Penshurst

[Dickon Love <DrLove@s...>]

Have been away from the list for a few days and have come back to 
find some questions on Penshurst. I am often fairly sceptical about 
which is written in parish guides ... only last week at Farnborough 
(Kent) I read that the clock bell was by John Hodson, dated 1766!!

My notes say the following:

1..5-3-19.........30".......1896 M&S
2..6-0-3..........31".......1896 M&S
3..7 cwt approx...33 1/2"...1701 Richard Phelps
4..6¾ cwt approx..35".......1802 Thomas Mears I
5..7½ cwt approx..36"......c1370 Stephen Norton
6..10-3-7.........40 1/8"...1896 M&S
7..14-0-6.........44".......1896 M&S
8..17-2-11........47 1/2"...1619 Joseph Hatch

All rehung 1896 by T Blackbourn of Salisbury (at which time they were 
augmented from 6 with 2 trebles). The former 6th was also by Stephen 
Norton. The former 7th was 1802 Thomas Mears I.

Rehung 1973 by Whitechapel in the existing frame (rung again 24th 
June 1973 for the feast of St John the Baptist). At this time the 
clappers went to Whitechapel for refacing and annealing and the bells 
were given new gudgeons and fitted with ball bearings.

Now - the parish website is at odds with some of this. The idea that 
5th and 6th were by Kebyll is not new, and may possibly be correct (I 
would need to check my original references which are not at hand) as 
I have a question mark note mentioning Kebyll. I'd be interested to 
hear what DL de C has noted.

The tenor weight is also at odds with my notes. I don't think they 
were all weighed in 1973 (or at least, I have not seen the weights). 
But I am interested to see that the parish website claims the 5th is 
7-2-26.

The reason I haven't added the full Penshurst page to Church Bells of 
Kent is that I don't have the full inscriptions on the new bells, nor 
have I visited the belfry. (When I rang a peal there some years ago 
the belfry door was firmly locked!)

DrL