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Boughton Aluph
 

Boughton Aluph, All Saints


Photo: Richard Offen, 2011

  • No bells, formerly 5 bells hung for full circle ringing
  • Tenor: 13-2-10 in F♯.
  • Formerly ring of 5, tenor 13-2-10. Scrapped.
  • Grid Ref: TR033481
  • Rung from: Ground Floor
  • Denomination: Church of England
    Diocese (Anglican): Canterbury
    Archdeaconry (Anglican): Canterbury


Bellframes

Frame Bells Year Maker Material Truss(es) Local
Layout
1A 3,4,5 c.1650 Timber
3.1
1B 1,2 timber strip on south wall, now removed 1652 Timber
2.X1

Prior to their scrapping in 1952

Bell Weight
(most recent)
DiameterNoteDateFounderRetunedFate
Treble4½ cwt approx.28½"C♯1653William HatchNeverScrapped in 1952.
2nd5 cwt approx.29"B1652William HatchNeverScrapped in 1952.
3rd7¾ cwt approx.35"A♯c.1510William CulverdenNeverScrapped in 1952.
4th8¾ cwt approx.37"G♯1702Richard PhelpsNeverScrapped in 1952.
Tenor13-2-1040½"F♯c.1540William OldfieldNeverScrapped in 1952.

History

1510 Bell cast by William Culverden.
c 1540 Tenor (of 4) cast by William Oldfield.
1552 Record of 4 bells in the tower.
1652 -3 Bells augmented to 5 with two new bells from William Hatch.
1702 4th (of 5) recast by Richard Phelps.
1757 Record of 5 bells in the tower. [1]
1887 Stahlschmidt reported the bells as being dilapidated and the treble being cracked.
1942 The church tower was damaged by a fire bomb.
1945 The belfry was reported to be in a terrible condition - the SW corner was badly burned by the bomb, the treble was broken at the lip (but still sounded fair) and the tenor was cracked.
1952 January Bells controversially sold for scrap to Gillett & Johnston. Part of the tenor inscription band was saved by Ranald Clouston who later presented it to the Canterbury Heritage Centre for display. The metal was used for the St Nicholas Aberdeen Carillon.
1954 The frame was repaired, although no bells have hung in it ever since.
[1] "This Church consists of Two Chancells, The Body, 2 Isles, and a Cross One or Transept. The Tower, in which hang 5 Bells (The Inscriptions upon which it was to dark for Me to read) is in ye Middle of ye Church, and stands upon Four Stout Pillars." (Rev’d Bryan Faussett, 1757)

Gallery


The door to the tower.
Photo: Christopher J Cooper, 2001

The frame, now devoid of its ancient bells.
Photo: Christopher J Cooper, 2001

Stahlschmidt described this as "a grand old belfry in a very dilapidated condition".
Photo: Christopher J Cooper, 2001

The view most people don't see - from the south side. This photo was taken in 1942 just prior to the incendiary damage to the tower. The tower was restored in 1954 but without the bells.
Photo: David Cawley collection

This is a postcard of the inside of the church taken in c. 1910. It shows the vast ringing area under the central tower and three of the ropes.
Photo: David Cawley collection

View of the church from the south east.
Photo: David Cawley, 23 Nov 2002

View of the church from the east.
Photo: David Cawley, 23 Nov 2002


Photo: David Cawley

Drawings of the Frame


Heads and Cills of the frame as drawn by David Cawley.
Photo: David Cawley, 21st Oct, 1964.

Conjectural Plan of Frame and Tower with bells in situ - pre 1952. Trebles resting on gudgeons let into timber in south wall, now removed. There are rope holes in the ceiling of the ground floor indicating from where they would have been rung.
Photo: David Cawley, 21st Oct, 1964.


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