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Westerham
 

Westerham, St Mary


  • 8 bells hung for full circle ringing
  • Tenor: 23-0-17 in E♭.
  • Grid Ref: TQ447540
  • Rung from: Ground Floor
  • Frame: 1892 John Taylor & Co., made of oak with iron struts
  • Denomination: Church of England
    Diocese (Anglican): Rochester
  • Kent County Association of Change Ringers District: Tonbridge
  • Building Listed Grade: II* Click for Heritage details.
  • Peals rung at the tower

Details of the Bells

Bell Weight
(most recent)
Diameter Note Date Founder Canons Retuned
® Treble 5-3-2130½" E♭ 1837 Thomas Mears II, Whitechapel Removed
® 2 6-1-231" D 1837 Thomas Mears II, Whitechapel Removed
® 3 7-1-1034" C 1837 Thomas Mears II, Whitechapel Removed
® 4 7-1-2636" B♭ 1837 Thomas Mears II, Whitechapel Removed
® 5 9-2-338.5" A♭ 1837 Thomas Mears II, Whitechapel Removed
® 6 11-1-041" G 1837 Thomas Mears II, Whitechapel Removed
® 7 15-2-1545" F 1837 Thomas Mears II, Whitechapel Removed
® Tenor 23-0-1748" E♭ 1892 John Taylor & Co., Loughborough Flat

®  - Hung for full circle ringing

Bellframes

Frame Bells Year Maker Material Truss(es) Local
Layout
1 All bells 1892 John Taylor & Co., Loughborough

Inscriptions

Earlier tenors

Bell Weight
(most recent)
DiameterDateFounderRetunedFate
Tenor (of 8)18-1-1748½"1858George Mears & Co.NeverRecast 1892
Tenor (of 8)19-0-91722Richard PhelpsNeverRecast 1858

History

1722 Tenor cast.
1837 Front 7 bells added or recast by Thomas Mears.
1858 Tenor recast by George Mears.
1892 Tenor recast and bells rehung in a new frame by John Taylor, as gift by Mary Selina Griffith.
1913 Tenor rehung by John Taylor.
1936 Gillett & Johnston quoted £265 for rehanging the bells with new metal headstocks, plus new fittings and one eighth turning.
1937 Mears & Stainbank quoted £126.7.0 for new gudgeons & bearings, but no tuning, and complained about the state of the installation, with grease from the bearings all over the place; it was "impossible to go among the bells without getting extremely dirty".
1948 Gillett & Johnston updated their 1936 quote to include cast iron headstocks, turning and tuning, to £595. Mears quoted £244 for much the same work as they had in 1937, specifically saying that no tuning was required. In August the Mears quote was accepted, although there appear to be problems getting the work done. The work was the gift of Mr and Mrs R. A. Vestey.
1949 May There was a letter from Westerham stating, "... we would therefore urge you to do everything possible to start work and complete it in good time before 2 October [Dedication Festival]".
1971 Bells rehung by Whitechapel, this time using new headstocks.

Gallery


Detail of the beautiful lettering on the inscription band of the tenor.
Photo: Dickon Love, 31 Dec 2004

View of the belfry.
Photo: Dickon Love, 31 Dec 2004

View of the belfry. Tenor in foreground.
Photo: Dickon Love, 31 Dec 2004


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