Balcombe, St Mary
Bell |
Weight |
Diameter |
Nominal |
Note |
Founder |
Cast |
Canon |
Hanging |
1 George |
3-2-6 cwt |
24.00" |
1720 Hz |
A |
1936 |
Full Circle |
||
2 Mary |
3-2-21 cwt |
24.50" |
1612 Hz |
G# |
1936 |
Full Circle |
||
3 |
3-2-27 cwt |
25.50" |
1432 Hz |
F# |
1936 |
Full Circle |
||
4 |
3-3-22 cwt |
26.56" |
1290 Hz |
E |
1936 |
Full Circle |
||
5 |
4-2-5 cwt |
28.63" |
1148 Hz |
D |
1936 |
Full Circle |
||
6 |
5-0-14 cwt |
29.88" |
1076 Hz |
C# |
1936 |
Full Circle |
||
7 |
6-1-2cwt |
33.18" |
966 Hz |
B |
Bryan I Eldridge |
1628 |
Removed |
Full Circle |
8 |
9-0-12 cwt |
36.69" |
860 Hz |
A |
1936 |
Full Circle |
About the Bells
8 Bells, 9-0-12 in A
Balcombe has an octave ring of bells rung by 8 red sallies from the ground floor. All the ropes are hung up on a octagonal wooden spider.
The ground floor ringing chamber has a long guided draft which leads up to a clock room above.
The clock room is accessed by first a 6ft vertical ladder; then onto a platform; then up a following small metal staircase through a trapdoor. The clock is a Westminster chime mechanism which chimes on bells, 2,3,4 & 7 for the quarters and 8 for the hour bell.
The clock was made by Gillett, Bland & Co in 1879 and sits on a wooden stand.
It was installed by public subscription in remembrance of Francis Barlow Robinson of Balcombe House. His name can also be viewed on the inscription of the Tenor.
An 8 rung wooden ladder is used to get into the belfry.
Bells 1,4,5,6,7,8 all sit in a Z trussed 6.1 timber frame made by Gillett, Bland & Co from 1879.
Bells 2 and 3 are hung in a cast iron frame made by Gillett & Johnston in 1936.
In 1936, two trebles were added to augment the 6 to and 8 to commemorate the Silver jubilee of King George the V and Queen Mary in 1935.
The tower is a 15th century sandstone build with an oak-shingled broach spire.
The large window in the West wall of the tower was originally the door that lead into the main body of the church.110
The 7th bell cast by Bryan Eldridge is dated 1628. As the tower is 15th century, this would suggest that the present day 7th was put in place when the tower was built.
The old tenor was given as 11cwt and had the date 1879 after "LONDON". The old treble, 2nd and 4th were inscribed "CAST BY GILLETT, BLAND & CO CROYDON LONDON 1879.
The old 3rd had it's inscription reproduced with no other inscription. Apparently a frame for four bells up to 1879 with the 3rd missing, the treble uninscribed and the 2nd now recast to be the 5th.
George P Elphick
Balcombe has an octave ring of bells rung by 8 red sallies from the ground floor. All the ropes are hung up on a octagonal wooden spider.
The ground floor ringing chamber has a long guided draft which leads up to a clock room above.
The clock room is accessed by first a 6ft vertical ladder; then onto a platform; then up a following small metal staircase through a trapdoor. The clock is a Westminster chime mechanism which chimes on bells, 2,3,4 & 7 for the quarters and 8 for the hour bell.
The clock was made by Gillett, Bland & Co in 1879 and sits on a wooden stand.
It was installed by public subscription in remembrance of Francis Barlow Robinson of Balcombe House. His name can also be viewed on the inscription of the Tenor.
An 8 rung wooden ladder is used to get into the belfry.
Bells 1,4,5,6,7,8 all sit in a Z trussed 6.1 timber frame made by Gillett, Bland & Co from 1879.
Bells 2 and 3 are hung in a cast iron frame made by Gillett & Johnston in 1936.
In 1936, two trebles were added to augment the 6 to and 8 to commemorate the Silver jubilee of King George the V and Queen Mary in 1935.
The tower is a 15th century sandstone build with an oak-shingled broach spire.
