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About 3 a.m. on the following day, September 11th, twenty shells were sent over, shells fell in Dodd's Lane, Common Lane, River, St. John's Place, Trevanion St. and Old St. James Church tower. (Dover Express, Fri 29 Dec 1944) |
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ST. JAMES' OLD CHURCH.
To the Editor of the Dover Express. Sir, - The photo of the ruins of old St. James' Church which appeared in a recent issue of the "Dover Express" must have reminded many of the valuable services rendered. Its connection with the Cinque Ports goes back many years, and the memorials to be found within the ruins show the fine ideal of Dovorians of the past. At one time the tower possessed a peal of six bells. The inscriptions were: -No. 1, L. G. Sackwell Trevel gave me; No. 2, No. 3, No. 4, No. 5 and No. 6, John Wilnar made me, 1637. I. Godwin-Thoms Kid, Churchwardens. These bells were taken down when the new Church was completed, and a bell cast by John Warner, London, in 1872 was placed in the tower. This battered bell of St James' is now among the debris, and if possible to be reclaimed, would become very valuable in the town's history as the years roll on. Dover is a warriors' town, and the old Church tower of St James' was the only Church tower in England to be destroyed by direct hit from the shells of the cross-Channel guns on the French coast. This is fortunate considering the number of Church towers that were in the range. The old Church of St James' will always be held rich in memory, and its ruins will be a reminder that its service went down to its close in the Battle for Freedom of the world. CHARLES TURNER, Captain, St. Mary's Ringers, Dover. (Dover Express - Fri 25 Mar 1949) |
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MASONRY SEARCH AFTER CHURCH STEEPLE CRASHED. Part of the 60ft. tower and belfry of Dover's oldest Church, St James's, near the Marine Parade, crashed today. After it was reported that screams had been heard firemen searched a 12ft. high heap of tons of masonry and timber for two hours, but found no one trapped. It is believed that the "screams" were made by seagulls. The church bells crashed with the stonework and were found in the rubble. The area has been cordoned off in case of further falls, and it is expected that the remaining side of the tower will be demolished to make the building safe. The church was badly damaged by German shellfire during the war. The Town Council has been considering a proposal to leave the building as a memorial to the townspeople who were killed by enemy action. (Halifax Evening Courier, Tues 2 May 1950) |