West Malling

WEST MALLING, St Mary the Virgin

	8 bells
	Tenor 10-1-9 in G
	Grid Ref. TQ679575
	Maidstone District

	Retuning: Whitechapel 1998
	Ground Floor
	Village formerly referred to as "Town Malling"
	PEALS

DETAILS OF THE BELLS

Bell

Weight
(current)

Weight
(as supplied)

Diameter

Cast

Founder

1

3-3-20

4-3-16

27"

1885

Mears & Stainbank

2

4-2-3

5-1-13

27³/4"

1885

Mears & Stainbank

3

4-0-13
-
28³/8"

1677

John & Christopher Hodson

4

4-1-2
-
28³/4"

1637

John Wilnar

5

5-2-7
-
31¹/8"

1698

James Bartlett

6

6-2-23
-
33³/4"

1637

John Wilnar

7

8-0-23
-
37¹/8"

1637

John Wilnar

8

10-1-9

12-1-2

40⁷/8"

1869

Mears & Stainbank

The diameters are as supplied by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry in their report in 1998. They also quoted the tenor to be 12-0-14, which might indicate their measurement of the weight of this bell prior to retuning. When supplied in 1885, the trebles were quoted by Whitechapel as having diameters 27", 28½". Stahlschmidt recorded that the trebles were originally cast in 1869 (giving the inscriptions MEARS & STAINBANK FOUNDERS LONDON 1869), although the Whitechapel report claims that the augmentation did not take place until 1884.

INSCRIPTIONS

MEARS & STAINBANK FOUNDERS LONDON 1885

IOHN à AN à CHRISTOPHER à HODSON à MADE à ME à 1677 ¡ ¡

IOH

WIL

AR 1637

ABRAHAM MASON IOHN FLEETE CHVRCHWARDENS 1698

B IOHN WEEKLEY IVNIOR GENT

IOH

WIL

AR 1637

IOH

WIL

AR 1637

MEARS & STAINBANK FOUNDERS LONDON 1869

FORMER BELLS

Bell	Weight	Diameter	Cast	Founder
1	4-0-23	26"	1884	Mears & Stainbank
2	4-3-11	27½"	1884	Mears & Stainbank

HISTORY

1637

Present 4th, 6th and 7th cast.

1677

Tenor and treble (of 6) cast by John & Christopher Hodson.

1698

3rd (of 6) recast by James Bartlett.

1837

Spire erected.

1869

Tenor recast. Stahlschmidt reported that 2 trebles were added by Mears & Stainbank at this time to make 8 by Mears & Stainbank. This is disputed by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry.

1884

2 Trebles added by Mears & Stainbank.

1885

The 2 trebles were recast by Mears & Stainbank.

1951

Bells rehung on ball bearings.

1959

Bells unringable for 9 months while repairs to the tower were made involving the removal of much oak in a dangerous condition and the structure was reinforced by steel girders and brick.

1971

7th rehung on a new headstock.

1978

Tenor rehung on a new headstock.

1998

Bells retuned and rehung by Whitechapel.

Bell	Weight (current)	Weight (as supplied)	Diameter	Cast	Founder
1	3-3-20	4-3-16	27"	1885	Mears & Stainbank
2	4-2-3	5-1-13	27³/4"	1885	Mears & Stainbank
3	4-0-13	-	28³/8"	1677	John & Christopher Hodson
4	4-1-2	-	28³/4"	1637	John Wilnar
5	5-2-7	-	31¹/8"	1698	James Bartlett
6	6-2-23	-	33³/4"	1637	John Wilnar
7	8-0-23	-	37¹/8"	1637	John Wilnar
8	10-1-9	12-1-2	40⁷/8"	1869	Mears & Stainbank

1637	Present 4th, 6th and 7th cast.
1677	Tenor and treble (of 6) cast by John & Christopher Hodson.
1698	3rd (of 6) recast by James Bartlett.
1837	Spire erected.
1869	Tenor recast. Stahlschmidt reported that 2 trebles were added by Mears & Stainbank at this time to make 8 by Mears & Stainbank. This is disputed by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry.
1884	2 Trebles added by Mears & Stainbank.
1885	The 2 trebles were recast by Mears & Stainbank.
1951	Bells rehung on ball bearings.
1959	Bells unringable for 9 months while repairs to the tower were made involving the removal of much oak in a dangerous condition and the structure was reinforced by steel girders and brick.
1971	7th rehung on a new headstock.
1978	Tenor rehung on a new headstock.
1998	Bells retuned and rehung by Whitechapel.