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West Malling
 

West Malling, St Mary the Virgin


  • 8 bells hung for full circle ringing
  • Tenor: 10-1-9 in F♯.
  • Grid Ref: TQ678575
  • Rung from: Ground Floor
  • Denomination: Church of England
    Diocese (Anglican): Rochester
  • Kent County Association of Change Ringers District: Maidstone
  • Building Listed Grade: II* 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 3-3-204-3-1627" F♯ 1869 Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel Removed 1998 Whitechapel
® 2 4-2-35-1-1328½" E♯ 1869 Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel Removed 1998 Whitechapel
® 3 4-0-1328½" D♯ 1677 John & Christopher Hodson, Whitechapel Conventional 1998 Whitechapel
® 4 4-1-229½" C♯ 1637 John Wilnar, Borden, Kent Conventional 1998 Whitechapel
® 5 5-2-731½" B 1698 James Bartlett, Whitechapel Conventional 1998 Whitechapel
® 6 6-2-2334" A♯ 1637 John Wilnar, Borden, Kent Conventional 1998 Whitechapel
® 7 8-0-2337½" G♯ 1637 John Wilnar, Borden, Kent Removed 1998 Whitechapel
® Tenor 10-1-912-1-240½" F♯ 1869 Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel Removed 1998 Whitechapel

®  - Hung for full circle ringing

Bellframes

Frame Bells Year Maker Material Truss(es) Local
Layout
1 All bells 1884 Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel Oak
8.3

Inscriptions

Earlier bells

Bell Weight
(most recent)
DiameterDateFounderRetunedFate
Treble (of 8)4-0-2326"1884Mears & StainbankNeverRecast 1885
2nd (of 8)4-3-1127½"1884Mears & StainbankNeverRecast 1885
Tenor (of 6)1677John & Christopher HodsonNeverRecast 1869

History

1637 Present 4th, 6th and 7th cast.
1677 Tenor and treble (of 6) cast by John & Christopher Hodson.
1698 3rd (of 6) recast by James Bartlett.
1837 Spire erected.
1869 Tenor recast. Stahlschmidt reported that 2 trebles were added by Mears & Stainbank at this time to make 8 by Mears & Stainbank. This is disputed by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry.
1885 2 Trebles recast by Mears & Stainbank.
1951 Bells rehung on ball bearings.
1959 Bells unringable for 9 monhths while repairs to the tower were made involving the removal of much oak in a dangerous condition and the structure was reinforced by steel girders and brick.
1971 7th rehung on a new headstock.
1978 Tenor rehung on a new headstock.
1998 Bells retuned and rehung by Whitechapel.

Articles

  • "Last quarter on the bells", Howard, Kathy (The Ringing World) 28 February 1998


  • Love's Guide to the Church Bells of Kent Page updated: 1 April 2016