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Bredgar
 

Bredgar, St John the Baptist


  • 6 bells hung for full circle ringing
  • Tenor: 9-1-6 in G.
  • Grid Ref: TQ879603
  • Rung from: Ground Floor
  • Frame: 1967 Mears & Stainbank
  • Denomination: Church of England
    Diocese (Anglican): Canterbury
    Archdeaconry (Anglican): Maidstone
  • Kent County Association of Change Ringers District: Rochester
  • Building Listed Grade: I Click for Heritage details.
  • Peals rung at the tower

Details of the Bells

Bell Weight
(most recent)*
Diameter Note Date Founder Canons Retuned
® Treble 3-3-126¾" E 1967 Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel Flat 1967 Mears & Stainbank
® 2 4-0-2728" D 1967 Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel Flat 1967 Mears & Stainbank
® 3 4-3-2030¼" C 1692 Jacob Bartlet, Whitechapel Conventional 1967 Mears & Stainbank
® 4 5-3-2232³⁄₁₆" B 1650 John Wilnar, Borden, Kent Conventional 1967 Mears & Stainbank
® 5 7-1-2235¹¹⁄₁₆" A 1579 Robert Mot, Whitechapel Conventional 1967 Mears & Stainbank
® Tenor 9-1-639" G 1634 John Wilnar, Borden, Kent Conventional 1967 Mears & Stainbank

* Source of weight figures: WBF Records
®  - Hung for full circle ringing

Bellframes

Frame Bells Year Maker Material Truss(es) Local
Layout
1 All bells 1967 Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel

Inscriptions

Earlier bells

Bell Weight
(most recent)
DiameterDateFounderRetunedFate
Tenor (of 5)11-2-2540½"1842Thomas Mears IINeverRecast into 2 trebles, 1967
Tenor (of 5)11-2-8Pre-reformationUnknownNeverRecast 1842

History

1579 Present 5th cast (then the 3rd)
1634 Present tenor cast (then the 4th)
1650 Present 4th cast (then the 2nd)
1692 Present 3rd cast (then the treble).
1760 Record of 5 bells, the tenor of which was dedicated to St John, and struck the hours.
1842 Pre-Reformation tenor recast by Thomas Mears.
1967 Tenor scrapped, the Lydian ring of 5 bells were retuned into a diatonic scale and rehung with 2 new trebles to form a ring of 6, by Mears & Stainbank.

Articles

  • "Bredgar's historic bells ring out again", Cawley, David L (The Ringing World) 27 October 1967
  • Gallery


    The Rev. Stanley Evans, vicar, helps to manhandle one of the bells.
    Photo: David Cawley collection.


    Love's Guide to the Church Bells of Kent Page updated: 27 December 2022