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Langley, St Mary
 Photo: Richard Offen, 2005
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Details of the Bells |
| Bell | Weight (most recent) | Diameter | Note | Date | Founder | Retuned | ||
| 1 | 4½ cwt approx. | 30½" | C♯ | 1599 | Thomas Hatch, Ulcombe, Kent | Never | ||
| 2 | 6½ cwt approx. | 32½" | B | 1874 | John Warner & Sons | Never |
Details of the Tubular Bells |
| Bell | Length | Diameter | Date | Founder | |
| 1 | 61½" | 3½" | 1925 | Harrington, Holland & Co., Coventry | |
| 2 | 1925 | Harrington, Holland & Co., Coventry | |||
| 3 | 1911 | Harrington, Holland & Co., Coventry | |||
| 4 | 1911 | Harrington, Holland & Co., Coventry | |||
| 5 | 1911 | Harrington, Holland & Co., Coventry | |||
| 6 | 1911 | Harrington, Holland & Co., Coventry | |||
| 7 | 1911 | Harrington, Holland & Co., Coventry | |||
| 8 | 94" | 4" | 1911 | Harrington, Holland & Co., Coventry |
Prior to 1865 |
| Bell | Weight (most recent) | Diameter | Date | Founder | Fate | |
| Tenor (of 3) | 8¼ cwt approx. | 36" | c 1400 | Robert Burford | Sold c.1865. |
Prior to 1874 |
| Bell | Weight (most recent) | Diameter | Date | Founder | Fate | |
| Tenor (of 2) | 6¾ cwt approx. | 33" | 1621 | Joseph Hatch | Recast in 1874. |
History |
| c | 1400 | Former tenor cast by Robert Burford. | |
| 1599 | Present smaller bell cast by Thomas Hatch. This is his only surviving bell. | ||
| 1621 | Middle bell cast by Joseph Hatch. | ||
| c | 1865 | The tenor was sold. | |
| 1874 | The frame was reconstructed and the former middle bell was recast by John Warner. | ||
| 1887 | Stahlschmidt notes that there were 2 bells in the tower, but that there were formerly 3. | ||
| 1911 | 6 tubular bells were given in memory of William S Forster. [1] | ||
| 1925 | 2 treble tubular bells were added in memory of John Reginald Collinson | ||
| 1973 | The 2 bells were recorded by Nicholas Davis and Alan Berry as being in a shocking state and the 3rd tube was cracked. |
| [1] | We regret to record the death of Mr. W. S. Forster, of Rumwood, Langley, near Maidstone, which took place in London on Thursday night or Friday morning, the deceased passing away in his sleep. He was in his 78th year. Mr. Forster came to reside in Kent in 1880, when he succeeded Mrs. Brockman in the occupancy of Gore Court, Otham. In 1897 he took up his residence at Rumwood, Langley. He was a leading agriculturist in Mid Kent, a breeder of Sussex cattle, owner of a hackney stud, which brought him many honours, including a championship of London in 1897, and a successful hop grower. (Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald - Sat 8 Jul 1911) |
| Love's Guide to the Church Bells of Kent | Page updated: 25 April 2020 |