Eastry, St Mary the Blessed Virgin
Photo: Richard Offen, 2005 |
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Details of the Bells |
Bell | Weight (most recent) | (As supplied) | Diameter | Note | Date | Founder | Canons | Retuned | ||
® | Treble | 5-1-4 | 28.7" | E♭ | 2007 | Whitechapel Bell Foundry | Flat | Never | ||
® | 2 | 5-1-17 | 29¼" | D | 2007 | Whitechapel Bell Foundry | Flat | Never | ||
® | 3 | 6-1-15 | 31½" | C | 2007 | Whitechapel Bell Foundry | Flat | Never | ||
® | 4 | 7-0-7 | 7-0-22 | 33⅝" | B♭ | 1902 | John Taylor & Co., Loughborough | Flat | 2007 Whitechapel | |
® | 5 | 7-1-9 | 36³⁄₁₆" | A♭ | 1609 | John Clarke | Removed | 2007 Whitechapel | ||
® | 6 | 9-1-1 | 9-2-2 | 37⅜" | G | 1975 | John Taylor & Co., Loughborough | Flat | 2007 Whitechapel | |
® | 7 | 13-1-24 | 43¹⁵⁄₁₆" | F | 1734 | Richard Phelps, Whitechapel | Removed | 2007 Whitechapel | ||
® | Tenor | 16-3-20 | 47½" | E♭ | 1740 | Robert Catlin, Holborn | Removed | 2007 Whitechapel | ||
ꓕ | Sanctus | 0-2-14 | 14⁹⁄₁₆" | C | 1375 | Unknown | Never | |||
҈ | Stored Bell | 10½ cwt approx. | 39⅞" | G | 1629 | Henry Wilnar, Borden, Kent | Never |
Bellframes |
Position |
Frame | Bells | Year | Maker | Material | Truss(es) | Local Layout | Resultant Layout | ||
Single level | 1 | 1,5,6,7,8 | Robert Catlin, Holborn | Timber | 5.12R |
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Single level | 1.1 | 2,3,4,Clock | 2007 | Matthew Higby & Co | Steel | 3.1 |
8 |
How the bells are tuned |
History |
c | 1375 | "Sanctus" (ex-school) bell cast probably by John Rufford of Toddington for an unknown destination. | |
1584 | Former treble cast by Robert Mot of Whitechapel. | ||
1609 | Present 2nd cast by John Clarke, an itinerant founder. | ||
1629 | 3rd (of 5) cast by Henry Wilnar of Borden. | ||
1734 | Present 4th cast by Richard Phelps of Whitechapel. | ||
1740 | Present tenor cast and bells rehung in a new timber frame thought to be by Robert Catlin of Holborn. | ||
1759 | Record of 5 bells in the tower. [1] | ||
1795 | Record of 5 bells in the tower. [2] | ||
1859 | Eastry School was built at which time a small bell by Rufford is thought to have been hung (although there was an earlier school in 1840). The bell probably didn’t come from the church, although it later went to the church after the school closed down. | ||
1902 | Treble recast by John Taylor. | ||
1909 | Tenor rehung by Alfred Bowell. | ||
1913 | 2nd, 3rd & 4th rehung by Alfred Bowell with steel headstocks. | ||
1934 | In a routine report, Taylors state that the 3rd is cracked in the crown. | ||
1967 | Bells rehung with new gudgeons, bearings and frictional parts by John Taylor. | ||
1975 | After lengthy negotiations, the cracked 3rd was retired to the ringing chamber, being one of only four bells known to have been cast by Henry Wilnar. Taylor's, who described the bell as "deficient in thickness and weight", cast a new bell 2½" smaller! | ||
1995 | Estimates obtained for extensive restoration of the bellframe, overhaul of fittings, welding and replacing the original 3rd bell of 1629 and possible augmentation to six. | ||
1997 | The 3 bells from the redundant All Saints, Hawkhurst were removed and put into storage. The tenor went to Eastry, although a mistake was made and at the time this was believed to be the 2nd. | ||
2005 | The fact that Eastry was actually in possession of the Hawkhurst tenor rather than the 2nd as previously thought was discovered when the tuning figures were measured: it was the same note as the current treble. It was deemed unsuitable for augmentation. | ||
2007 | Three trebles were cast and the remaining bells were retuned by Whitechapel. | ||
2008 | The new ring of 8 was hung in the tower by Matthew Higby. |
[1] | This Church which is pretty large, consists of The Chancell, The Body, and 2 Side Isles. In the Tower, which stands at the West End of the Body, hang 5 Bells which are thus inscribed. 1. Robertus Mott Me fecit. 1584. 2. Robertus Mott Me fecit. 1584. 3. Henry Willnar fecit. 1629. 4. Richrd Phelps. 1734. 5. Robert Catlin Me fecit. 1740. (Rev’d Bryan Faussett, 1759) |
[2] | It is a handsome structure of considerable length, consisting of three ailes and a Chancel, with a square tower in the center of the West front, which is ornamented with some neat arches, Gothic windows, Cornice, etc. etc. In it are five Bells, inscribed: 1st. Robert Mot made me 1584. O.E. 2nd. Johannes Clarke hanc fecit Campanam 1609. O.E. Thomas Whitefylde Church Warden. 3rd. Henry Wilnar made me 1629. 4th. Richard Phelps made me. 1734, Thomas Rammel Church Warden. 5th. Thomas Kite, Church Warden. Robert Catlin me fecit 1740. (Zechariah Cozens, 1795) |
Gallery |
Peal Boards |
Photo: MFRS, 27 February 2018 |
Love's Guide to the Church Bells of Kent | Page updated: 1 April 2016 |