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8 bells and Sanctus
Tenor 13-1-26 in F#
Practice: Tuesday 19:45 |
Grid Ref. TQ553414
Upstairs Ringing Room |
A feature of St Mary's which
makes it well known over a wide area is its ring of eight bells.
These are rung every Sunday morning and occasionally before
other special services. They are also rung for weddings and
for bellringing practice on Tuesday evenings. New recruits are
always welcome, as are visiting ringers. For more details of
practice times, contact the Parish Administrator
Click here to hear the bells |
| After
the disastrous fire in Speldhurst Church in 1791, enough
bell metal was recovered to cast one new bell, but the
parishioners missed their old peal of six and so, in 1847,
they set about collecting voluntary contributions. It
is an astonishing tribute to their success that five new
bells, plus the retuned original, were in place and ringing
by 1849! The new bells cost £300 plus £60
for the hanging. In 1887 two Jubilee bells were added
to make up an eight peal.
The
bells were used to mark all manner of occasions.
Up until about 1870 the curfew was still rung.
Two other customs lasted a little longer - up
until the outbreak of the Second World War. One
was the 'Passing Bell' to indicate that someone
had died. The second was the 'Pudding Bell', struck
after the 11 a.m. Communion service to warn those
at home to get the dinner ready.
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Bell |
Weight |
Diameter |
Cast |
Founder |
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1
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4-2-19
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1887
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Mears & Stainbank
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2
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4-2-20
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1887
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Mears & Stainbank
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3
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5-0-11
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1849
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Charles & George Mears
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4
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6-1-16
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1849
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Charles & George Mears
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5
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6-2-19
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1849
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Charles & George Mears
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6
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6-3-10
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1849
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Charles & George Mears
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7
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10-1-18
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1933
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Gillett & Johnston
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8
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13-1-26
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1849
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Charles & George Mears
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Sanctus
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1920
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Mears & Stainbank
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1. |
MEARS
& STAINBANK, FOUNDERS LONDON |
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D
1887 D IN MEMORY OF SUSANNA & ELEANOR POWELL,
DIED 1885 |
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2. |
MEARS
& STAINBANK, FOUNDERS LONDON |
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I
CELEBRATE THE JUBILEE OF QUEEN VICTORIA 1837 TO 1887 |
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3. |
C
& G MEARS FOUNDERS LONDON 1849 |
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4. |
C
& G MEARS FOUNDERS LONDON 1849 |
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5. |
C
& G MEARS FOUNDERS LONDON 1849 |
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6. |
C
& G MEARS FOUNDERS LONDON 1849 |
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7. |
GILLETT
& JOHNSTON CROYDON |
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CAST
IN 1812 FROM THE METAL OF SIX BELLS MELTED IN THE
FIRE OF 1791.RECAST 1933. |
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8. |
C
& G MEARS FOUNDERS LONDON 1849 |
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THE
TIME IS SHORT WATCH AND PRAY ALWAYS
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1791 |
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Church
set on fire by lightning, melting the 4 bells. |
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1812 |
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A
bell was cast from the metal of the melted bells byThomas
Mears. |
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1849 |
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5
bells were cast by Charles and George Mears forming
bells 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 around the 1812 bell. |
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1871 |
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New
church completed by J. Oldrid Scott. |
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1887 |
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2
trebles added by Mears & Stainbank to make 8. |
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1913 |
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Bells
rehung by Mears & Stainbank. |
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1920 |
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Sanctus
bell cast by Mears & Stainbank and hung for swing
chiming in the intermediate chamber. |
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1931 |
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Bells
rehung by Mears & Stainbank. |
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1933 |
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7th
recast by Gillett & Johnston. |
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1933 |
7th
April |
Bells
dedicated. |
| c. |
1984 |
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Bells
3 and 7 rehung by Whitechapel. |
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1986 |
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Bells
1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8 rehung by Whitechapel. |
Information courtesy of the
Encyclopedia of the Church Bells of Kent.
For more information about
other towers in Kent, click
here. |
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