The large window in the West wall of the tower was originally the door that lead into the main body of the church.110
The 7th bell cast by Bryan Eldridge is dated 1628. As the tower is 15th century, this would suggest that the present day 7th was put in place when the tower was built.
The old tenor was given as 11cwt and had the date 1879 after "LONDON". The old treble, 2nd and 4th were inscribed "CAST BY GILLETT, BLAND & CO CROYDON LONDON 1879.
The old 3rd had it's inscription reproduced with no other inscription. Apparently a frame for four bells up to 1879 with the 3rd missing, the treble uninscribed and the 2nd now recast to be the 5th.
George P Elphick
Inscriptions:
*Underlined text is inscriptions within the inscription band*
1 |
THOMAS MEARS FOUNDER LONDON 1839 |
2 |
1839 |
3 |
RECAST BY GILLETT & JOHNSTON CROYDON 1936 Ⓖ CAST BY GILLETT, BLAND & Cọ CROYDON LONDON 1879 |
4 |
RECAST BY GILLETT & JOHNSTON CROYDON 1936 Ⓖ CAST BY GILLETT, BLAND & Cọ CROYDON LONDON 1879 |
5 |
+ 𝖀𝖔𝖝 𝕬𝖚𝖌𝖚𝖘𝖘𝖙𝖎𝖓𝖎 𝕾𝖔𝖓𝖊𝖙 𝕴𝖓 𝕬𝖚𝖗𝖊 𝕯𝖊𝖎 ⍔ RECAST BY GILLETT & JOHNSTON, CROYDON 1936 Ⓖ RECTOR. D.L.SECRETAN CHURCHWARDENS H. FAURE WALKER R.F.H. NEWTON |
6 |
RECAST BY GILLETT & JOHNSTON 1936 Ⓖ YE PEOPLE ALL THAT HEAR ME RING BE FAITHFUL TO YOUR GOD AND QUEEN CAST BY GILLETT, BLAND & Cọ CROYDON LONDON 1879 |
7 |
BRIANVS ♥ ELDRIDGE ♥ ME ♥ FECIT ♥ 1628 |
8 |
⋙⋙⋙⋙⋙⋙ RECAST BY GILLETT & JOHNSTON CROYDON 1936 Ⓖ IN MEMORY OF FRANCIS BARLOW ROBINSON 1878 CAST BY GILLETT, BLAND & Cọ CROYDON LONDON. |
Present bells:
1 |
CAST BY GILLETT, BLAND & CO CROYDON LONDON 1879 |
2 |
CAST BY GILLETT, BLAND & CO CROYDON LONDON 1879 |
3 |
(Uninscribed) |
4 |
CAST BY GILLETT, BLAND & CO CROYDON LONDON 1879 |
5 |
+ 𝖀𝖔𝖝 𝕬𝖚𝖌𝖚𝖘𝖘𝖙𝖎𝖓𝖎 𝕾𝖔𝖓𝖊𝖙 𝕴𝖓 𝕬𝖚𝖗𝖊 𝕯𝖊𝖎 ⍔ |
6 |
BRIANVS ♥ ELDRIDGE ♥ ME ♥ FECIT ♥ 1628 |
Old bells:
Latin Translations:
5th: Uox Augusstini Sonet In Aure Dei - The Voice of Augustine Sounds in the ears of God.
5th: Uox Augusstini Sonet In Aure Dei - The Voice of Augustine Sounds in the ears of God.
Ⓖ = Fig. CFJ, 5 (Bells 1,2,3,4,5,6,8)
⍔ = Fig. XVI,a (Bell 5)
+ = Fig. XVI,f (Bell 5)
♥ = Fig. XXX,f (Bell 7)
⋙ = Fig. CFJ, 7 (Bell 8)
*Click on images to enlarge them*
⍔ = Fig. XVI,a (Bell 5)
+ = Fig. XVI,f (Bell 5)
♥ = Fig. XXX,f (Bell 7)
⋙ = Fig. CFJ, 7 (Bell 8)
*Click on images to enlarge them*
Photographs:
Tuesday: 19:30 - 21:00
Sunday: 09:30 - 10:00
Sunday: 09:30 - 10:00
London Road, Balcombe, RH17 6PY
