Header
  
Great Mongeham
 

Great Mongeham, St Martin


Photo: Richard Offen, 2005

  • 6 bells hung for full circle ringing
  • Tenor: 7-2-10 in A♭.
  • Grid Ref: TR346515
  • Rung from: Ground Floor
  • Denomination: Church of England
    Diocese (Anglican): Canterbury
    Archdeaconry (Anglican): Ashford
  • Kent County Association of Change Ringers District: Canterbury
  • Building Listed Grade: II* Click for Heritage details.
  • Peals rung at the tower

Details of the Bells

Bell Weight
(most recent)

(Prior to retuning)
Diameter Note Date Founder Canons Retuned
® Treble 3-2-143-3-925⅞" F 1913 Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel Doncaster 1957 Mears & Stainbank
® 2 4-0-84-1-027" E♭ 1787 William & Thomas Mears, Whitechapel Conventional 1957 Mears & Stainbank
® 3 4-2-124-3-2029" D♭ 1876 Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel Conventional 1957 Mears & Stainbank
® 4 5-1-135-2-1830¾" C 1787 William & Thomas Mears, Whitechapel Conventional 1957 Mears & Stainbank
® 5 6-1-126-1-1233½" B♭ 1876 Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel Conventional 1957 Mears & Stainbank
® Tenor 7-2-108-0-236⅛" A♭ 1862 George Mears & Co., Whitechapel Conventional 1957 Mears & Stainbank

®  - Hung for full circle ringing

Bellframes

Frame Bells Year Maker Material Truss(es) Local
Layout
1 All bells 1913 Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel Timber
6.A
6.1

Inscriptions

How the bells are tuned

Earlier bells

Bell Weight
(most recent)
DateFounderRetunedFate
2nd (of 5)4-2-251787William & Thomas MearsNeverRecast 1876
4th (of 5)6-0-131787William & Thomas MearsNeverRecast 1876
Tenor (of 5)1787William & Thomas MearsNeverRecast 1862

History

1759 Record of 4 bells in the tower. [1]
1787 Bells recast and treble added by William and Thomas Mears to make 5.
1795 Record of 5 bells in the tower. [2]
1862 Tenor recast by George Mears.
1876 2nd and 4th (of 5) recast by Mears & Stainbank.
1884 The wheels were repaired. [3]
1913 A treble was added by Mears & Stainbank to make 6, given by Sir Arthur Wollaston, and all the bells were rehung in a new timber frame. [4]
1957 Bells retuned and rehung by Mears & Stainbank. The ringing chamber was moved from the upstairs to the ground floor. [5]
[1] This Church consists of the Great and North Chancells; Body, and North Isle. In the Tower, at the West End, hang 4 Bells. I cd. not get at them to see their Inscriptions. (Rev’d Bryan Faussett, 1759)
[2] The Church was a handsome structure, but is not at present kept in so good repair as it ought to be; it consists of a Nave, with two side ailes, and three chancels; at the West end of the Church is a square tower, containing five Bells. (Zechariah Cozens, 1795)
[3] GREAT MONGEHAM. CONCERT.- On Thursday evening last a very successful village concert was given in Great Mongeham Schoolroom, the object being to raise funds for repairing the wheels of the beautiful bells in the fine old church, these wheels having been in use above a hundred years. (Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald, Sat 16 Feb 1884)
[4] GARDEN BAZAAR FORTHE CHURCH BELLS.- On Thursday afternoon, in sunny weather, a bazaar was held in the delightful gardens of the Rectory in aid of the fund for the rehanging and tuning of the bells of the church of St. Martin, Great Mongeham. Many influential residents of Deal, Walmer, and the surrounding neighbourhood came to help the Rector (the Rev. F.B. Blogg) and his parishioners in the good cause, among the number being Lady George Hamilton, Lady Sargant, and Sir Arthur Wollaston. Mrs Swanton, the wife of Colonel Swanton, opened the bazaar, and in doing so announced that Sir Arthur Wollaston was very generously giving a new bell, and they were to have the others re-hung and re-fitted, and a new cage and new floor in the belfry, at a cost of some £200, towards which Sir Arthur, his son, and Mrs. Gerald Wollaston and family had collected or given nearly half. It is hoped to have the opening ceremony of the grand old tower when the bells will again in position, on Thursday the 2nd October. (Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald, Sat 9 Aug 1913)
[5] GREAT MONGEHAM. For the first time since their re-tuning, the bells of the Parish Church were rung by members of the Kent County Association of Bellringers, on Saturday. A short service conducted by the Rev. A. G. Bailey was followed by tea in the Village Hall, attended by about 60. (Kentish Express, Fri 14 Mar 1958)

Gallery


The intermediate chamber.
Photo: Dickon R Love, 11 Nov 2022

The belfry.
Photo: Dickon R Love, 11 Nov 2022

The frame foundation beams pinned to concrete pads.
Photo: Dickon R Love, 11 Nov 2022

The timber frame.
Photo: Dickon R Love, 11 Nov 2022

The 4th.
Photo: Dickon R Love, 11 Nov 2022

The 4th.
Photo: Dickon R Love, 11 Nov 2022

The 3rd.
Photo: Dickon R Love, 11 Nov 2022

The treble.
Photo: Dickon R Love, 11 Nov 2022

The 3rd.
Photo: Dickon R Love, 11 Nov 2022

The tenor.
Photo: Dickon R Love, 11 Nov 2022

The treble.
Photo: Dickon R Love, 11 Nov 2022

The treble.
Photo: Dickon R Love, 11 Nov 2022

The frame.
Photo: Dickon R Love, 11 Nov 2022


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