West Wickham, St John the Baptist
Photo: Dickon Love |
♫ Sound clip of the ring of bells.(Dickon R Love, 2005) |
Details of the Bells |
Bell | Weight (most recent) | Diameter | Note | Date | Founder | Canons | Retuned | ||
® | Treble | 4-1-0 | 27" | D♯ | 1938 | John Taylor & Co., Loughborough | Flat | Never | |
® | 2 | 5 cwt approx. | 29¼" | C♯ | 1640 | Brian Eldridge, Chertsey | Removed | Never | |
® | 3 | 5-1-21 | 31" | B | 1857 | Charles & George Mears, Whitechapel | Removed | Never | |
® | 4 | 6½ cwt approx | 33½" | A♯ | 1669 | John Hodson, Whitechapel | Removed | Never | |
® | 5 | 8-2-26 | 36½" | G♯ | 1958 | Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel | Flat | Never | |
® | Tenor | 13 cwt approx. | 42" | F♯ | 1640 | Brian Eldridge, Chertsey | Removed | Never |
Inscriptions |
Earlier bells |
Bell | Weight (most recent) | Diameter | Date | Founder | Retuned | Fate | |
5th (of 6) | 8-1-21 | 37" | 1624 | Brian Eldridge | Never | Recast 1958 | |
3rd (of 6) | 5-3-4 | 33½" | Unknown | Recast 1857 |
History |
1552 | Record of 4 bells. [1] | ||
1624 | 4th (of 5) recast by Brian Eldridge. | ||
1640 | Treble and tenor (of 5) cast or recast by Brian Eldridge. | ||
1669 | 3rd (of 5) recast by John Hodson. | ||
1847 | Tower rebuilt by Whichcord and Whichcord. | ||
1857 | 2nd (of 5) recast by Charles and George Mears. | ||
1927 | Bells "repaired" by Gillett & Johnston. | ||
1938 | Treble added to make 6 by John Taylor and hung in a frame above the other 5. Taylors also rehung the remaining bells. | ||
1939 | 28th June | New treble dedicated. | |
1958 | 5th recast by Mears & Stainbank. |
[1] | Item iiij grete bells suted in the steple and a Saints bell of brasse. (Edwardian Inventory, 1552) |
Gallery |
Rubbings of the inscriptions on the bells, as displayed in the church. Photo: Dickon Love |
Love's Guide to the Church Bells of Kent | Page updated: 1 April 2016 |