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Great Chart
 

Great Chart, St Mary the Virgin


Photo: Dickon R Love, 1985

  • 8 bells hung for full circle ringing
  • Tenor: 13-0-16 in F.
  • Grid Ref: TQ979419
  • Rung from: Glazed Gallery
  • Frame: 1959 Mears & Stainbank, made of cast iron
  • Denomination: Church of England
    Diocese (Anglican): Canterbury
    Archdeaconry (Anglican): Ashford
  • Kent County Association of Change Ringers District: Ashford
  • Building Listed Grade: I Click for Heritage details.
  • Peals rung at the tower

  • Sound clip of the ring of bells.(Damian S Smith)

Details of the Bells

Bell Weight
(most recent)

(John Taylor casting book, 1876)
Diameter Note Date Founder Canons Retuned
® Treble 4-1-426¾" F 1987 Whitechapel Bell Foundry Flat Never
® 2 4-3-1327¾" E 1987 Whitechapel Bell Foundry Flat Never
® 3 5-2-15-3-2630¼" D 1876 John Taylor & Co., Loughborough 1959 Mears & Stainbank
® 4 5-3-76-1-2632¼" C 1875 John Taylor & Co., Loughborough 1959 Mears & Stainbank
® 5 8-0-48-1-2135⅛" B♭ 1875 John Taylor & Co., Loughborough 1959 Mears & Stainbank
® 6 8-0-188-2-735¾" A 1875 John Taylor & Co., Loughborough 1959 Mears & Stainbank
® 7 10-3-911-3-1140" G 1761 Lester & Pack, Whitechapel 1959 Mears & Stainbank
® Tenor 13-0-1643⅛" F 1805 Thomas Mears & Son 1959 Mears & Stainbank

®  - Hung for full circle ringing

Bellframes

Frame Bells Year Maker Material Truss(es) Local
Layout
1 All bells 1959 Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel
8

Inscriptions

Ring of 5 recorded in 1758

Bell DateFounderRetunedFate
Treble (of 5)1636John WilnarNeverRecast in 1761.
2nd (of 5)1610Joseph HatchNeverRecast in 1761.
3rd (of 5)1614Joseph HatchNeverRecast in 1761.
4th (of 5)1418-1440Richard HillNeverRecast in 1761.
Tenor (of 5)1606Joseph HatchNeverRecast in 1761.

1761 recast bells

Bell Weight
(most recent)
DiameterDateFounderRetunedFate
Treble (of 5)7-1-132⅛"1761Lester & PackNeverRecast in 1876. Cast weight WBF given 1761.
2nd (of 5)7-3-334½"1761Lester & PackNeverRecast in 1876. Cast weight WBF given 1761.
3rd (of 5)8-3-1636½"1761Lester & PackNeverRecast in 1876. Cast weight WBF given 1761. Maiden bell.
Tenor (of 5)13-3-2543"1761Lester & PackNeverRecast in 1805. Cast weight WBF given 1761. Maiden bell.

History

1418 -1440 A bell was cast by Richard Hille.
1552 Record of 4 bells. [1]
1606 Tenor (of 5) cast by Joseph Hatch.
1610 2nd (of 5) cast by Joseph Hatch.
1614 3rd (of 5) cast by Joseph Hatch)
1636 Treble (of 5) cast.
1758 Record of 5 bells in the tower. [2]
1761 4th (of 5) recast by Lester & Pack.
1805 Tenor recast by Thomas Mears.
1875 The front 3 were recast by John Taylor.
1876 A new treble was added to make six by John Taylor.
1959 Bells retuned and rehung in a new frame for 8 by Mears & Stainbank. They were rededicated by the Bishop of Dover on 24 September. [3]
1987 2 trebles added and hung by Whitechapel. The metal from an 1884 Gillett bell from St Peter's, Maidstone, a bell from St Mary, Ramsgate and a bell from Christ Church Dunkirk was included.
2000 A new upstairs (glazed) ringing gallery was constructed.
[1] Item iiij°'' greate bells and a saunce bell. Item ij handbells. (Edwardian Inventory, 1552)
[2] This Church consists of 3 Chancells, The Body and 2 Isles. The Tower stands at the West End, and has in it 5 Bells thus inscribed. 1. Nicholas Toke. S.G. H.S. W.-. 1636. 2. Joseph Hatch made Me. 1610. 3. Joseph Hatch made Me. W.M. C.W. 1614. 4. Sum Rosa pulsata Mundi Maria Vocata. 5. Joseph Hatch made Me. 1606. (Rev’d Bryan Faussett, 1758)
[3] Rung to celebrate the restoration of the bells, rededicated by the Bishop of Dover on Sept. 24 Gaudeamus igitur (Peal Board)

Peal Boards

Timber Performance Board dated approx. 1979
24 Jun 1979: 5040 Plain Bob Minor (In memoriam Lewis Day)

Photo: Christopher J Cooper, 15 May 2019

Timber Performance Board dated approx. 1959
10 Oct 1959: 5040 Plain Bob Minor (For restoration and rededication of the bells by the Bishop of Dover on 24 Sept.)

Photo: Christopher J Cooper, 15 May 2019



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