| c. 1070 |
|
Church put under the authority of St
Martin's, Battle Abbey (hence one of the patron saints is St Martin). |
| 1447 |
|
Wye College was founded by John Kempe
as a residence for secular priests. The church was transferred to the
college. It was larger than it is now, cruciform with a large central tower. |
| 1552 |
|
Record of 5 bells ("Item fyve greate
bells and a morowe masse bell.") |
| 1572-3 |
|
4 bells cast by Robert Doddes bearing
the Kempe Arms. They were transported from "The Bull in Bishopsgate" by
river to Faversham and then on wagons to Wye. The frame was made by a
carpenter from Pluckley who worked for 38 weeks at a shilling a day. |
| 1572 |
15th July |
Lightning struck the wooden church
steeple destroying it, part of the tower and the bells. |
| 1593 |
|
Back 4 bells recast by Robert Mot. |
| 1594 |
|
Treble (of 5) recast by Robert Mot who
casts a treble to augment the ring to 6. |
| 1686 |
|
Tower suddenly collapsed during Matins
demolishing almost the entire east end of the church including chancel and
transepts. The 5th (of 6) was broken. |
| 1701-6 |
|
A new south tower was built. |
| 1709 |
|
Broken 5th recast by Richard Phelps
who rehung the bells in a new timber frame. |
| 1734 |
|
2 trebles added by Richard Phelps. |
|
1758 |
|
Rev'd Bryan Faussett wrote:
This Church was formerly a very Large Building,
consisting of 3 Isles, and 3 Chancells, with a Tower Steeple in the
Center, supported by 4 Pillars; which (on ye 21st of March 1685/6
giving Way, The Steeple fell down, and, by its Fall, destroy’d all The
Chancells. The Parish has since built a small, but very neat, Chancell;
and a very strong, ‘tho low, Tower, on ye South side of the Chancell,
with 8 very Musical Bells in it.
The Bells are thus inscribed.
1. The Gift of John Sawbridge of Ollantigh. R. Phelps Londini fecit
Me. 1734.
2. The Gift of The Town of Wye. R. Phelps, Londini, fecit Me. 1734.
3. Robertus Mot Me fecit. 1594.
4. Robertus Mot Me fecit. 1594.
5. Robertus Mot Me fecit. 1593.
6. Robertus Mot Me fecit. 1593.
7. R. Phelps Made Me 1709 (N.B. This Bell was new Cast, having been
broke by ye Fall).
8. Robertus Mot Me fecit. 1593.
The First Bell has the Arms & Crest of Sawbridge upon it. The 3d, 4th,
5th, 6th & 8th have all of them the Arms of Kempe with many
Quarterings |
|
| 1774 |
|
Bells recast by Pack & Chapman.
One of the 1593 Mot bells was transferred to Crundale to join two other
bells there. |
|
1798 |
|
Hasted wrote:
| In the steeple are eight bells and a clock, which
were completed in 1774. |
|
| 1896 |
|
Bells rehung by John Warner, although
the work wasn't very satisfactory and the bells were still not considered "pealable". |
| 1913 |
|
Bells rehung by John Warner in a new
cast iron frame for 10 bells. |
| 1975 |
|
Bells retuned and rehung by
Whitechapel. |
| 1978 |
|
7th recast by Whitechapel. |
| 1999 |
|
2 bells added by Whitechapel to make
10. |
