Thurnham, St Mary the Virgin
Photo: Richard Offen, 2005 |
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Details of the Bells |
Bell | Weight (most recent) | Diameter | Note | Date | Founder | Canons | Retuned | ||
® | Treble | D | 1886 | John Warner & Sons | Never | ||||
® | 2 | C | 1886 | John Warner & Sons | Never | ||||
® | Tenor | 6 cwt approx. | B♭ | 1886 | John Warner & Sons | Never |
Prior to 1886 |
Bell | Weight (most recent) | Diameter | Date | Founder | Retuned | Fate | |
1 of 3 | 3 cwt approx. | 28½" | 1650 | Unknown | Never | Recast 1886 | |
2 of 3 | 6 cwt approx. | 32" | 1650 | Unknown | Never | Recast 1886 | |
3 of 3 | 7½ cwt approx. | 34½" | 1586 | Lawrence Wright | Never | Recast 1886 |
History |
1586 | Bell cast by Lawrence Wright. Henry Brockhill (mentioned in the inscription) was Lord of the Manor and patron of St Peter's, Aldington. The churches of Aldington and Thurnham were united 3 years earlier. | ||
1798 | Record of 3 bells in the tower. [1] | ||
1886 | The three bells were recast by John Warner & Sons. | ||
1887 | Stahlschmidt reported 3 bells were reported to be in a bad condition - one unused and two reported to be cracked. He considered the 2 trebles to be 17th Century bells. [2] | ||
1973 | Bells put into good ringing order by the Kent C.A. | ||
2000 | A kitchen & toilet was installed at the base of the tower without consideration for the ringing of the bells. All ringing had to therefore cease pending reroping of the bells. |
[1] | The church, which is dedicated to St. Mary, is a small building, consisting of one isle and two chancels, having a low pointed steeple at the west end, in which hang three bells. ('The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent. Vol 5', Edward Hasted) |
[2] | All three bells in bad order - one unused, and two reported to be cracked - but I think a judicious overhauling would prove this not to be the case with more than one, if that. The two smaller bells are probably seventeenth century work. ("Church Bells of Kent", J C L Stahlschmidt, 1887) |
Love's Guide to the Church Bells of Kent | Page updated: 1 April 2016 |