Bells of St Mary's

The Bells of St Marys

Latest news - April 2011 - the ring of 6 bells have been installed and were first publicly rung on Easter Day 2011, and so returned the sound of the 'nightingales' as St Mary's original bells were described by Queen Elizabeth I! Our clock renovation work has now been completed and the clockwork mechanism reconnected, and the long redundant South face of the clock has had its new mechanism fitted and is working once more. A huge thank you to all who have participated and donated time and funds to enable this amazing project to take place.

All the progress of the work in church to install the bells and renovate the clock can be seen on our Facebook page which has been updated regularly throughout the project.

Details and history of the two bells that have hung at St Mary's until December 2010 can be found on the website here. Information provided is as follows:

STONE (by Dartford), St Mary

	2 bells (formerly 5)
	Tenor 5˝ cwt approx.
	Grid Ref.
	Lewisham District

	Retuning: Never subsequently retuned
	Ground floor

DETAILS OF THE BELLS

Bell	Weight	Diameter	Note	Cast	Founder
1	4Ľ cwt approx.	27¹/4"		1806	Thomas Mears & Son
2	5˝ cwt approx.	31⁵/8"		1806	Thomas Mears & Son

INSCRIPTIONS

1.	THE GIFT OF HENRY DRAPER 1691 THOMAS ELLIOT THOMAS COLYER CHURCH :
	WARDENS RECAST THE REV^D THOMAS HEATHCOTE RECTOR WILLIAM (loop)
	NETLEINGHAM JOHN SHARP CHURCH WARDENS 1806 T : MEARS & SON OF LONDON FECIT
2.	JOHN & CHRISTOPHER HODSON MADE ME 1676 NICHOLAS TOOKE CHURCH WARDENS :
	RECAST THE REV^D THOMAS HEATHCOTE RECTOR WILLIAM NETLEINGHAM JOHN
	SHARP CHURCH WARDENS 1806 T MEARS & SON OF LONDON FECIT

HISTORY

970		Evidence of a Saxon church in existence.
14th Cent		The church was built under the direction of Westminster Abbey.
1552		Record of 3 bells and a sanctus bell ("Item iij bells in the steple suted of brasse a saints bell of brasse and two sacryng bells of brasse.")
1638	14th Jan.	Lightning from a serious storm caused the spire and nave roofs / aisles to be burned down. The 5 bells were melted in the heat. Queen Elizabeth had called these bells her "Nightingales" because of their sweet sound when rung.
1676		A bell was cast by John & Christopher Hodson and hung in the newly restored tower. The frame cannot have been totally destroyed as some of the medieval timbers from the original frame survive today.
1691		A bell was given by Henry Draper.
c. 1750		Hasted records five bells in the tower. It would appear he was mistaken as the five bells had been destroyed a hundred years earlier.
1806		Both bells in the tower were recast by Thomas Mears & Son.