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Boughton under Blean
 

Boughton under Blean, Ss Peter & Paul


Photo: Richard Offen, 2007

  • 8 bells hung for full circle ringing
  • Tenor: 11-0-6 in F♯.
  • Grid Ref: TR047585
  • Rung from: Upstairs Ringing Room
  • Frame: 1886 John Warner & Sons made of time. Extended 1920 by Mears & Stainbank with a cast iron frame above containing bells 2 and 3.
  • Denomination: Church of England
    Diocese (Anglican): Canterbury
    Archdeaconry (Anglican): Maidstone
  • Kent County Association of Change Ringers District: Canterbury
  • Building Listed Grade: I Click for Heritage details.
  • Peals rung at the tower

Details of the Bells

Bell Weight
(most recent)

(Published prior to retuning in 2003)
Diameter Note Date Founder Canons Retuned
® Treble 4-0-1426" F♯ 2003 Whitechapel Bell Foundry Flat Never
® 2 4-0-2526¾" E♯ 2003 Whitechapel Bell Foundry Flat Never
® 3 4-3-05-0-1728¾" D♯ 1775 Pack & Chapman, Whitechapel Removed 2003 Whitechapel
® 4 5-2-186-0-1630¾" C♯ 1775 Pack & Chapman, Whitechapel Removed 2003 Whitechapel
® 5 6-0-227-0-632¹¹⁄₁₆" B 1775 Pack & Chapman, Whitechapel Removed 2003 Whitechapel
® 6 6-3-67-2-2033¾" A♯ 1775 Pack & Chapman, Whitechapel Removed 2003 Whitechapel
® 7 9-0-337" G♯ 1979 Whitechapel Bell Foundry Flat Never
® Tenor 11-0-612½ cwt approx.41⅜" F♯ 1886 John Warner & Sons Removed 2003 Whitechapel

®  - Hung for full circle ringing

Bellframes

Position
Frame Bells Year Maker Material Truss(es) Local
Layout
Lower tier 1 1,4,5,6,7,8 1886 John Warner & Sons Pine
6.D
6.9
Upper tier 2 2,3 1920 Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel Cast iron
8.3.A.h
2.X1

Inscriptions

Prior to 1775

Bell DateFounderRetunedFate
1 (of 6)1927UnknownNeverProbably by Samuel Knight. Recast 1775..
2 (of 6)UnknownUnknownNeverRecast 1775.
3 (of 6)UnknownUnknownNeverRecast 1775.
4 (of 6)MediaevalUnknownNeverOriginally the 2nd from Selling. Recast 1775.
5 (of 6)UnknownUnknownNeverRecast 1775.
6 (of 6)UnknownUnknownNeverRecast 1775.

Amendments to the 1775 ring

Bell Weight
(most recent)
DiameterNoteDateFounderRetunedFate
Treble (of 8)4-1-1326⅜"G1890Mears & StainbankNeverRecast 2003.
2nd (of 8)4-3-1927⅜"F1890Mears & StainbankNeverRecast 2003.
7th (of 8)9-1-937¾"A1775Pack & ChapmanNeverRecast 1979.Cast weight given; tuned 1/16.
Tenor (of 6)12-1-1242"G1775Pack & ChapmanNeverRecast 1886.

