Untitled Document
  
Lee
 

Lee, St Margaret

Photo: David Cawley

  • 16 bells hung dead with clavier chime (formerly a ring of 8)
  • Tenor: 6-0-10 in C.
  • Grid Ref: TQ391757
  • Rung from: Upstairs Ringing Room
  • Diocese: Southwark
  • Building Listed Grade: II*. Click for Heritage details.

Details of the Bells
Bell Weight
(most recent)		Diameter Note Date Founder Retuned
1 0-2-2114" G 1963 Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel
Sharp 2 0-2-2214½" F♯ 1963 Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel
2 0-2-2115" F 1963 Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel
3 0-3-2515½" E 1963 Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel
4 1-1-517" D 1963 Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel
Sharp 5 1-2-1118" C♯ 1963 Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel
5 1-2-2419" C 1963 Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel
6 1-3-1720" B 1963 Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel
Sharp 7 2-0-1721" A♯ 1963 Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel
7 2-1-2622" A 1963 Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel
8 3-0-924" G 1963 Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel
Sharp 9 3-2-625" F♯ 1963 Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel
9 3-3-326" F 1963 Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel
10 3-3-1727" E 1963 Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel
11 4-3-1029" D 1963 Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel
12 6-0-1032" C 1963 Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel

Prior to 1963.
Bell Weight
(most recent)		 Diameter Note Date Founder Retuned Fate
Treble4-1-2726"F1886Mears & StainbankNeverWeighed in 1886 as 4-2-3
2nd4-2-2128"E1874Mears & StainbankNeverWeighed in 1874 as 4-0-26
3rd5-0-1729½"D1874Mears & StainbankNeverWeighed in 1874 as 5-0-26
4th6-0-1631½"C1874Mears & StainbankNeverWeight in 1874 as 6-0-2
5th6-1-1933"B♭1840Thomas Mears IINeverWeighed in 1840 as 6-2-3
6th7-0-1334"A1840Thomas Mears IINeverWeighed in 1840 as 7-0-7
7th10-0-539"G1840Thomas Mears IINeverWeighed in 1840 as 10-0-4
Tenor14-1-1343"F1886Mears & StainbankNeverWeighed 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.

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