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Gravesend, St George
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♫ Sound clip of the ring of bells.(Dickon R Love, 1 May 2004) |
Details of the Bells |
| Bell | Weight (most recent) | Diameter | Note | Date | Founder | Canons | Retuned | ||
| ® | Treble | 4-0-26 | 26½" | E | 1923 | John Taylor & Co., Loughborough | Flat | Never | |
| ® | 2 | 4-1-17 | 27½" | D♯ | 1923 | John Taylor & Co., Loughborough | Flat | Never | |
| ® | 3 | 5-0-23 | 29½" | C♯ | 1923 | John Taylor & Co., Loughborough | Flat | Never | |
| ® | 4 | 6-1-23 | 32" | B | 1923 | John Taylor & Co., Loughborough | Flat | Never | |
| ® | 5 | 8-0-21 | 35" | A | 1923 | John Taylor & Co., Loughborough | Flat | Never | |
| ® | 6 | 9-3-2 | 37⅛" | G♯ | 1923 | John Taylor & Co., Loughborough | Flat | Never | |
| ® | 7 | 13-1-2 | 41½" | F♯ | 1923 | John Taylor & Co., Loughborough | Flat | Never | |
| ® | Tenor | 18-1-6 | 46½" | E | 1923 | John Taylor & Co., Loughborough | Flat | Never |
Bellframes |
| Frame | Bells | Year | Maker | Material | Truss(es) | Local Layout | |||
| 1 | All bells | 1923 | John Taylor & Co., Loughborough | Cast iron |
Inscriptions |
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Original Ring of 8. |
| Bell | Weight (most recent) | Diameter | Note | Date | Founder | Retuned | Fate | |
| Treble (of 8) | 4-3-20 | 28¼" | E | 1736 | Richard Phelps | Never | Weight measured 1793. Recast in 1771. | |
| 2nd (of 8) | D♯ | 1736 | Richard Phelps | Never | Recast in 1793. | |||
| 3rd (of 8) | 6-1-7 | 31¼" | C♯ | 1736 | Richard Phelps | Never | Weight measured 1793. Recast in 1813. | |
| 4th (of 8) | 7-1-12 | 33½" | B | 1736 | Richard Phelps | Never | Weight measured 1793. Recast in 1871. | |
| 5th (of 8) | 9-0-6 | 36¼" | A | 1736 | Richard Phelps | Never | Weight measured 1793. Recast in 1902. | |
| 6th (of 8) | 10-1- | G♯ | 1736 | Richard Phelps | Never | Recast in 1771. | ||
| 7th (of 8) | 13-1-1 | 42¾" | F♯ | 1736 | Richard Phelps | Never | Recast in 1923. | |
| Tenor (of 8) | E | 1736 | Richard Phelps | Never | Recast in 1793. |
Those recast in 1923 |
| Bell | Weight (most recent) | Diameter | Note | Date | Founder | Retuned | Fate | |
| Treble (of 8) | 5-1-9 | E | 1900 | John Warner & Sons | Never | Recast in 1923. | ||
| 2nd (of 8) | 5-1-12 | 29" | D♯ | 1793 | Thomas Mears I | Never | Supplied at 5-2-11. Recast in 1923. | |
| 3rd (of 8) | 7-0-6 | C♯ | 1813 | Thomas Mears I | Never | Recast in 1923. | ||
| 4th (of 8) | 7-0-27 | B | 1871 | Mears & Stainbank | Never | Recast in 1923. | ||
| 5th (of 8) | 8-1-27 | A | 1902 | John Warner & Sons | Never | Recast in 1923. | ||
| 6th (of 8) | 10-0-5 | 38¼" | G♯ | 1771 | Thomas Swain | Never | Former weight measured 1793. Recast in 1923. | |
| 7th (of 8) | 12-3-25 | F♯ | 1879 | Mears & Stainbank | Never | Recast in 1923. | ||
| Tenor of 8 | 17-3-22 | 47" | E | 1793 | Thomas Mears I | Never | Former weight measured 1793. Recast in 1923. |
Pre-1900 treble |
| Bell | Weight (most recent) | Diameter | Note | Date | Founder | Retuned | Fate | |
| Treble (of 8) | 4¾ cwt approx. | 28" | E | 1771 | Thomas Swain | Never |
History |
| 1522 | The ringers were fined for not ringing at Bishop Fisher's visitation. | ||
| 1731 | Tower built between 1731 and 1733. | ||
| 1736 | Ring of 8 cast by Richard Phelps. | ||
| 1771 | Treble and 6th recast by Thomas Swain. | ||
| 1793 | 2nd and tenor recast by Thomas Mears. | ||
| 1813 | 3rd recast by Thomas Mears. | ||
| 1871 | 4th recast by Mears & Stainbank. | ||
| 1879 | 7th recast by Mears & Stainbank. | ||
| 1896 | Bells repaired by Samuel Goslin. | ||
| 1900 | Treble recast and bells rehung by John Warner & Sons. | ||
| 1922 | December | The old bells and frame were removed by William T. Billinghurst (Taylor's senior bellhanger at the time. | |
| 1923 | A new ring of 8 bells as cast by John Taylor (on 1st Feb). The inscriptions on the former bells were preserved on the new bells, although those on the treble and second became transposed in error. In May, the new bells and frame were installed by Richard Lane and George Smith. The total cost of the project was £789 10s. 0d. This was quite expensive at the time, but the result was an excellent set of castings and one of the best rings in Kent. The new bells were dedicated by the Bishop of Rochester on 13th May. |
Gallery |
The new ring of 8 in the church yard prior to their hanging in 1923. Photo: David Cawley collection |
The tenor bell. Photo: Dickon Love, 1 May 2004 |
The belfry (north wall at top). 4th in middle, 5th above and 6th on right. Photo: Dickon Love, 1 May 2004 |
The belfry (east wall at top). Treble on left, 2nd above and tenor on right. Photo: Dickon Love, 1 May 2004 |
The 8 bells pictured at the bell foundry. Photo: Bowell collection |
The front of the tenor with all its inscription. Photo: Dickon Love, 1 May 2004 |
Peal Boards |
Photo: Peter Joyce, 3 May 2017 |
Photo: Peter Joyce, 3 May 2017 |
Photo: Peter Joyce, 3 May 2017 |
Photo: Peter Joyce, 3 May 2017 |
Photo: Peter Joyce, 3 May 2017 |
Photo: Peter Joyce, 3 May 2017 |
Photo: Peter Joyce, 3 May 2017 |
Photo: Peter Joyce, 3 May 2017 |
Photo: Peter Joyce, 3 May 2017 |
Photo: Peter Joyce, 3 May 2017 |
Photo: Peter Joyce, 3 May 2017 |
Photo: Peter Joyce, 3 May 2017 |
Photo: Peter Joyce, 3 May 2017 |
Photo: Peter Joyce, 3 May 2017 |
Elsewhere in the Parish |
| Gravesend, Jubilee Clock Tower |
| Love's Guide to the Church Bells of Kent | Page updated: 1 April 2016 |