Tonbridge, Ss Peter & Paul
Photo: Dickon Love, 16 Sept 2017 |
♫ Sound recording of the sanctus bell.(Dickon R Love, 31 Dec 2004) |
Details of the Bells |
Bell | Weight (most recent) | (Supplied weight) | Diameter | Note | Date | Founder | Canons | Retuned | ||
® | Treble | 5-2-21 | 29" | E♭ | 1952 | Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel | Flat | |||
® | 2 | 6-0-20 | 30" | D | 1952 | Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel | Flat | |||
® | 3 | 6-1-26 | 32" | C | 1952 | Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel | Flat | |||
® | 4 | 7-2-4 | 7-3-15 | 33⅞" | B♭ | 1774 | Pack & Chapman, Whitechapel | Conventional | "Maiden bell" Tuned 1951 Mears & Stainbank | |
® | 5 | 8-3-23 | 9-1-23 | 36¾" | A♭ | 1774 | Pack & Chapman, Whitechapel | Conventional | "Maiden bell" Tuned 1951 Mears & Stainbank | |
® | 6 | 10-1-27 | 10-3-25 | 39⅜" | G | 1774 | Pack & Chapman, Whitechapel | Conventional | "Tuned ¼" Tuned 1951 Mears & Stainbank | |
® | 7 | 14-1-27 | 42⅞" | F | 1952 | Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel | Flat | |||
® | Tenor | 19-1-0 | 48½" | E♭ | 1897 | Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel | Conventional | |||
Priest's Bell | ½ cwt approx. | 13¼" | A♭ | Unknown |
Bellframes |
Frame | Bells | Year | Maker | Material | Truss(es) | Local Layout | |||
1 | All bells | 1774 | Pack & Chapman, Whitechapel | Timber | 8 |
Of the 1774 ring of eight (cast weights given) |
Bell | Weight (most recent) | Diameter | Date | Founder | Retuned | Fate | |
Treble (of 8) | 6-0-8 | 29½" | 1774 | Pack & Chapman | "Maiden bell" | Recast 1951 | |
2nd (of 8) | 6-2-1 | 30¼" | 1774 | Pack & Chapman | "Maiden bell" | Recast 1951 | |
3rd (of 8) | 6-2-22 | 31⅞" | 1774 | Pack & Chapman | "Maiden bell" | Recast 1951 | |
7th (of 8) | 14-0-9 | 43" | 1774 | Pack & Chapman | "Tuned ¼" | Recast 1951 | |
Tenor (of 8) | 19-3-5 | 48½" | 1774 | Pack & Chapman | "Maiden bell" | Recast 1897 |
1913 recast |
Bell | Weight (most recent) | Diameter | Date | Founder | Retuned | Fate | |
Treble (of 2) | 6-0-8 | 29½" | 1913 | Mears & Stainbank | Never | Recast 1951 |
History |
c | 1700 | The Sanctus Bell was recast. | |
1774 | Ring of 8 cast by Pack & Chapman to replace an earlier ring of 6. | ||
1837 | There was a disagreement between the ringers and Vicar. The ringers wanted to ring the bells to celebrate the return of their Liberal MP to Parliament. However the Vicar, who was a Tory told the ringers to be silent. One of the ringers taunted the Vicar saying that his cure consisted of 'souls' not 'bells' and that he should but out. The ringers appealed to the MP, who did not want to make an issue out of this. The Vicar made up with the ringers by presenting them with a sovereign, but reminded them that if they tried that trick again, he would have them in court! [1] | ||
1879 | Church completely restored and a second south aisle added. | ||
1897 | Tenor recast by Mears & Stainbank. | ||
1913 | Treble recast by Mears & Stainbank. | ||
1948 | John Taylor & Co. visited the tower and condemned the frame. They found the 7th cracked and quoted for recasting it and tuning the other secen with all new fittings and frames (including for the Priest's bell. They also quoted for recasting the lot (except the Priest's bell) to a new eight, 19 cwt in E ("along the lines of the bells we cast for St George, Gravesend or The Annunciation, Chislehurst"). | ||
1951 | Bells 1, 2, 3 and 7 recast by Mears & Stainbank. |
[1] | Public Dinner to T. L. Hodges, Esq., M.P., at Tonbridge: One circumstance connected with this dinner requires particular notice. On the second day of the election, the loyal and Liberal inhabitants of Tonbridge wishes to celebrate the return of Mr. Hodges - the "Old English Gentleman" - in an Old English manner - namely, by having a joyful peal upon their own church bells, which they probably bought, and certainly keep in repair, out of their church-rates. The ringers had been engaged with their usual skill for some time and everybody’s heart was dancing with glee, - when the Tory Vicar, Sir Charles Hardinge, entered the belfry, and commanded the ringers to be silent. We hear that one of them had spirit enough to remind the Rev. Vicar that his cure consisted, not of "bells" but of "souls;" and that he would follow out the injunctions of his meek and lowly master, by applying his zeal to the body of his church rather than the belfry! The ringers, however, consulted the Liberals, who, like loyal and peaceful subjects as they are, preferred losing the music of their bells to a squabble with their spiritual shepherd; and, in the words of a shrewd correspondent, "left the worthy Vicar in the full, quiet, and peaceful possession of 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. bob, dodge, etc." On the next day the heart of the Vicar softened a little, and, with the caprice which seems his great characteristic, he presented the ringers with a sovereign! Subsequently his heart became as hard as Pharoah’s, and he declared that if any person dared to ring the bells he would bring an action (of ecclesiastical waste, we presume!) against him, in the Ecclesiastical Court! Application was made in the usual form to Mr Jewhurst, the Churchwarden; but not a clapper was permitted to way in the cause of Reform, although Mr. Jewhurst, in addressing the first reform meeting that was held in Tonbridge, very truly stated that "the cause of reform founded on righteousness!" (South Eastern Gazette - Tues 22 Aug 1837) |
Gallery |
The belfry, with the tenor in the foreground. Photo: Dickon Love, 31 Dec 2004 |
The Sanctus bell hung in its own pit in the frame. Photo: Dickon Love, 31 Dec 2004 |
Peal Boards |
Photo: Richard A Smith, 22 August 2018 |
Photo: Richard A Smith, 22 August 2018 |
Photo: Richard A Smith, 22 August 2018 |
Photo: Richard A Smith, 22 August 2018 |
Photo: Richard A Smith, 22 August 2018 |
Photo: Richard A Smith, 22 August 2018 |
Photo: Richard A Smith, 22 August 2018 |
Photo: Richard A Smith, 22 August 2018 |
Photo: Richard A Smith, 22 August 2018 |
Love's Guide to the Church Bells of Kent | Page updated: 28 June 2020 |