Copthorne, St John the EvangelistCopthorne has a chime of six bells, hung in its west-facing tower. The church was built in 1877 to the designs of Habershon and Brock at a cost of £3,500, and features a slender tower with a stone broach spire. It was dedicated three years later, in 1880.
|
|
1919 - Present
Bell |
Weight |
Diameter |
Nominal |
Note |
Founder |
Cast |
Canon |
Hanging |
1 |
2-1-9 cwt |
22.00" |
1626.5 Hz |
G# |
1919 |
Dead |
||
2 |
3-0-21 cwt |
24.00" |
1468 Hz |
F# |
1919 |
Dead |
||
3 |
3-1-2 cwt |
25.43" |
1304.5 Hz |
E |
1919 |
Dead |
||
4 |
3-3-16 cwt |
27.00" |
1224 Hz |
D# |
1919 |
Dead |
||
5 |
4-3-22 cwt |
29.50" |
1100 Hz |
C# |
1919 |
Dead |
||
6 |
6-3-13 cwt |
33.00" |
976 Hz |
B |
1919 |
Dead |
1877 - 1919
Bell |
Weight |
Founder |
Date |
1 |
9-2-15 cwt |
1877 |
About the Bells
6 Bells, 6-3-13 in B
When the church was built, Mears & Stainbank of Whitechapel supplied a single bell, complete with frame & fittings.
Sir Curtis Lampson Bt of 80 Eaton Square was the sole donor who paid the full £120 for the bell.
The Whitechapel Daybook gives the following:
86. Sir Curtis Lampson. Bart. 80 Eaton Square
For Copthorne Church.
To a 10cwt Bell with Frame. } 9 2 18
fittings & hanging as per } 120 ,, ,,
Estimate of May 2nd 1877. } 120 ,, ,,
When the church was built, Mears & Stainbank of Whitechapel supplied a single bell, complete with frame & fittings.
Sir Curtis Lampson Bt of 80 Eaton Square was the sole donor who paid the full £120 for the bell.
The Whitechapel Daybook gives the following:
86. Sir Curtis Lampson. Bart. 80 Eaton Square
For Copthorne Church.
To a 10cwt Bell with Frame. } 9 2 18
fittings & hanging as per } 120 ,, ,,
Estimate of May 2nd 1877. } 120 ,, ,,
|
Preserved in the church is an invoice from Mears & Stainbank, identical to the Whitechapel Daybook entry except for the addition of "Carriage of Box up". The extra three shillings brought the total payment for the bell to £120 3s.
Interestingly, this bell is not recorded in Tyssen’s Sussex Church Bells nor in Stahlschmidt’s book on Surrey bells. It likely bore an inscription reading MEARS & STAINBANK FOUNDERS LONDON 1877 and hung in a 6.A frame, supported by a conventional canon. A clock hammer was fitted following the installation of the new clock in 1897. |
|
War memorial bells
To commemorate the Great War, a new chime of six bells was installed in 1919 by Gillett & Johnston of Croydon, replacing the earlier Whitechapel bell. They were harmonically tuned to form a diatonic set in the key of B, and tuned throughout the entire profile. The crowns were cast thicker by Gillett’s to control the prime frequency with greater accuracy.
The bells were cast without canons and are bolted to paired steel joints, with bells 1, 2, and 6 hung below 3, 4, and 5. Each carries the same inscription, with an additional line on the waist of the tenor marking them as a war memorial. At the base of the tower is a wooden plaque dedicated to the bells.
To commemorate the Great War, a new chime of six bells was installed in 1919 by Gillett & Johnston of Croydon, replacing the earlier Whitechapel bell. They were harmonically tuned to form a diatonic set in the key of B, and tuned throughout the entire profile. The crowns were cast thicker by Gillett’s to control the prime frequency with greater accuracy.
The bells were cast without canons and are bolted to paired steel joints, with bells 1, 2, and 6 hung below 3, 4, and 5. Each carries the same inscription, with an additional line on the waist of the tenor marking them as a war memorial. At the base of the tower is a wooden plaque dedicated to the bells.
"THE PEAL OF BELLS WAS PRESENTED IN COMMEMORATION OF THE VICTORY GIVEN TO THIS COUNTRY AND ITS ALLIES IN THE GREAT WAR OF 1914 - 1919 AND AS A MEMORIALOF THOSE WHO FELL WHOSE NAMES ARE RECORDED IN THE CHURCH THANKS BE TO GOD WHO GIVETH US THE VICTORY" |
Fittings & Access
The bells are rung from the ground floor using a baton clavier, connected to flights of internal clappers. However, the tenor doesn't have an internal clapper and instead uses the clock hammer to chime the bell.
All the fittings suffer from very little rust and are in great condition.
Access to the belfry and clock chamber are by a series of vertical ladders.
Visited: 04/06/2022
The bells are rung from the ground floor using a baton clavier, connected to flights of internal clappers. However, the tenor doesn't have an internal clapper and instead uses the clock hammer to chime the bell.
All the fittings suffer from very little rust and are in great condition.
Access to the belfry and clock chamber are by a series of vertical ladders.
Visited: 04/06/2022
Recordings of the bells:
How the bells are tuned in relation to their nominal, using Simpson's theory.
