THE RINGS OF EIGHT |
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| All
Saints, Maidstone Kent's largest Parish Church and First Ring of Eight? There are records of 6 bells here in 1887 & 8 bells in 1719. The tenor was recast and the bells were rehung in 1678, so this is a plausible date for their augmentation to 8. |
Holy
Trinity, Dartford An early Ring of 8 dated 1702, although since recast. |
St
Mary the Virgin, Wingham The oldest complete ring of 8 bells in the county, dated 1720. |
| There have been 105 towers in Kent which have boasted rings of 8 at one time or another. Since then: 11 have since been augmented and 2 have been lost. |
Year |
Tower |
Tenor then |
Tenor now |
|
1687* |
MAIDSTONE, All Saints |
30 cwt approx(?) | 32-0-20 |
Augmented to 10: 1784. |
1701 |
DEPTFORD, St Nicholas |
20-1-14 |
20-1-2 | Tenor & treble only left. |
1702 |
DARTFORD, Holy Trinity |
18¾ cwt approx. |
18-2-1 |
|
1718 |
CRANBROOK, St Dunstan |
Unknown |
21-2-15 |
|
1720 |
WINGHAM, St Mary the Virgin |
19-1-0 |
19-1-0 |
All bells still there! |
1724 |
DOVER, St Mary the Virgin |
16-3-26 |
15-2-9 |
|
1727 |
CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL |
30 cwt approx. |
34-3-4 |
10 in 1802, 12 in 1923 |
1731 |
GREENWICH, St Alfege |
25 cwt approx. | 23-2-14 |
Augmented to 10: 1734. |
1734 |
WYE, Ss Gregory & Martin |
"26 cwt approx." | 19-1-8 |
Augmented to 10: 1999. |
1736 |
GRAVESEND, St George |
19¾ cwt approx. | 18-1-6 |
|
1742 |
HARRIETSHAM, St John Baptist |
12½ cwt approx. | 12-2-12 |
|
1748 |
FAVERSHAM, St Mary of Charity |
18 cwt approx. | 17-2-2 |
|
1748 |
NEW ROMNEY, St Nicholas |
18-0-14 | 15-1-13 |
|
1751 |
LENHAM, St Mary |
23-0-0 | 21-0-14 |
|
1753 |
CHIDDINGSTONE, SMV |
20 cwt approx. | 17-0-3 |
|
1754 |
WROTHAM, St George |
20 cwt approx. |
20-0-10 |
|
1762 |
ASHFORD, St Mary the Virgin |
22 cwt approx. | 21-2-22 |
Augmented to 10: 1970. |
1763 |
ELHAM, St Mary the Virgin |
15-2-11 | 13-2-15 |
|
1766 |
HEADCORN, Ss Peter & Paul |
21 cwt approx. | 21-0-5 |
|
1766 |
LEWISHAM, St Mary the Virgin |
15-2-16 | 21-1-14 |
|
1769 |
TENTERDEN, St Mildred |
30 cwt approx. | 27-3-23 |
Heaviest ring of 8. |
| 1769 | SEVENOAKS, St Nicholas |
21-2-2 | 16-2-10 |
|
1773 |
BROMLEY, Ss Peter & Paul |
19¾ cwt approx. | 16-2-8 |
|
1774 |
TONBRIDGE, Ss Peter & Paul |
21 cwt approx. | 19-1-0 |
|
1775 |
GOUDHURST, St Mary the Virgin |
27 cwt approx. | 23¾ cwt approx. |
|
1775 |
HADLOW, St Mary |
13½ cwt approx. | 12-3-0 | |
1778 |
FOLKESTONE, Ss Mary & Eanswythe |
