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BETHERSDEN, St Margaret

6 bells and Sanctus
Tenor 15½ cwt approx. in F
Grid Ref. TQ928403
Ashford District
Frame: 1759 John Foster of Egerton
Retuning: Never subsequently retuned
Glazed Gallery
PEALS

DETAILS OF THE BELLS
Bell Weight Diameter Cast Founder

1

5-1-25

29¾"

1953

Mears & Stainbank

2

6½ cwt approx

32½"

1634

Joseph Hatch

3

8-3-20

35"

1896

Mears & Stainbank

4

10 cwt approx.

38½"

c. 1335

Peter de Weston

5

12 cwt approx.

41"

1662

William Hatch

6

15½ cwt approx

45"

1630

Joseph Hatch

Sanctus

1 cwt approx.

15¼"

1662

William Hatch

INSCRIPTIONS
1. LESTER & PACK OF LONDON FECIT 1759 (loop border)(facsimile)
RECAST 1953
THE CORONATION YEAR OF
H. M. QUEEN ELIZABETH II		 crown.jpg (1314 bytes)
E II R

wc1951.jpg (2432 bytes)
2.

IOSEPHVS

 HATCH ME FECIT jhatch.jpg (1912 bytes) 1634

W

 H
3. MEARS & STAINBANK, FOUNDERS, LONDON. CAST 1787. RECAST 1896.
ROBERT PALMER, M. A., VICAR

J. T. ADAMS
ROBERT HYLAND

 }

CHURCHWARDENS
4. + IN 3dots.jpg (677 bytes) MULTIS 3dots.jpg (677 bytes) ANNIS 3dots.jpg (677 bytes) RESONET 3dots.jpg (677 bytes) CAMPANA 3dots.jpg (677 bytes) IOHANNIS
5.
WILLIAM HATCH MADE ME  W P  F W  C W jhatch.jpg (1912 bytes) 1662
6.
IOSEPHVS HATCH ME FECIT TW CW TM CW jhatch.jpg (1912 bytes) 1630
S. W H 1662
The inscription on the waist of the 3rd is incised.

PREVIOUS BELLS

Bell

Weight

Diameter

Cast

Founder

1 of 6

5-0-22

30"

1759

Lester & Pack

Recast 1953

3 of 6

7-3-19

35½"

1787

William Mears

Recast 1895
1. LESTER & PACK OF LONDON FECIT 1759 (loop border)
   
3. WM MEARS OF LONDON FECIT 1787
   

HISTORY

c. 1335

Bell cast by Peter de Weston (present 4th).

1552

Record of 5 large bells in the tower.

1557

One of the bells recast by William Oldfield of Canterbury.

1561

Another bell recast.

1588

Tenor recast.

1591

Tenor rehung.

1600

Another bell recast.

1601

4th and tenor recast by Joseph Hatch.

1612

A bell is recast in London.

1613

Joseph Hatch recasts a bell.

1621

Another bell recast.

1623

Bells rehung in a new frame, both by Goodman Crust.

1630

Tenor recast for the last time.

1634

Treble recast - forms the present 2nd.

1662

4th recast (present 5th) along with the Sanctus Bell.

1683

Bells rehung by James Burr.

1713

2nd recast by Richard Phelps.

1759

New frame built by John Foster. Lester & Pack add a new treble.

1760

Robert Gilbert altered the frame and rehung the bells in it.

1787

3rd recast by William Mears. Bells rehung under Mr Steddy.

1895

3rd recast by Mears & Stainbank. Bells rehung with new fittings.

1953

Cracked treble recast.

1996

Upstairs ringing gallery constructed.

PHOTOGRAPHS
Photo RCO The Sanctus bell by William Hatch.