History

1566 Record of 3 bells in the tower.
1589 Record of 4 bells in the tower.
1624 -5 Tenor recast and bells repaired. There was a record of 5 bells in the tower. The tenor bore the name of its donor "Sir Humphrey Tufton".
1729 Bells augmented to 6 with the addition of a treble by subscription, probably cast by Samuel Knight.
1766 The poor 4th bell (of 6) was replaced with the old 2nd (of 4) at Selling as it was a much better match. Selling at this point had a new ring of 6 cast.
1767 W. Potter (?John Potter, bellhanger) was paid for the work of the previous year (payment dated June).
1774 Thomas Sweetlove was contracted to rehang the bells. The work was started before the parish decided to have them recast. The bells went up to London in June.
1775 The new ring of 6 returned from London - a very quick turnaround. They were cast by Pack & Chapman (dated 8 Sept).
1793 Zechariah Cozens noted the inscriptions on the ring of 6 bells and gave some notes as to the history of the bells. [1]
1886 Tenor recast and bells rehung in a new timber frame by John Warner.
1890 Octave completed with 2 trebles in the adapted frame.
1920 The frame for the 2nd and 3rd was replaced with a new cast iron frame by Mears & Stainbank.
1936 Rehung by Mears & Stainbank when the tower was restored.
1979 7th recast by Whitechapel after efforts to find a suitable replacement bell failed.
2003 Treble and 2nd recast. The remainder retuned and all rehung with completely new fittings in the existing 2 tier frame. They were first rung on 15th December and dedicated on 25th January the following year.
[1] In the steeple of this church there was for many years a peal of five bells; and, in 1729, a treble bells was, by subscription of the parishioners, &c. added, to make them six. In 1766, when the old bells of the neighbouring parish of Selling were re-cast, an exchange was made of the fourth bell for the second of Selling peal, which made that of Boughton more tunable. In 1775, the said peal of six were re-cast, and hung in a new frame; and have on them, the following inscriptions: [inscriptions given]. (A Tour the the Isle of Thanet and Some other Parts of East Kent, Cozens, Zechariah, 1793)

Ringing room pictures


The ringing room.
Photo: Dickon R Love, 27 Nov 2023

Handbells on display.
Photo: Dickon R Love, 27 Nov 2023

Belfry pictures


The tenor.
Photo: Dickon R Love, 27 Nov 2023

The tenor.
Photo: Dickon R Love, 27 Nov 2023

The 3rd.
Photo: Dickon R Love, 27 Nov 2023

The lower pine frame.
Photo: Dickon R Love, 27 Nov 2023

The upper cast iron frame.
Photo: Dickon R Love, 27 Nov 2023

The 5th.
Photo: Dickon R Love, 27 Nov 2023


Photo: Dickon R Love, 27 Nov 2023


Photo: Dickon R Love, 27 Nov 2023


Photo: Dickon R Love, 27 Nov 2023

The 2nd.
Photo: Dickon R Love, 27 Nov 2023

The 3rd.
Photo: Dickon R Love, 27 Nov 2023

The 4th.
Photo: Dickon R Love, 27 Nov 2023

The 3rd.
Photo: Dickon R Love, 27 Nov 2023

Bells 2 and 3.
Photo: Dickon R Love, 27 Nov 2023

The 7th.
Photo: Dickon R Love, 27 Nov 2023

The 6th.
Photo: Dickon R Love, 27 Nov 2023

The 7th.
Photo: Dickon R Love, 27 Nov 2023

The 4th.
Photo: Dickon R Love, 27 Nov 2023

The treble.
Photo: Dickon R Love, 27 Nov 2023

The treble.
Photo: Dickon R Love, 27 Nov 2023

The treble.
Photo: Dickon R Love, 27 Nov 2023

The 2nd.
Photo: Dickon R Love, 27 Nov 2023

The tenor.
Photo: Dickon R Love, 27 Nov 2023

Peal Boards

Timber Performance Board dated approx. 1890
11 Feb 1890: 5040 Minor (2m)

Photo: Andrew Hills, 6 July 2019

Timber Performance Board dated approx. 1888
01 Apr 1888: 720 Plain Bob Minor (1st peal by the local company.)

Photo: Andrew Hills, 6 July 2019

Timber Performance Board dated approx. 1886
18 Jun 1886: 720 [Not given] (On the reopening of the bells.)

Photo: Andrew Hills, 6 July 2019

Timber Performance Board dated approx. 1992
24 Apr 1992: 5022 Yorkshire S Major (1st peal since recasting the 7th.)

Photo: Andrew Hills, 6 July 2019



Love's Guide to the Church Bells of Kent Page updated: 27 November 2023