Header
  
Greenwich
 

Greenwich, St Alfege


Photo: Post card

  • 10 bells hung for full circle ringing
  • Tenor: 23-2-14 in D.
  • Grid Ref: TQ383776
  • Rung from: Upstairs Ringing Room
  • Frame: 1731, extended 1734, made of timber
  • Denomination: Church of England
    Diocese (Anglican): Southwark
  • Kent County Association of Change Ringers District: Lewisham
  • Building Listed Grade: I Click for Heritage details.
  • Peals rung at the tower

  • Sound clip of the ring of bells.(William A Hibbert, 21 Aug 2000)

Details of the Bells

Bell Weight
(most recent)

(Prior to retuning)
Diameter Note Date Founder Canons Retuned
® Treble 5-1-1528" F♯ 1954 Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel Flat Never
® 2 5-2-629" E 1954 Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel Flat Never
® 3 6-1-531" D 1954 Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel Flat Never
® 4 6-2-1032" C♯ 1954 Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel Flat Never
® 5 7-1-1334" B 1954 Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel Flat Never
® 6 8-2-1436" A 1954 Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel Flat Never
® 7 10-1-839" G 1954 Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel Flat Never
® 8 12-0-141" F♯ 1954 Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel Flat Never
® 9 17-2-446" E 1954 Mears & Stainbank, Whitechapel Flat Never
® Tenor 23-2-1424-0-852¾" D 1824 Thomas Mears II Removed 1954 Mears & Stainbank

®  - Hung for full circle ringing

Bellframes

Position
Frame Bells Year Maker Material Truss(es) Local
Layout
Lower tier 1 3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10 1731 Oak
6.A
8.3
Upper tier 2 1,2 1734 Oak
6.H

Inscriptions

How the bells are tuned

Original ring of 10

Bell Weight
(most recent)

(As supplied 1890)
DateFounderRetunedFate
Treble (of 10)1734Richard PhelpsNeverRecast in 1792
2nd (of 10)5-3-51734Richard PhelpsNeverRecast in 1954
3rd (of 10)1731Richard PhelpsNeverRecast in 1815
4th (of 10)6-3-111731Richard PhelpsNeverRecast in 1954
5th (of 10)7-2-121731Richard PhelpsNeverRecast in 1890. 7-2-14 gross.
6th (of 10)1731Richard PhelpsNeverRecast in 1792
7th (of 10)12-0-01731Richard PhelpsNeverRecast in 1954
8th (of 10)13-2-261731Richard PhelpsNeverRecast in 1954
9th (of 10)1731Richard PhelpsNeverRecast in 1814
Tenor (of 10)1731Richard PhelpsNeverRecast in 1824

Those recast prior to 1954

Bell Weight
(most recent)
DateFounderRetunedFate
Treble (of 10)5-1-111792Thomas Mears INeverRecast in 1954
3rd (of 10)5-3-61815Thomas Mears INeverRecast in 1954
5th (of 10)6-3-251890Mears & StainbankNeverRecast in 1954
6th (of 10)9-3-251792Thomas Mears INeverRecast in 1954
9th (of 10)17-3-201814Thomas Mears INeverRecast in 1954
Clock6-0-20Unknown

History

1552 Record of 4 bells. [1]
1711 -1714 Present church built by Hawksmoor.
1730 Old tower encased and spire added by John James.
1731 Ring of 8 bells cast by Richard Phelps and hung in a new timber frame.
1734 2 trebles were added to make 10 by Richard Phelps.
1792 Treble and 6th recast by Thomas Mears.
1814 9th recast and clock bell cast by Thomas Mears.
1815 3rd recast by Thomas Mears.
1824 Tenor recast by Thomas Mears.
1890 The 5th was recast at Whitechapel. [2]
1894 Trebles overhauled.
1954 Front 9 recast by Mears & Stainbank and rehung in the old strengthened frame.
2000 All bearing and pulley boxes were replaced (apart from one that could not be shifted) and 2 braces were fixed to the upper frame to cut down movement. The work was done by the KCACR.
[1] Item .... a smale latten bell. Item iiij bells, the greatest mesured from brymme to brym iij fote vij inches di. Item the iid. iij foot iij inches the iijrd iij foote j inche the iiij'^ ij foot xj inches. Item j saunts bell of brass . . . And ij hand bells of brasse. (Edwardian Inventory, 1552)
[2] New bell 7-0-13, old bell 7-3-14 gross (7-2-12 nett), new fittings for the bell, and repairs to the others, £172.4.6. (Whitechapel Day Book, 6 Aug 1890)

The ringing room


Tom Hinks enjoying the open space in the Greenwich ringing room.
Photo: Dickon Love, 10 Jan 2015

Another view of the room.
Photo: Dickon Love, 10 Jan 2015

Elsewhere in the Parish

Greenwich, District Hospital (formerly Union Workhouse)
Single bell - existance or fate unknown
Greenwich, Meridian Primary School
Single bell hung for swing chiming
Greenwich, Queen Elizabeth College Almshouses
Single clock bell
Greenwich, Royal Naval College
Clock chime of hour bell and 4 quarters


Love's Guide to the Church Bells of Kent Page updated: 26 August 2020