22 cwt approx. | 25-1-5 |
|
1778 |
ASH NEXT SANDWICH, St Nicholas |
Unknown | 21-3-0 |
Augmented to 10: 1978. |
1779 |
SANDWICH, St Peter |
15-2-9 | 15-2-9 |
Unringable. |
1784 |
BIDDENDEN, All Saints |
22½ cwt approx. | 22½ cwt approx. |
|
1802 |
BORDEN, Ss Peter & Paul |
22 cwt approx. | 22 cwt approx. |
|
1802 |
BENENDEN, St George |
20 cwt approx. | 18-0-24 |
Augmented to 12: 2003. |
1802 |
HYTHE, St Leonard |
18-2-0 | 19-3-3 | Augmented to 10: 1861. |
1811 |
GILLINGHAM, St Mary Magdalene |
11-1-18 | 11-1-18 |
|
1819 |
ROLVENDEN, St Mary the Virgin |
16 cwt approx. | 15-0-7 |
|
1821 |
WOOLWICH, St Mary Magdalene |
13-3-6 | 12-3-6 |
|
1823 |
MARGATE, St John the Baptist |
26 cwt approx. | 21-2-3 |
|
1837 |
WESTERHAM, St Mary |
19-0-9 | 23-0-17 |
|
1844 |
CANTERBURY, St Stephen |
10-2-28 | 10-1-26 |
|
1846 |
FRITTENDEN, St Mary |
13 cwt approx. | 15-1-4 |
|
1847 |
HAWKHURST, St Laurence |
23-0-19 | 23-0-19 |
|
1858 |
CHISLEHURST, St Nicholas |
16-1-21 | 15-2-19 |
|
1860 |
CLIFFE AT HOO, St Helen |
14-2-18 | 14-2-18 |
|
| 1874 | DEPTFORD, St John |
14-0-18 | 14-0-18 |
|
1876 |
CRAYFORD, St Paulinus |
12-1-10 | 11-2-15 |
|
1880 |
MERSHAM, St John the Baptist |
14 cwt approx. | 12-3-18 |
|
1882 |
ERITH, St John the Baptist |
16 cwt approx. | 16 cwt approx. |
|
| 1883 | CHILHAM, St Mary |
19 cwt approx. | 17-2-0 |
|
1884 |
WEST MALLING, St Mary V |
12-1-2 | 10-1-9 |
|
1885 |
STAPLEHURST, All Saints |
21-2-13 | 19-2-7 |
Augmented to 10: 1997. |
1885 |
AYLESFORD, St Peter |
13-2-7 | 13-2-7 |
|
1886 |
HERNHILL, St Michael |
8½ cwt approx. | 7-1-10 | |
1886 |
LEE, St Margaret |
14-1-13 | n/a |
Now a chime of 16 |
1886 |
TUNBRIDGE WELLS, St Peter |
11-2-2 | 14-0-3 |
|
| 1887 | SPELDHURST, St Mary the Virgin |
13-1-26 | 13-1-26 |
|
1890 |
ST LAURENCE IN THANET |
17-0-21 | 14-1-19 |
Augmented to 10: 1924. |
1890 |
BOUGHTON UNDER BLEAN, Ss P&P |
12-1-12 |
11-0-6 |
|
1891 |
OSPRINGE, Ss Peter & Paul |
17-1-8 | 17-1-8 |
|
1891 |
HYTHE, St Leonard |
19-2-23 | 19-3-3 |
Reaugmented: 1992. |
1891 |
BIRLING, All Saints |
8-0-22 | 6-3-16 |
|
1892 |
WALMER, St Mary |
18-2-12 | 18-0-9 |
|
1892 |
ST PETER IN THANET, St Peter |
14-3-9 |
13-2-22 |
|
1896 |
ROCHESTER, St Margaret |
10-3-9 | 10-3-9 | Unringable. |
1896 |
EDENBRIDGE, Ss Peter & Paul |
14½ cwt approx. | 14-0-7 |
|
1896 |
PENSHURST, St John the Baptist |
17-2-11 | 17-2-11 |
|
1897 |
SITTINGBOURNE, St Michael |
20-1-6 | 19-0-6 |
|
1898 |
CHATHAM, Victoria Tower |
25-0-21 | 25-0-21 |
|
1900 |
APPLEDORE, Ss Peter & Paul |
