Stelling, St Mary
Photo: Dickon Love, Oct 1987 (shortly after the great hurricane) |
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Details of the Bells |
Bell | Weight (most recent) | Diameter | Note | Date | Founder | Canons | Retuned | ||
® | 1 | 4 cwt approx. | 25¹³⁄₁₆" | E | c. 1325 | Unknown | Never | ||
® | 2 | 5 cwt approx. | 29⁹⁄₁₆" | D | Late 15th Cent | London "Balcombe Shield" | Never | ||
® | 3 | 7¼ cwt approx. | 34" | C | Late 15th Cent | London "Balcombe Shield" | Never |
Inscriptions |
History |
c | 1430 | The present 3 bells were cast, the blank treble probably earlier than the other two, which appear to be a pair. | |
1756 | Record of 3 bells in the tower. [1] | ||
1799 | Hasted makes no mention of the bells. [2] | ||
1887 | The bells were inspected by J C L Stahlschmidt who wrote about them. [3] | ||
c | 1985 | 1980s | In the 1980s, the bells had been swing chimed. Ellacombe apparatus was then installed to allow the bells to be chimed with hammers. |
[1] | "This Church has a very Low Tower to it, in which hang 3 Bells with ye following Inscriptions, except ye 1st wch. has None. 1. No Inscription. 2. Vox Sancti Austini sonnet in Arce Dei 3. Sanca Katharine Ora pro Nobis." (Rev’d Bryan Faussett, 1756) |
[2] | ('The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent', Edward Hasted) |
[3] | The treble is rather a puzzle - it has ornamented cannons, and is rather longer in the waist than the other two. Casting rather rough. Possibly the oldest of the three. The whole three, so far as frame and fittings are concerned, are in a disgraceful state of repair. They have not been rung for years; and I am really in doubt, as regards the two larger, whether it is quite safe even to chime them. It is a thousand pities to see an untouched mediaeval peal no better cared for. ("Church Bells of Kent", Stahlschmidt, J C L, 1887) |
Elsewhere in the Parish |
Bossingham, Bossingham Primary School |
Love's Guide to the Church Bells of Kent | Page updated: 4 April 2020 |