St Botolph's
The website of Chevening Parish Church
The bells and the ringers
The following is based on an article by Frank Lewis which appeared in The Ringing World, the official weekly paper for bellringers.
This tale of a new ring of bells is slightly unusual for two reasons: firstly, although described as a new ring, there were actually six bells in the tower 285 years ago, and secondly because the entire project was funded by the generosity of one local resident who felt that as there had been bells at Chevening before it seemed perfectly fitting to put some back in time for the Millennium. Not for Chevening the late-night meetings in smoke-filled rooms hatching up fundraising schemes, or working parties shifting endless heaps of nineteenth century pigeon muck, but rather a project to train up a band in a small village with no resident ringers.
The history
In 1715 the church of St Botolph's acquired a brand new ring of six bells with a tenor of about 14cwt to commemorate the accession of George I as King. They were cast by Richard Phelps of Whitechapel, best known for casting the hour bell of St Paul’s Cathedral, but little else is known of the Chevening bells. According to Stahlschmidt's Church Bells of Kent, only two of them were left by 1887 (the treble and fifth). Stahlschmidt also suggests that the bells were presented by General (later Earl) Stanhope, but as the Stanhopes didn't arrive in Chevening until two years later this seems improbable. There is a record of another bell (the third) still being in the tower in 1867, although it was cracked by this time and seems soon to have been lost. There's a record in the church archives which reads:
"At a Parochial Visitation held at this Church on Tuesday May 1 1855. It was recommended to provide two new floors to the Belfry, and a complete new framework, wheels etc for the Bells: and it were greatly to be desired that the three missing bells should be replaced at the same time. The louvre boarding would fall to be replaced at the same time. Chas Lane, Rural Dean"
What happened to the missing four bells is not clear. In other parishes bells have been sold to pay for repairs to church fabric, but this seems unlikely with the Stanhope coffers in the background. It may well be that the Chevening bells cracked one by one due to rusted crown staples; perhaps later Earls weren't so keen on bells and were glad to see them go — probably we'll never know.
In 1938 the larger of the old bells was recast by Gillett and Johnston and it and the remaining Phelps bell were rehung for swing chiming from a couple of RSJs. A plaque on the wall by the tower entrance states that the "bells in this tower were restored by Sir Edward Meyerstein in memory of his daughter Phyllis Knight . . ". By today's standards the term "restored" might seem a little OTT. Part of the old timber frame was turned into a table which is just inside the south door of the church.
Over the next 60 years the question of putting a full ring of bells back in the tower was raised from time to time, but nothing came of these discussions until late in 1998, when a member of the congregation offered to pay for the restoration. He had apparently been shown round the tower some 25 years earlier, and had thought at the time that it was a great pity to see that wonderful tower with just two bells hanging forlornly in one corner. Things started to move quite quickly then, and a faculty (permission from the diocesan authorities) was applied for in the following February and the order was placed with The Whitechapel Bellfoundry. What happened next was really an exercise in finding, mobilising and training ringers in a relatively short time.
Training the ringers
On 24 June Catherine Lewis and Peter Romney, respectively County Training Officer and District Chairman of The Kent
County Association of Change Ringers (KCACR), visited Chevening and gave a presentation to nearly 20 potential 
new ringers.
Most of them went the next week to the neighbouring tower at Brasted to see bells in action. A band had been laid on
to raise the bells and then ring some plain hunt and Bob Doubles, complete with commentary on what was going on. After
the bells had been lowered, four of the bells were silenced by tying the clappers in the centre of the bells with rope
so that they didn't sound [see photo] and the visitors were escorted to the bellchamber in groups of five or six for yet
more explanations while someone down below raised and lowered, rang perfectly, bumped stays and so on, so that everyone
could see exactly what was what. After this each of the aspiring ringers had a go on the backstroke just to get an idea
of what they were letting themselves in for. They were then sorted into two groups for teaching at Brasted and Hadlow.
During the second week in July, 15 of the trainees had their first handling lessons. With four tied bells at each tower, four instructors and around 40 minutes on the end of a rope for each of the learners, it was not surprising that they all made very good progress.
