph Hatch made Me. 1622. 2. Richard Phelps. 1710. 3. Joseph Hatch made Me. 1622. 4. Joseph Hatch made Me. 1622. 5. Joseph Hatch made Me. 1622. (Rev’d Bryan Faussett, 1757)
[2]	To rehanging the bells £120. Paid cq on a/c £60. 3 July 1929. cq. On a/c £50 12 July 1929. cq. £10. 4 Oct 1929. (Bowell records, 29 June 1929)

Gallery

Belfry view.
Photo: Joe Aust, May 2022

Belfry view.
Photo: Joe Aust, May 2022

Peal Boards

Timber Performance Board dated approx. 1912
20 Jun 1912: 5040 Plain Bob Minor (Wedding: Frank Wood and Nellie Jezard.)

Photo: Richard A Smith, 19 August 2018

Timber Performance Board dated approx. 1921
16 Apr 1921: 5040 Plain Bob Minor (Lord Milner's marriage.)

Photo: Richard A Smith, 19 August 2018

Framed card Performance Board dated approx. 1908
21 Mar 1908: 1260 Plain Bob Minor (Vicar's birthday.)

Photo: Richard A Smith, 19 August 2018

Slate Performance Board dated approx. 1922
22 Apr 1922: 5040 Plain Bob Minor

Photo: Richard A Smith, 19 August 2018

Framed card Performance Board dated approx. 1987
24 Nov 1987: 1260 (In memory of tower captain, Frank File.)

Photo: Richard A Smith, 19 August 2018

Framed card Performance Board dated approx. 2005
25 Mar 2005: 5040 Doubles (2m) (In memory of organist and choir master, Brian Woods.)

Photo: Richard A Smith, 19 August 2018

Framed card Performance Board dated approx. 1937
27 Apr 1937: 720 London S Minor

Photo: Richard A Smith, 19 August 2018

Timber Performance Board dated approx. 1965
05 Jul 1964: 1260 Grandsire Doubles
18 Apr 1965: 5040 Plain Bob Minor (1st peal for all the band at the 1st attempt.)
21 Mar 1965: 1260 Plain Bob Doubles

Photo: Richard A Smith, 19 August 2018

Recent Peals

The most recent performances, according to BellBoard.

2017-11-05	5040 Surprise Minor (7m)
2015-04-05	5040 Surprise Minor (7m)
2011-01-02	5040 Minor (5m)
2009-04-11	5040 Surprise Minor (7m)
2007-04-06	5040 Surprise Minor (7m)
2005-03-28	5040 Doubles (2m)
2005-03-25	5040 Surprise Minor (7m)
2004-09-11	5040 Surprise Minor (7m)
2003-12-29	5040 Surprise Minor (7m)
2002-03-29	5040 Surprise Minor
1999-09-09	5040 Surprise Minor

Recent Quarter Peals

The most recent performances, according to BellBoard.

2022-12-14	1260 Grandsire Doubles
2022-05-16	1320 St Frideswide Doubles
2022-05-07	1272 Surprise Minor (2m)
2021-12-20	1260 Three Mixed Doubles
2019-06-28	1296 Cambridge Surprise Minor
2019-05-07	1260 Stedman Doubles
2019-04-07	1260 Plain Bob Doubles
2019-03-30	1260 Spliced Plain Minor (2m)
2018-06-02	1298 Cambridge Surprise Minor
2017-12-19	1296 Cambridge Surprise Minor
2017-07-24	1296 Cambridge Surprise Minor
2017-05-02	1260 Doubles
2016-11-13	1260 Doubles (4 M P)
2016-08-03	1260 Mixed Doubles (1p/3m)
2016-07-01	1260 Doubles (3m)
2016-04-21	1290 Doubles (1p/3m)
2016-01-09	1260 Double Oxford Bob Minor
2015-10-30	1260 Doubles (5m)
2015-05-28	1260 Mixed Doubles
2014-08-17	1260 St Clements College Bob Minor
2013-03-29	1260 Double Oxford Bob Minor
2013-02-15	1260 Mixed Doubles (1p, 3m)
2012-04-06	1260 Plain Bob Doubles
2012-02-13	1260 St. Clement's College Bob Minor
2011-09-04	1260 Single Oxford 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