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Rochester
 

Rochester, St Nicholas

Photo: Dickon Love

  • Formerly 3 bells, 8½ cwt approx
  • Grid Ref: TQ742685
  • Frame: Locally built, c. 1629
  • Denomination: Church of England
    Diocese (Anglican): Rochester
  • Building Listed Grade: I Click for Heritage details.

Prior to 1974
Bell Weight
(most recent)		DiameterDateFounderFate
Treble (of 3)3¾ cwt approx.25⁷⁄₁₆"1695James BartlettTransferred to Kingsnorth 1974
2nd (of 3)5-2-029⁹⁄₁₆"1914Mears & StainbankTransferred to Kingsnorth 1974
Tenor (of 3)8½ cwt approx.36¾"1654William HatchTransferred to Kingsnorth 1974

History
1549 St Nicholas was united with the ancient parish of St Clement.
1552 There was no mention of bells in the 1552 Inventory.
1629 A 4-bell frame was installed in the tower in around this date.
1654 Tenor recast by William Hatch. It is likely that there were 4 bells in the tower at this time. The front 3 were sold at some point.
1694 There is a record of the exchange of a cracked bell. This will be the 1695 bell.
1695 Bell recast by James Barlett and hung in the roof of the tower.
1914 A new middle bell was cast and the other two bells were rehung by Mears & Stainbank. The bells were hung for ringing.
1974 The bells were removed from the tower and transferred to Kingsnorth to help transform their ring of 5 into a ring of 6. They became bells 2,4 and 6 of the 6.


Love's Guide to the Church Bells of Kent Page updated: 2 April 2020