By the latter part of September nearly all the pupils were quite safe on their own and were getting practice at following another bell, an essential skill to acquire while still on silent bells. At the Brasted sessions up to five bells were tied, with an instructor ringing one of them and getting the students to follow. Some of them also tried the simulator, and found it quite an experience! Several were also making good progress with raising and lowering, so all seemed to be going well.
Next came open practices [ie with the clappers free to swing and make a real sound]. It really was rewarding to find several of the learners taking to ringing in rounds almost naturally. In fact, apart from the odd missed sally, everyone did remarkably well. After this, open practices continued at Shoreham until the Chevening bells were ringable.
The restoration
In early November the KCACR Bell Restoration Fund gang made a flying visit and lowered the two existing bells to the ground. The smaller one (the treble of the original Phelps six) was to sent back to Whitechapel to be retuned and become the second of the new ring, while the other (the one recast by Gillett & Johnston in 1938) was destined to be the tenor.
On the morning of 19 November the four new bells were cast at Whitechapel and a number of the ringers were there to see the work taking place. The new steel and cast iron frame was loaded onto a lorry for delivery to Chevening by 8 am the following Monday ready for assembly that week. The bells followed on 6 December and installation started immediately.
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The photos show, from the left to right downwards: delivery lorry outside the church; the tenor coming down to land on the pallet truck; Peter Romney guides the treble in; two shots of the tenor leaving the lorry and crossing the wall into the churchyard. |
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Ringing the bells
At last, on 16 December 1999, almost five months to the day since their first ever meeting with a bellrope, Chevening ringers practised for the first time on their own bells, the first full circle ringing at Chevening for, probably, over 150 years. With the aid of three of their regular helpers/mentors/naggers they rang some very respectable rounds. The bells were a delight to ring and the really enthusiastic band were doing brilliantly.
The next Big Day was 19 December 1999 when the bells were rung for their first service, the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, and all bar one of the ringers were locals. The Rector, Christopher Johnson, writing in the parish magazine, summed it up so well:
"I will never forget the first Sunday we rang the new bells for worship . . . There had been snow that night and the day was bright and crisp and frosty. There was a clear blue sky and the sun was shining. To hear the bells ringing through the frosty air as people gathered for worship was an unforgettable experience."
The first Christmas Day ringing took place at Chevening for, probably, over 150 years, and it goes without saying that the bells rang out for the Millennium at noon on 1 January 2000.
The band who rang at noon on 1 January 2000: Jen Thomas (tutor), Caroline Harris, Graham Scrine, Ian Bourne, Annie Brook, Jane Nielson, Brenda Elmer, Ian Tandy, Catherine Lewis (tutor)
Another bright, frosty Sunday saw the dedication of the bells by the Bishop of Tonbridge on 20 February. A packed congregation sang their hearts out and witnessed the culmination of a year's work getting the bells in and ringers trained. A lesson (Robes, Bells and Pomegranates) was read by Carole Scott, the new Tower Captain. After the formal handing over of the ropes to the Rector, the bells sounded out in rounds rung by a complete band of Chevening ringers, none of whom had touched a rope before July the previous year. After the service there was general ringing which mainly included people who had been involved in some way with the project and the locals who just kept coming back for more!
Harold Jones and the Bishop of Tonbridge with the Chevening ringers at the lunch which followed the dedication. The ringers (L to R) are Annie Brook (deputy Tower Captain), Carole Scott (Tower Captain), Jane Nielson, Brenda Elmer, Ian Tandy, Graham Scrine, Ian Bourne, David Cochrane, Lela Weavers, Caroline (Cazzy) Harris, John Westacott
Finally, once the bells were lowered, everyone trooped off to the village hall for a splendid repast laid on in honour of the occasion. The Rector started the proceedings with warm thanks to everyone who had played a part in the project, making special mention of the benefactor, who could then be revealed as Harold Hosgood Jones, a long-time resident of the parish. A very enjoyable lunch, orchestrated with military precision, was then demolished with great enthusiasm by around 100 people.