Key [measured in cents]:
-99 ~ -90 -89 ~ -80 -79 ~ -70 -69 ~ -60 -59 ~ -50 -49 ~ -40 -39 ~ -30 -29 ~ -20 -19 ~ -10 -9 ~ -0
0 ~ 9 10 ~ 19 20 ~ 29 30 ~ 39 40 ~ 49 50 ~ 59 60 ~ 69 70 ~ 79 80 ~ 89 90 ~ 99+
-99 ~ -90 -89 ~ -80 -79 ~ -70 -69 ~ -60 -59 ~ -50 -49 ~ -40 -39 ~ -30 -29 ~ -20 -19 ~ -10 -9 ~ -0
0 ~ 9 10 ~ 19 20 ~ 29 30 ~ 39 40 ~ 49 50 ~ 59 60 ~ 69 70 ~ 79 80 ~ 89 90 ~ 99+
Bell 1
Hum - 407Hz - Ab-34
Prime - 809.5Hz - Ab-44
Tierce - 979.5Hz - B-14 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 1220.5Hz - Eb-33
Nominal - 1626.5Hz - Ab-36
Prime - 809.5Hz - Ab-44
Tierce - 979.5Hz - B-14 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 1220.5Hz - Eb-33
Nominal - 1626.5Hz - Ab-36
| copthorneone.mp3 |
Bell 2
Hum - 367.5Hz - F# -11
Prime - 732.5Hz - F# -17
Tierce - 882Hz - A+4 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 1099.5Hz - Db-13
Nominal - 1468Hz - F# -13
Prime - 732.5Hz - F# -17
Tierce - 882Hz - A+4 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 1099.5Hz - Db-13
Nominal - 1468Hz - F# -13
| copthornetwo.mp3 |
Bell 3
Hum - 325.5Hz - E-21
Prime - 649.5Hz - E-25
Tierce - 785Hz - G+2 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 979Hz - B-14
Nominal - 1304.5Hz - E-17
Prime - 649.5Hz - E-25
Tierce - 785Hz - G+2 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 979Hz - B-14
Nominal - 1304.5Hz - E-17
| copthornethree.mp3 |
Bell 4
Hum - 305Hz - Eb-33
Prime - 610Hz - Eb-33
Tierce - 735Hz - F# -11 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 918.5Hz - Bb-25
Nominal - 1224Hz - Eb-28
Prime - 610Hz - Eb-33
Tierce - 735Hz - F# -11 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 918.5Hz - Bb-25
Nominal - 1224Hz - Eb-28
| copthornefour.mp3 |
Bell 5
Hum - 276Hz - Db-6
Prime - 549Hz - Db-16
Tierce - 662Hz - E+7 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 820.5Hz - Ab-20
Nominal - 1100Hz - Db-13
Prime - 549Hz - Db-16
Tierce - 662Hz - E+7 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 820.5Hz - Ab-20
Nominal - 1100Hz - Db-13
| copthornefive.mp3 |
Bell 6
Hum - 245Hz - B-13
Prime - 489.5Hz - B-14
Tierce - 590.5Hz - D+9 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 731Hz - F# -20
Nominal - 976Hz - B-20
Prime - 489.5Hz - B-14
Tierce - 590.5Hz - D+9 (minor 3rd)
Quint - 731Hz - F# -20
Nominal - 976Hz - B-20
| copthornesix.mp3 |
Inscriptions:
*Underlined text is around the inscription band*
1 |
±±±±±±±±±±±± CAST BY GILLETT & JOHNSTON CROYDON 1919 ⛫⛫⛫⛫⛫⛫⛫⛫⛫ 1 ⚜⚜⚜⚜⚜⚜⚜⚜⚜ ₼₼₼₼₼₼₼₼₼ |
2 |
±±±±±±±±±±±± CAST BY GILLETT & JOHNSTON CROYDON 1919 ⛫⛫⛫⛫⛫⛫⛫⛫⛫ 2 ⚜⚜⚜⚜⚜⚜⚜⚜⚜ ₼₼₼₼₼₼₼₼₼ |
3 |
±±±±±±±±±±±± CAST BY GILLETT & JOHNSTON CROYDON 1919 ⛫⛫⛫⛫⛫⛫⛫⛫⛫ 3 ⚜⚜⚜⚜⚜⚜⚜⚜⚜ ₼₼₼₼₼₼₼₼₼ |
4 |
±±±±±±±±±±±± CAST BY GILLETT & JOHNSTON CROYDON 1919 ⛫⛫⛫⛫⛫⛫⛫⛫⛫ 4 ⚜⚜⚜⚜⚜⚜⚜⚜⚜ ₼₼₼₼₼₼₼₼₼ |
5 |
±±±±±±±±±±±± CAST BY GILLETT & JOHNSTON CROYDON 1919 ⛫⛫⛫⛫⛫⛫⛫⛫⛫ 5 ⚜⚜⚜⚜⚜⚜⚜⚜⚜ ₼₼₼₼₼₼₼₼₼ |
6 |
±±±±±±±±±±±± CAST BY GILLETT & JOHNSTON CROYDON 1919 ⛫⛫⛫⛫⛫⛫⛫⛫⛫ WAR MEMORIAL 1914 - 1919 6 ⚜⚜⚜⚜⚜⚜⚜⚜⚜ ₼₼₼₼₼₼₼₼₼ |
⚜ = Fig. ACJ, 2
⛫ = Fig. CFJ, 1
± = Fig. CFJ, 2
₼ = Fig. CFJ, 3
*Click on images to enlarge them*
⛫ = Fig. CFJ, 1
± = Fig. CFJ, 2
₼ = Fig. CFJ, 3
*Click on images to enlarge them*
Photographs:
*Click on the images to enlarge them*
Sources:
© Kye L Leaver 2025. All rights reserved.
- STAHLSCHMIDT, John. C. L (1884): Surrey Bells & London Bell Founders
- TYSSEN, Amhurst. D (1864): The Church Bells of Sussex
- https://sussexparishchurches.org/church/copthorne-st-john/
- Church archives
- Whitechapel archives, Chris J. Pickford
© Kye L Leaver 2025. All rights reserved.
