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Bilsington
 

Bilsington, Ss Peter & Paul


Photo: Dickon Love, Dec 2004

Details of the Bells

Bell Weight
(most recent)
Diameter Note Date Founder Canons Retuned
Single bell 5-0-429" D♭ 1931 Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel Never
҈ Display bell 9 cwt approx.38½" G William Chamberlain Never

 - Hung dead
҈    - Unhung

Inscriptions

Prior to 1931

Bell Weight
(most recent)
DiameterDateFounderRetunedFate
Treble (of 2)5 cwt approx.29"1710Richard PhelpsNeverRecast 1931

History

c 1440 Present tenor cast by William Chamberlain.
1552 T.R.E. records iij belles in the steple. [1]
c 1600 Frame for 4 was constructed. The 3rd pit was never occupied.
1710 Treble recast.
c 1750 -1800 2nd (of 3) sold.
1799 Record of 2 bells in the tower. [2]
1887 Stahlschmidt records 2 bells, both cracked, and that there were formerly 3.
1931 Treble again recast and rehung dead in the 4 bell frame with a lever clapper. The tenor was hung on display outside in a "wishing well" type structure.
1971 Survey by David Cawley reported the larger bell in the churchyard cracked at least 12" up the bell from the soundbow.
1988 10/08/2019 00:00:00 The old bell and housing outside the church was listed [3]
[1] Item iij belles in the steple. (Edwardian Inventory)
[2] The church, which is dedicated to St. Peter and St. Paul, is a small building, of but one isle and one chancel, having a low pointed wooden turret on the roof at the west end, in which are two bells. ('The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent. Vol 8.', Edward Hasted)
[3] TR 03 SW BILSINGTON NEWCHURCH ROAD (east side) 6/69 Bell and housing 1 metres south- west of Church of St. Peter and St. Paul GV II Bell and housing. C15 bell in housing of c.1900. Timber framed with plain tiled roof. Simple braced wooden frame with tiled pentice roof and bell hanging from central cross-beam. The bell was paid for by Henry Jordan, Fishmonger of London, and is inscribed "In multis annis resonet Campana Johannis". (Historic England Listings website (extracted 30 May 2016))

Gallery


The cracked Chamberlain bell hanging outside the church. (Pictured also are the Vicar, Rev'd Richard Love, and Tim Dean.)
Photo: Dickon Love, 27 Dec 2004

Facing west. Richard Love is in the pit formerly occupied by the Chamberlain bell. Three other pits are in the foreground. The pit to the far right is the one that contains the only bell in the tower.
Photo: Dickon Love, 27 Dec 2004

The Mears bell hung dead.
Photo: Dickon Love, 27 Dec 2004

A curved brace in the pit that used to contain the 2nd.
Photo: Dickon Love, 27 Dec 2004

The pit that has always been empty.
Photo: Dickon Love, 27 Dec 2004

The deadstock on the bell.
Photo: Dickon Love, 27 Dec 2004

The 1931 bell.
Photo: Dickon Love, 27 Dec 2004

The remains of the latchet style slider. Unusually it is wrought iron throughout.
Photo: Dickon Love, 27 Dec 2004

Looking south. The pit at the back is the one that has always been empty. The foreground pit used to contain the missing 2nd. The empty tenor pit is to the right.
Photo: Dickon Love, 27 Dec 2004

The inscription on the Chamberlain bell (and the following pictures).
Photo: Richard Offen


Photo: Richard Offen


Photo: Richard Offen


Photo: Richard Offen


Photo: Richard Offen


Photo: Richard Offen


Photo: Richard Offen


Photo: Richard Offen


Photo: Richard Offen


Photo: Richard Offen

Elsewhere in the Parish

Bilsington, St Augustine's Priory
2 bell clock chime


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