12-0-15 | 12-0-15 |
|
1900 |
SELLING, St Mary the Virgin |
9-3-10 | 5-3-26 |
|
1901 |
BIRCHINGTON ON SEA, All Saints |
7-3-20 | 8-2-17 |
|
1902 |
BECKENHAM, St George |
14-2-18 | 14 cwt approx. |
Augmented to 10: 1934. |
1903 |
EYNSFORD, St Martin |
9-2-10 | 9-2-13 |
|
1904 |
SWANSCOMBE, Ss Peter & Paul |
18-0-5 | 18-0-5 |
|
1904 |
ROCHESTER CATHEDRAL |
26 cwt approx. |
30-0-14 |
Augmented to 10: 1921. |
1904 |
LYMINGE, Ss Mary & Eadburga |
18-0-11 | 15-3-25 |
|
1907 |
SHOREHAM, Ss Peter & Paul |
10-1-7 | 9-1-16 |
|
1909 |
MARDEN, St Michael & All Angels |
14-1-0 | 14-1-0 |
|
1910 |
BROMLEY COMMON, St Luke |
15-1-8 | 15-1-8 |
|
1913 |
RAINHAM, St Margaret |
18-0-20 | 18-0-20 |
|
1915 |
ERITH, Christ Church |
17-0-23 | 17-0-23 |
|
1920 |
FRINDSBURY, All Saints |
15-3-4 | 15-2-4 |
|
1920 |
NORTHFLEET, St Botolph |
16 cwt approx. | 16 cwt approx. |
|
1920 |
LINTON, St Nicholas |
15 cwt approx. | 15 cwt approx. |
|
1923 |
CHERITON, St Martin |
7-1-5 | 7-1-5 |
|
| 1923 | TUNSTALL, St John the Baptist |
8-2-4 | 10-1-8 |
|
1924 |
BRENCHLEY, All Saints |
17-2-24 | 17-3-24 |
|
1924 |
ELTHAM, St John the Baptist |
10-2-24 | 10-2-24 |
|
1926 |
LYDD, All Saints |
15-2-7 | 15-2-7 | |
1930 |
MILTON, Ss Peter & Paul |
11-3-2 | 11-3-2 |
|
1933 |
THROWLEY, St Michael A.A. |
12-1-8 | 12-1-8 |
|
1935 |
CHISLEHURST, Annunciation |
19-1-27 |
19-1-27 | |
1938 |
BEXLEY, St Mary the Virgin |
7-2-6 | 7-0-18 |
|
1949 |
MEOPHAM, St John the Baptist |
12-1-10 | 12-1-10 |
|
1955 |
HORSMONDEN, St Margaret |
19-0-27 | 17-2-10 |
|
1973 |
WHITSTABLE, St Alphege |
3-1-13 | 3-1-13 |
The lightest 8. |
1979 |
EAST FARLEIGH, Parish Church |
7-3-0 | 7-3-0 |
|
1979 |
MAIDSTONE, St Michael A. A. |
6-1-24 | 6-1-24 | |
1987 |
GREAT CHART, St Mary |
13-0-16 | 13-0-16 |
|
| 1993 | BICKLEY, St George |
14-1-9 | 14-1-9 |
|
1995 |
HOO ST WERBURGH, St Werburgh |
15-3-6 | 15-3-6 |
|
1998 |
WITTERSHAM, St John Baptist |
16-2-8 | 16-2-8 |
|
| 1998 | SHELDWICH, St James |
7-1-26 | 7-1-26 |
|
| 2002 | BRABOURNE, St Mary the Virgin |
11-2-15 | 11-2-15 |
|
| 2005 | BRASTED, St Martin |
9-2-2 | 9-2-2 |
|
| 2007 | HORTON KIRBY, St Mary |
5-2-26 | 5-2-26 | |
| 2007 | CHEVENING, St Botolph |
10-1-13 | 10-1-13 | |
| 2008 |
EASTRY, St Mary the Virgin |
16-3-20 | 16-3-20 | |
| 2009 |
CHELSFIELD, St Martin of Tours |
10-3-14 | 10-3-14 |
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St
Mildred, Tenterden Kent's Heaviest Ring of 8.
St Alphege, Whitstable |
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