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Chilham
 

Chilham, St Mary


Photo: Richard Offen 2005

  • 8 bells hung for full circle ringing
  • Tenor: 16-2-21 in E.
  • Grid Ref: TR068536
  • Rung from: Upstairs Ringing Room
  • Frame: 1912 John Warner & Sons
  • Denomination: Church of England
    Diocese (Anglican): Canterbury
    Archdeaconry (Anglican): Canterbury
  • Kent County Association of Change Ringers District: Canterbury
  • Building Listed Grade: I Click for Heritage details.
  • Peals rung at the tower

Details of the Bells

Bell Weight
(most recent)
Diameter Note Date Founder Canons Retuned
® Treble 5-0-1928" E 1883 John Taylor & Co., Loughborough Removed 1912 John Warner & Sons
® 2 6-0-1829" D♯ 1883 John Taylor & Co., Loughborough Removed 1912 John Warner & Sons
® 3 6-3-531" C♯ 1883 John Taylor & Co., Loughborough Removed 1912 John Warner & Sons
® 4 7¼ cwt approx.34" B 1810 Thomas Mears II Removed 1912 John Warner & Sons
® 5 8½ cwt approx.35½" A 1912 John Warner & Sons Flat Never
® 6 10¼ cwt approx.39½" G♯ 1760 Lester & Pack, Whitechapel Removed 1912 John Warner & Sons
® 7 13½ cwt approx.43" F♯ 1760 Lester & Pack, Whitechapel Removed 1912 John Warner & Sons
® Tenor 16-2-2146¼" E 1887 Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel Removed

®  - Hung for full circle ringing

Bellframes

Frame Bells Year Maker Material Truss(es) Local
Layout
1 All bells 1912 John Warner & Sons

Inscriptions

How the bells are tuned

1760 Ring of Six

Bell Weight
(most recent)
DiameterDateFounderRetunedFate
Treble1760Lester & PackNeverRecast in 1883
2nd1760Lester & PackNeverRecast in 1810
3rd1760Lester & PackNeverRecast in 1912
4th10¼ cwt approx.39½"1760Lester & PackNeverStill in the tower
5th13½ cwt approx.43"1760Lester & PackNeverStill in the tower
Tenor17-2-047½"1760Lester & PackNeverStill in the tower

Earlier Ring of Six

Bell DateFounderRetunedFate
Treble1709Richard PhelpsNeverRecast 1760
2nd1594Robert MotNeverRecast 1760
3rd1595Robert MotNeverRecast 1760
4th1595Robert MotNeverRecast 1760
5th1616Joseph HatchNeverRecast 1760
Tenor1599Robert MotNeverRecast 1760

Tenor before 2018 replacement

Bell Weight
(most recent)
DiameterNoteDateFounderRetunedFate
Tenor17-2-047½"E1760Lester & Pack1912 John Warner & SonsReplaced 2018

History

1534 Tower built.
1552 Record of 5 bells in the tower. [1]
1594 2nd recast by Robert Mot.
1595 3rd and 4th recast by Robert Mot.
1599 Tenor recast by Robert Mot.
1616 5th recast by Joseph Hatch.
1709 Treble recast or added by Richard Phelps (a ring of 6).
1759 Record of 6 bells in the tower. [2]
1760 The 6 bells were recast into another ring of 6 by Lester & Pack.
1798 Record of 6 bells in the tower. [3]
1810 2nd recast.
1883 Treble recast; 2 trebles added by John Taylor.
1899 Repairs effected.
1912 5th recast, bells turned and rehung by John Warner.
1930 1930s Bells rehung by Mears & Stainbank.
1996 Cracked tenor welded by Soundweld.
2013 Tenor found to be cracked again.
2018 The cracked tenor was replaced by a new bell from Child Okeford (the bells from this church were themselves replaced by those from Murston). The bell was acquired through the Keltek Trust and the hanging was done by Matthew Higby and the Kent County Association.
[1] Item in ye Stepull in there frames v bells and in the same Stepull on lytell bell. Item ij bells caulyd hand bells. (Edwardian Inventory, 1552)
[2] "The Inscriptions on ye Bells. 1. Richard Phelps made Me. 1709. The Gift of ye Revd. Mr John Nichols, Mr Robert Sprakeling, and Others. 2. Robertus Mot Me fecit. 1594. 3. Robertus Mot fecit Me. 1595. 4. Joseph Hatch made Me. 1616. 5. Robertus Mot Me fecit. 1595. This Bell is now Crack’d. 6. Robertus Mot Me fecit. 1599. Gabrielis." (Rev’d Bryan Faussett, 1759)
[3] The church, which is dedicated to St. Mary, is a handsome building, consisting of a body and two isles, all covered with lead, and a high chancel, with two chaples, one of which is dedicated to St. Anne, on the south side; there was a chantry on the north side, now pulled down, with a transept, all covered with tile. It has a tower steeple at the west end, on one corner of which is a beacon turret, which till of late was covered with a small spire. There are six bells and a clock in it. The steeple was built about the year 1534, as appears by a legacy towards the building of it. ('The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent. Vol 7', Edward Hasted)

Gallery


The ringing room.
Photo: Dickon Love, 2013


Photo: Dickon Love, 2013


Photo: Dickon Love, 2013


Photo: Dickon Love, 2013


Photo: Dickon Love, 2013


Photo: Dickon Love, 2013


Photo: Dickon Love, 2013


Love's Guide to the Church Bells of Kent Page updated: 29 July 2018