Wilmington

WILMINGTON, St Michael

	3 bells
	Tenor: 6 cwt approx in A sharp
	Grid Ref. TQ538725
	Lewisham District
	Frame: 1893 John Warner & Sons (timber, strengthened)
	Tuned: Never subsequently retuned
	Hung for ringing, but the ropes are not long enough to make full circle change ringing very practical at this time (Nov 2010). Access to the belfry is extremely difficult so 'tower grabbers' shouldn't expect to just bring their own ropes.
	Ground Floor, ropes falling in a straight line

DETAILS OF THE BELLS

Bell	Weight	Diameter	Cast	Founder
1	4½ cwt approx.	28½"	1618	William Land II
2	5 cwt approx.	30"	1685	Christopher Hodson
3	6 cwt approx.	32"	1893	John Warner & Sons

william land made me it cb 1618

CHRISTOPHER ○ HODSON ○ MADE ○ ME ○ 1685 ○○○

WILLIAM LAND MADE ME 1656.

RECAST BY JOHN WARNER & SONS L^TD LONDON 1893

H. V. H. COWELL B.A _ VICAR
C. J. MORGAN H. E. O. REEVES	}	CHURCHWARDENS.

Bell	Weight	Diameter	Cast	Founder
3 (of 3)	6 cwt approx.	31½"	1636	William Land II

3.	WILLIAM LAND MADE ME 1636

1552

Record of 4 bells in the tower. ("Item iiij bells suted of brasse in the Steple.One procession bell and a saints bell of brasse presented to be stollen.")

1618

Present treble cast by William Land II.

1636

Tenor cast by William Land II (according to Stahlschmidt).

1685

Present middle bell cast by Christopher Hodson.

1774

Record of only 3 bells in the tower (according to Stahlschmidt).

1797

Edward Hasted wrote:
The church is dedicated to St. Michael, and consists of one isle and a chancel, having a spire steeple at the west end, which standing on the knoll of the hill, is an object for many miles round. There are three bells in it.

1887

Stahlschmidt noted the 3 bells, although reported the tenor bearing the date 1636.

1893

Tenor recast by Warner & Sons when it is assumed that they rehung the bells in the present timber frame. The old inscription was reproduced on the bell, but with the year 1656 rather than 1636: the bell is more likely to have been cast in 1636.

1981

New ropes were provided, according to a plaque in the church. It also looks as if the frame was strengthened and wheels/fittings patched up at some point since Warner's did their work. Investigations are taking place to pin down when this work was done.


Tenor.	2nd.

	Treble.	2nd.