WESTERHAM, St Mary |
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DETAILS OF THE BELLS |
Bell Weight Diameter Cast Founder
1
5-3-21
30½"
1837
Thomas Mears II
2
6-1-2
31"
1837
Thomas Mears II
3
7-1-10
34"
1837
Thomas Mears II
4
7-1-26
36"
1837
Thomas Mears II
5
9-2-3
38½"
1837
Thomas Mears II
6
11-1-0
41"
1837
Thomas Mears II
7
15-2-15
45"
1837
Thomas Mears II
8
23-0-17
48"
1892
John Taylor & Co.
INSCRIPTIONS |
| 1. | THOMAS MEARS OF LONDON FOUNDER 1837 |
| 2. | THOMAS MEARS OF LONDON FOUNDER 1837 |
| 3. | THOMAS MEARS OF LONDON FOUNDER 1837 |
| 4. | THOMAS MEARS OF LONDON FOUNDER 1837 |
| 5. | THOMAS MEARS OF LONDON FOUNDER 1837 |
| 6. | THOMAS MEARS LONDON FOUNDER 1837 |
| 7. | THOMAS MEARS LONDON FOUNDER 1837 |
| 8. | (border) Ring in the Love of Truth and Right (border) |
| RECAST BY JOHN TAYLOR AND CO LOUGHBOROUGH 1892. |
There are two
dots under the "O" in "CO" on the tenor. |
PREVIOUS BELLS |
Bell |
Weight |
Diameter |
Cast |
Founder |
Fate |
8 (of 8) |
18-1-17 |
48½" |
1858 |
Thomas Mears II |
Recast 1892 |
Tenor |
19-0-9 |
1722 |
Richard Phelps |
Recast 1858 |
| 8. | |
| G MEARS FOUNDER LONDON THE GIFT OF GEORGE LEWIS VICAR 1722 RECAST 1858 |
HISTORY |
1722 Tenor cast. 1837 Front 7 bells added or recast by Thomas Mears. 1858 Tenor recast by George Mears. 1892 Tenor recast and bells rehung in a new frame by John Taylor, as gift by Mary Selina Griffith. 1913 Tenor rehung by John Taylor. 1936 Gillett & Johnston quoted £265 for rehanging the bells with new metal headstocks, plus new fittings and one eighth turning. 1937 Mears & Stainbank quoted £126.7.0 for new gudgeons & bearings, but no tuning, and complained about the state of the installation, with grease from the bearings all over the place; it was "impossible to go among the bells without getting extremely dirty". 1948 Gillett & Johnston updated their 1936 quote to include cast iron headstocks, turning and tuning, to £595. Mears quoted £244 for much the same work as they had in 1937, specifically saying that no tuning was required. In August the Mears quote was accepted, although there appear to be problems getting the work done. The work was the gift of Mr and Mrs R. A. Vestey. 1949 "There was a letter from Westerham stating, "... we would therefore urge you to do everything possible to start work and complete it in good time before 2 October [Dedication Festival]". 1971 Bells rehung by Whitechapel, this time on new headstocks.
PHOTOGRAPHS |
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Detail of the beautiful lettering on the inscription band of the tenor. |
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| View of the belfry. |
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View of the belfry. Tenor in foreground. |
