ST DUNSTAN-IN-THE-WEST, Fleet St

Ring of 10 bells and 2 clock bells Tenor: 10-3-23 in G Frame: Whitechapel 2012 Never subsequently retuned Upstairs Ringing Room Peals

DETAILS OF THE BELLS

Bell	Weight	Diameter	Note	Cast	Founder
Treble	3-0-12	22⅝"	B	2011	Whitechapel
2	3-1-15	23?"	A	2011	Whitechapel
3	3-2-20	24⅞"	G	2011	Whitechapel
4	3-3-4	25?"	F sharp	2011	Whitechapel
5	3-3-22	269/16"	D	2011	Whitechapel
6	4-1-15	283/16"	E	2011	Whitechapel
7	5-1-18	30?"	C	2011	Whitechapel
8	6-0-23	3115/16"	B	2011	Whitechapel
9	7-3-19	35"	A	2011	Whitechapel
Tenor	10-3-23	39?	G	2011	Whitechapel
Clock 1	? cwt approx.	14?"	E flat	1739	Robert Catlin
Clock 2	1 cwt approx.	16"	D	1739	Robert Catlin

1	campana vocor ricardi olim cicestrensis episcopi
	I WAS GIVEN IN LOVING MEMORY OF HARRY AND JOAN BROWN OF HURSTPIERPOINT. I MEAN TO MAKE IT UNDERSTOOD THAT THO' I'M LITTLE YET I'M GOOD   1952 EIIR 2012 20 11 WHITECHAPEL 1
2	georgius anglorum patronus pro fidelibus oro romanianis
	THE GIFT OF BENJAMIN DANIEL CONSTANT AND ADAM SIMON GREENLEY IN MEMORY OF THEIR MOTHERS GABRIELLE LESLEY CONSTANT AND ANN MARY GREENLEY. 1952 EIIR 2012 20 11 WHITECHAPEL 2
3	vocor campana albani, angliae protomartyri
	THE GIFT OF GERALDINE FORSTER IN MEMORY OF HER PARENTS ERNEST AND RITA LEA. 1952 EIIR 2012 20 11 WHITECHAPEL 3
4	campana vocor petri westmonasterii patroni
	THE GIFT OF ANDREW MIDDLICOTT IN MEMORY OF JONATHAN P. HUGHES 1983-2005. "LET THE BELLS BE RUNG" 1952 EIIR 2012 20 11 WHITECHAPEL 4
5	sancte confessor edwarde dignare pro nobis orare
	THE GIFT OF JOHN N. DUNN AUCKLAND NZ IN MEMORY OF HIS PARENTS CECIL AND WINIFRED DUNN CHRISTCHURCH NZ. 1952 EIIR 2012 20 11 WHITECHAPEL 5
6	sum rosa pulsata mundi maria vocata
	MATTHEW BURROUGHS DICKON LOVE PAUL MOUNSEY DAVID POWELL ALAN REGIN } TRUSTEES THE REVD WILLIAM GULLIFORD ? GUILD VICAR 1952 EIIR 2012 20 11 WHITECHAPEL 6
7	vocor campana melliti primi londiniensis episcopi
	FUNDING RECEIVED FROM VIRIDOR CREDITS ENVIRONMENTAL COMPANY THROUGH THE LANDFILL COMMUNITIES FUND. 1952 EIIR 2012 20 11 WHITECHAPEL 7
8	proclamo cum paulo magno vae mihi si non evangelisavero
	THE SUPPORT OF THE SOCIETY OF ROYAL CUMBERLAND YOUTHS ENSURED THESE BELLS WILL RING OUT. 1952 EIIR 2012 20 11 WHITECHAPEL 8
9	dulcis sisto melis campana vocor thomae cantuarensis
	THE MIDDLESEX COUNTY ASSOCIATION & LONDON DIOCESAN GUILD OF CHURCH BELL RINGERS HELPED PUT US HERE. 1952 EIIR 2012 20 11 WHITECHAPEL 9
10	campana dvnstani appellor; pro pace et salvtate elizabethae cano
	WE TEN BELLS SUCCEED EIGHT BELLS REMOVED IN 1969. WE FIRST RANG TO WELCOME HM QUEEN ELIZABETH II TO THE CITY OF LONDON ON HER DIAMOND JUBILEE. 1952 EIIR 2012 20 11 WHITECHAPEL 10
C1	WILLIAMS GIBBON UICAR IOHN COLES WALTER CARTER CH WS J739
C2	WILLIAM GIBBON • VICAR • IOHN COLES WALTER CARTER CHWS J739

