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Lee, St Margaret
 Photo: David Cawley
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Details of the Bells |
| Bell | Weight (most recent) | Diameter | Note | Date | Founder | Retuned |
| 1 | 0-2-21 | 14" | G | 1963 | Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel | |
| Sharp 2 | 0-2-22 | 14½" | F♯ | 1963 | Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel | |
| 2 | 0-2-21 | 15" | F | 1963 | Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel | |
| 3 | 0-3-25 | 15½" | E | 1963 | Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel | |
| 4 | 1-1-5 | 17" | D | 1963 | Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel | |
| Sharp 5 | 1-2-11 | 18" | C♯ | 1963 | Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel | |
| 5 | 1-2-24 | 19" | C | 1963 | Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel | |
| 6 | 1-3-17 | 20" | B | 1963 | Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel | |
| Sharp 7 | 2-0-17 | 21" | A♯ | 1963 | Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel | |
| 7 | 2-1-26 | 22" | A | 1963 | Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel | |
| 8 | 3-0-9 | 24" | G | 1963 | Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel | |
| Sharp 9 | 3-2-6 | 25" | F♯ | 1963 | Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel | |
| 9 | 3-3-3 | 26" | F | 1963 | Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel | |
| 10 | 3-3-17 | 27" | E | 1963 | Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel | |
| 11 | 4-3-10 | 29" | D | 1963 | Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel | |
| 12 | 6-0-10 | 32" | C | 1963 | Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel |
Prior to 1963. |
| Bell | Weight (most recent) |
Diameter | Note | Date | Founder | Retuned | Fate |
| Treble | 4-1-27 | 26" | F | 1886 | Mears & Stainbank | Never | Weighed in 1886 as 4-2-3 |
| 2nd | 4-2-21 | 28" | E | 1874 | Mears & Stainbank | Never | Weighed in 1874 as 4-0-26 |
| 3rd | 5-0-17 | 29½" | D | 1874 | Mears & Stainbank | Never | Weighed in 1874 as 5-0-26 |
| 4th | 6-0-16 | 31½" | C | 1874 | Mears & Stainbank | Never | Weight in 1874 as 6-0-2 |
| 5th | 6-1-19 | 33" | B♭ | 1840 | Thomas Mears II | Never | Weighed in 1840 as 6-2-3 |
| 6th | 7-0-13 | 34" | A | 1840 | Thomas Mears II | Never | Weighed in 1840 as 7-0-7 |
| 7th | 10-0-5 | 39" | G | 1840 | Thomas Mears II | Never | Weighed in 1840 as 10-0-4 |
| Tenor | 14-1-13 | 43" | F | 1886 | Mears & Stainbank | Never | Weighed in 1886 as 14-1-5 |
History |
| 1552 | Record of 3 bells that used to hang in the old church across the road from the present one. | ||
| 1813 | -14 | Church rebuilt by Joseph Gwilt. | |
| 1839 | -41 | Church rebuilt by John Brown of Norwich, architect. | |
| 1840 | Dec | 3 new bells were supplied by Mears & Stainbank with clappers, fittings and frame at the new church. | |
| 1841 | April | The 3 old church bells were taken by Mears & Stainbank in part exchange for the work they had done the previous year. Weights of two of them were listed as 5-2-12 and 6-2-4. | |
| 1874 | 3 more treble bells were added by Mears & Stainbank to create a minor 6. | ||
| 1875 | Church remodelled by James Brooks, architect. | ||
| 1886 | 19th Feb | Whitechapel Daybook records new treble and tenor supplied with two clappers and 2 pairs of gudgeons and shields, £110.15.6. The bells hung in a FIVE tier frame! | |
| 1895 | -6 | The 8 bells were rehung. | |
| 1956 | 10th Mar | The bells became very awkward to ring and were undermining the fabric of the church. They were last rung (it is believed) on this date. | |
| 1963 | The bells were recast into a chime of 16 in memory of Mildred Hunter who died at Lee in 1962. The bells were hung from the old frame. A clavier room was set up in the old ringing room where old peal boards are still preserved. |
Gallery |
North, Central & South Elevations: Central (main) frame 1874 for 6 bells; Side frames 1886 to accommodate 2 extra bells. Adapted 1963 to hold 16 chiming bells. Photo: Sketch taken from a visit made by David Cawley in April, 2001. |
East Elevation of bell frame as existing Main braces removed East Side only. Steel centre-posts inserted 1963 Transmission frame and bars fitted outside for 16 bell chime. West elevation mirrors original elevation of central 6-bell frame. Photo: Sketch taken from a visit made by David Cawley in April, 2001. |
Sketch plan of bells in frame. North is to the left. Top tier (originally holding 3 & 4 of 6) Centre tier (originally holding 2 & 5 of 6) (added on augmentation beneath; 6th bell moved) Base tier (originally holding 1 & 6 of 6) (added on augmentation Photo: Sketch taken from a visit made by David Cawley in April, 2001. |
Peal boards and details of the former ring of bells (commissioned as a condition of the faculty to recast the bells). Photo: David Cawley, 2001 |
A better view of the old 5-tier timber frame. Photo: David Cawley, 2001 |
The transmission frame and rods and some of the chiming bells, hung in the old bell frame. Photo: David Cawley, 2001 |
Some of the chiming bells. Photo: David Cawley, 2001 |
The clavier at work in the old ringing room of the tower. John Knox, Secretary of the British Carillion Society is at the clavier, watched by Clive Smith, Captain of Lichfield Cathedral and co-carilloneur at Saltley (who was in the band which last rang th Photo: David Cawley, 2001 |
An image of the old church in 1795. Photo: David Cawley collection |
| Love's Guide to the Church Bells of Kent | Page updated: 1 April 2016 |