Love's Guide to the Church Bells of Kent

Untitled Document

Canterbury

Canterbury, St Mary Bredin (Old Church)

Photo: David Cawley collection

Church demolished, formerly ring of 3, tenor 2-1-8
Grid Ref: TR149576
Diocese: Canterbury
Building Listed Grade: . Click for Heritage details.

Bells partly destroyed 1st June 1942

Bell	Weight (most recent)	Diameter	Note	Date	Founder	Retuned	Fate
Treble of 3	1-1-10	19"		1711	Richard Phelps	Never	Incorporated into present bell.
2nd of 3	1-2-4	21½"		c.1500	Richard Kerner	Never	Incorporated into present bell
Tenor of 3	2-1-8	21⅞"		1505	Richard Kerner	Never	Preserved in the Canterbury Heritage Centre

History

c	1160		Church built.
	1349		The parish was united with that of St Edmund Ridingate after the Black Death.
c	1500		Present middle cast by Richard Kerner.
	1505		Present tenor cast.
	1552		Record of 3 bells in the tower.
	1711		Present treble recast.
	1868		Church entirely rebuilt and the bells were rehung in the octagonal tower.
	1942	1st June	On 1st October the church was gutted by bombing. The treble and two were squashed into a flat shape with only their canons projecting. The tenor was almost undamaged although quite porous in the soundbow and of poor tone. The church was demolished in October and the bells were salvaged.
	1957		A new church was built on a new site on the Old Dover Road. The 2 smaller bells were recast into a new bell to hang in this tower. The old tenor was kept on display under the tower.
c	1990		The old tenor was transferred as an exhibit to the Canterbury Heritage Centre in Stour Street.

Love's Guide to the Church Bells of Kent

Page updated: 22 May 2016