Love's Guide to the Church Bells of Kent

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Elmsted

Elmsted, St James the Great

Photo: Graham Heath, Jun 2007

6 bells hung for ringing but rung with Ellacombe hammers
Tenor: 11 cwt approx. in G.
Grid Ref: TR116449
Anticlockwise
Rung from: Ground Floor
Denomination: Church of England
Diocese (Anglican): Canterbury
Archdeaconry (Anglican): 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		4 cwt approx.	27¼"	E	1721	John Waylett, Cripplegate	Conventional	Never
®	2		4¾ cwt approx	28⅜"	D	1721	John Waylett, Cripplegate	Conventional	Never
®	3		6 cwt approx.	30⅞"	C	1721	John Waylett, Cripplegate	Conventional	Never
®	4		6¼ cwt approx	32½"	B	1721	John Waylett, Cripplegate	Conventional	Never
®	5		7¼ cwt approx	34½"	A	1721	John Waylett, Cripplegate	Conventional	Never
®	Tenor		11 cwt approx.	39¼"	G	1783	Chapman & Mears, Whitechapel	Conventional	Never

® - Hung for full circle ringing

Inscriptions

Earlier bell

Bell		Date	Founder	Retuned	Fate
Treble (of 6)		1721	John Waylett	Never	Recast in 1783

History

	1552		Record of 4 bells. [1]
	1721		Ring of 6 cast by John Waylett.
	1757		Record of 6 bells in the tower. [2]
	1783		Tenor recast.
	1799		Record of 6 bells. [3]
	1880		Bells rehung at the expense of Sir J. W. Honywood, Bart. which allowed the first ringing on the bells for many years.
	1903		Bells rehung, frame strengthened and fittings repaired by Mears & Stainbank.
	1917		Bells condemned as unringable.
c	1950		Last known ringing on the bells.
	1985		Ellacombe apparatus installed by the K.C.A.

[1]	Item iiij bells in the steple and iiij small hand bells. (Edwardian Inventory, 1552)
[2]	"The Bells are 6 in Number and are all of a late Date (cast, as I find since by John Waylet abt. 1721)." (Rev’d Bryan Faussett, 1757)
[3]	The church, which is dedicated to St. James, is a handsome building, consisting of three isles and three chancels, having a low pointed wooden steeple at the west end, in which are six bells. ('The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent. Vol 8', Edward Hasted)

Gallery

Photo: Dickon Love	Photo: Dickon Love	Photo: Dickon Love
Photo: Dickon Love

Love's Guide to the Church Bells of Kent

Page updated: 1 April 2016