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Folkestone, Ss Mary & Eanswythe


Photo: Jeremy Clitheroe, Mar 2011

  • 8 bells hung for full circle ringing
  • Tenor: 25-1-5 in E.
  • Grid Ref: TR229358
  • Complete ring cast at the same time
  • Rung from: Upstairs Ringing Room
  • Frame: 1879 John Taylor & Co.
  • Denomination: Church of England
    Diocese (Anglican): Canterbury
    Archdeaconry (Anglican): Ashford
  • Kent County Association of Change Ringers District: Ashford
  • Building Listed Grade: II* Click for Heritage details.
  • Peals rung at the tower

  • Sound clip of the ring of bells.(Mark Chittenden-Pile)

Details of the Bells

Bell Weight
(most recent)

(As supplied)
Diameter Note Date Founder Canons Retuned
® Treble 6 cwt approx.6-0-1529¾" E 1879 John Taylor & Co., Loughborough Removed Never
® 2 6 cwt approx.6-0-2330¾" D♯ 1879 John Taylor & Co., Loughborough Removed Never
® 3 7 cwt approx.7-1-2132¼" C♯ 1879 John Taylor & Co., Loughborough Removed Never
® 4 9 cwt approx.9-1-535½" B 1879 John Taylor & Co., Loughborough Removed Never
® 5 11 cwt approx.11-1-238¾" A 1879 John Taylor & Co., Loughborough Removed Never
® 6 13 cwt approx.13-1-940¾" G♯ 1879 John Taylor & Co., Loughborough Removed Never
® 7 17-1-317-1-345¾" F♯ 1879 John Taylor & Co., Loughborough Flat Never
® Tenor 25-1-525-1-551¼" E 1879 John Taylor & Co., Loughborough Flat Never

®  - Hung for full circle ringing

Bellframes

Frame Bells Year Maker Material Truss(es) Local
Layout
1 All bells 1879 John Taylor & Co., Loughborough Timber
6.A
8.3

How the bells are tuned

Ring of 6 prior to 1778

Bell DateFounderRetunedFate
Treble1759Lester & PackNeverRecast in 1778
2nd1737Richard PhelpsNeverRecast in 1778
3rd1759Lester & PackNeverRecast in 1778
4th1737Richard PhelpsNeverRecast in 1778
5th1707Richard PhelpsNeverRecast in 1778
Tenor1724John WaylettNeverRecast in 1778

1778 Ring of Eight

Bell DiameterDateFounderRetunedFate
Treble30½"1778Pack & ChapmanNeverRecast in 1879
2nd32"1778Pack & ChapmanNeverRecast in 1879
3rd1778Pack & ChapmanNeverRecast in 1813
4th37"1778Pack & ChapmanNeverRecast in 1879
5th40½"1778Pack & ChapmanNeverRecast in 1879
6th1778Pack & ChapmanNeverRecast in 1813
7th44½"1778Pack & ChapmanNeverRecast in 1879
Tenor51"1778Pack & ChapmanNeverRecast in 1879

Bells recast from the 1778 Ring of Eight

Bell DiameterDateFounderRetunedFate
3rd (of 8)34"1813Thomas Mears INeverRecast in 1879
6th (of 8)42"1813Thomas Mears INeverRecast in 1879

