[Bell Historians] Old bell at Chaldon, Surrey

[Richard Smith]

Does anyone know what became of the ancient bell at Chaldon, Surrey? 
Stahlschmidt says 'it may be certainly reckoned as not later in date 
than 1250, and from its archaic shape may well be much older', and that 
'it is undoubtedly the oldest bell in the county' (p.77).

The VCH says 'It seems reasonable to conjecture that the bell was made 
for the small tower at the end of the north aisle, when this was built 
in about 1190' (vol.4, pp.188-194).  This volume of the VCH was 
published in 1912, and says 'it has lately been removed from the tower 
to the interior of the porch, where it hangs over the internal door'.

However, it's not listed in Dove.  All that is listed is a 1902 Mears 
chime of six.  It seems unlikely the ancient bell was destroyed in 1902, 
as ten years later the VCH notes it was recently moved, though the VCH 
doesn't mention the Mears bells, so perhaps the text was written (or at 
least researched) more than a decade earlier.  Could the bell still 
there, somehow having escaped being recorded in Dove?

RAS