History

1707 5th (of 6) cast by Richard Phelps.
1724 Tenor recast by John Waylett.
1737 2nd and 4th (of 6) recast by Richard Phelps.
1759 Record of 6 bells in the tower. Treble and 3rd (of 6) recast by Lester & Pack. [1]
1778 Bells recast into a new octave by Pack & Chapman and hung by Robert Turner.
1779 The new ring of bells was opened on Thur 18 Mar. [2]
1799 Record of 8 bells in the tower. [3]
1813 3rd and 6th recast by Thomas Mears. Visiting ringers were invited to come and ring on the restored bells in the presence of the Mayor on 8 September. [4]
1879 All 8 bells recast (as 4 of them were cracked) by John Taylor and hung in a new frame. The metal from the Hatch bell at Charing was used in the tenor. The old bells were never weighed individually.
1905 Tenor rehung by John Taylor.
1935 Bells rehung.
1974 Bells rehung by local ringers (led by Alan Berry) using Whitechapel fittings. The canons were either taken off the front six bells at this point, or in 1935.
1975 18th Jan. Bells rededicated.
[1] "This Church consists of The Great, North, and South Chancells; The Body, & 2 Side Isles. The Tower is in the Middle, between the Chancell and the Body; In it are 6 Bells, thus inscribed. 1. William Dixon, and William Spain, Ch. Wardens. Lester & Pack of London, 1759. 2. R. Phelps fecit Me. Mr Lytcott GILL, and Mr Tho. BAYLEY. C.W. 1737. 3. William Dixon, and William Spain, Ch. Wardens. Lester & Pack of London, 1759. 4. R. Phelps fecit Me. Mr Lytcott Gill, and Mr Tho. Bayley. C.W. 1737. 5. Richard Phelps made Me, 1707. Tho. HOolmes, John Fearne. C.W. 6. Edward Hammond, and John Castle, C.W. 1724. J.W." (Rev’d Bryan Faussett, 1759)
[2] On THURSDAY, the 18th Instant, will be opened A New Peal of Eight Bells, At FOLKSTONE in KENT, Cast by PACK and CHAPMAN, of Whitechapel, and hung by ROBERT TURNER, of London. (Kentish Gazette, Sat 13 Mar 1779)
[3] The church, which is dedicated to St. Mary and St. Eanswith, consists of three isles and three chances, having a square tower, with a beacon turret in the middle of it, in which there is a clock, and a peal of eight bells, put up in it in 1779. ('The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent. Vol 8', Edward Hasted)
[4] RINGING. WEDNESDAY, September the 8th being the Mayor’s choice at Folkstone, the attendance of any company of Bell Ringers will be esteemed. The bells have lately undergone a complete repair, and two new ones have been added. The neighbouring Ringers are desirous of joining the Company. A good Ordinary at two o‘clock at Mrs. STREDWICK'S, at the Rose, Folkstone. (Kentish Weekly Post or Canterbury Journal (Friday 03 September 1813))

Articles

  • "St Mary and St Eanswythe, Folkestone, Kent", Author unknown (The Ringing World) 30 March 1979
  • Peal Boards

    Timber Performance Board dated approx. 1837
    17 Dec 1816: 5040 Plain Bob Triples (Board says 17 Dec but the peal was 10 Dec according to the Kentish Gazette of 12 Dec. 1st peal on the bells.)
    27 Jan 1818: 6000 Plain Bob Major
    21 Nov 1836: 5040 Plain Bob Triples

    Photo: Christopher J Cooper, 1 June 2017

    Stone Memorial Board dated approx. 1887

    Photo: Christopher J Cooper, 1 June 2017

    Timber Performance Board dated approx. 1964
    26 Dec 1963: 5040 Grandsire Triples

    Photo: Christopher J Cooper, 1 June 2017

    Timber Performance Board dated approx. 1931
    14 Apr 1931: 5040 Grandsire Triples

    Photo: Christopher J Cooper, 1 June 2017

    Timber Bell/Restoration Detail Board dated approx. 1879

    Photo: Christopher J Cooper, 1 June 2017

    Timber Performance Board dated approx. 1922
    27 Dec 1921: 5040 Stedman Triples

    Photo: Christopher J Cooper, 1 June 2017

    Timber Performance Board dated approx. 1914
    09 Sept 1914: 5040 Grandsire Triples (Induction of Canon Tindall as Vicar.)

    Photo: Christopher J Cooper, 1 June 2017

    Timber Performance Board dated approx. 1816
    17 Dec 1815: 5040 Plain Bob Major

    Photo: Christopher J Cooper, 1 June 2017

    Timber Performance Board dated approx. 1969
    14 Sept 1969: 5040 Grandsire Triples (Patronal Festival.)

    Photo: Christopher J Cooper, 1 June 2017

    Timber Performance Board dated approx. 1890
    14 Mar 1890: 5040 Grandsire Triples
    06 May 1886: 5040 Grandsire Triples

    Photo: Christopher J Cooper, 1 June 2017

    Timber Performance Board dated approx. 1903
    17 Mar 1903: 5040 Grandsire Triples (First peal by the local band.)
    07 Oct 1903: 5040 Grandsire Triples (In memory of G Holdom.)

    Photo: Christopher J Cooper, 1 June 2017

    Timber Performance Board dated approx. 1882
    20 Dec 1843: 6720 Plain Bob Major (Bells Life in London, The Era, The Maidstone Journal and the E J Osborne manuscripts all give this as rung on 17 Jan 1846)
    18 Feb 1860: 5040 Grandsire Triples
    10 Apr 1882: 5040 Grandsire Triples (1st peal on the bells.)

    Photo: Christopher J Cooper, 1 June 2017

    Elsewhere in the Parish

    Folkestone, Mundella School
    Single bell hung for swing chiming in open turret
    Folkestone, Cheriton Road Cemetery
    Formerly single hemispherical bell


    Love's Guide to the Church Bells of Kent Page updated: 1 April 2016