The Names of the Bells: Each bell is named after a Saint who is connected with the Church, the Parish or London. The Latin inscription at the head of each bell explains the choice of the name. The Latin is translated as follows: Treble: St Richard ?I am called the bell Richard, once Bishop of Chichester? The church has an early connection with Chichester. 2nd: St George ?I, George Patron of the English, pray for the Romanian faithful? The Patron Saint of England and the dedication of the Romanian Orthodox church that uses this building as their UK headquarters. 3rd: St Alban ?I am called Bell Alban, first martyr of England? The first English Martyr. 4th: St Peter ?I am called the bell of Peter, Patron of Westminster? The patron of Westminster Abbey. This church stands at the gateway between London and Westminster. 5th: St Edward ?Saint Edward the Confessor, deign to pray for us? Founder of Westminster Abbey. 6th: St Mary ?I being struck, am called Mary, Rose of the World? Our Lady. 7th: St Mellitus ?I am called Bell Mellitus the first Bishop of London? The first Bishop of London since the refounding of the diocese. 8th: St Paul ?I proclaim with Great Paul: Woe is me if I preach not the Gospel? The Patron Saint of our Diocesan Cathedral. This is a direct quotation of the inscription upon Great Paul, the country's second largest bell, which hangs in St Paul's Cathedral. 9th: St Thomas ?I am called the bell Thomas of Canterbury, sweet as a honeypot? St Thomas forms part of the full title of the dedication of the church. Tenor: St Dunstan ?I am called the bell of Dunstan: I sing for the health and peace of Elizabeth? The Patron Saint of this church, and the Patron Saint of Bellfounders. The Latin inscription also contains a clever cipher. Add up all the letters that also represent Roman numbers to find it.

EARLIER BELLS

An earlier ring of 6 bells was replaced with a new ring of eight in 1713:

Bell	Weight	Cast	Founder	Fate
Treble		1713	Richard Phelps	Recast 1832
2		1713	Richard Phelps	Recast 1832
3		1713	Richard Phelps	Recast 1832
4		1713	Richard Phelps	Recast 1832
5		1713	Richard Phelps	Recast 1832
6		1713	Richard Phelps	Recast 1832
7		1713	Richard Phelps	Recast 1832
Tenor	20 cwt approx.	1713	Richard Phelps	Recast 1832

The church was pulled down in 1829 and rebuilt with a new tower and a new ring of eight bells:

Bell	Weight	Diameter	Note	Cast	Founder	Fate
Treble	4? cwt approx.	29"	E	1832	Thomas Mears II	Scrapped 1969
2	5? cwt approx.	30?"	D sharp	1832	Thomas Mears II	Scrapped 1969
3	6? cwt approx.	32?"	C sharp	1832	Thomas Mears II	Scrapped 1969
4	7? cwt approx.	34"	B	1832	Thomas Mears II	Scrapped 1969
5	8? cwt approx.	37?"	A	1832	Thomas Mears II	Scrapped 1969
6	10 cwt approx.	40"	G sharp	1832	Thomas Mears II	Scrapped 1969
7	13 cwt approx.	42?"	F sharp	1832	Thomas Mears II	Scrapped 1969
Tenor	17-0-4	47?"	E	1832	Thomas Mears II	Scrapped 1969

1	T. MEARS OF LONDON FECIT 1832
2	T. MEARS OF LONDON FECIT 1832
3	T. MEARS OF LONDON FECIT 1832
4	T. MEARS OF LONDON FECIT 1832
5	T. MEARS OF LONDON FECIT 1832
6	T. MEARS OF LONDON FECIT 1832
7	T. MEARS OF LONDON FECIT 1832
8
	THIS PEAL OF EIGHT BELLS WERE RECAST ANNO DOMINI 1832 T. MEARS OF LONDON 1832 REVD RICHARD LLOYD RECTOR               HENRY BURNELL JOHN HOPKINS VESTRY CLERK         EDWARD WILLIAMS } CHURCHWARDENS

These were removed in 1969 and replaced with the single bell below:

Bell	Weight	Diameter	Note	Cast	Founder	Fate
Service	11-0-14	387/16"	G sharp	1961	Mears & Stainbank	To be decided

S.
	MEARS 19 61 LONDON

HISTORY

1237		Patronage of the church was given by Richard de Barking, Abbot of Westminster, to King Henry III
1552		Record of 4 large bells and a small bell. "An olde bele weighing 6? cwt sold to Simon Pounder for ?8..16..0."
1666		The church escaped the Great Fire, but only just. The tower was later to contain 6 bells.
1671		The famous clock was made by Thomas Harries. It bears "two figures of savages or wild men well carved in wood and painted natural colours appearing as big as life standing erect with each knotty club in his hand wherewith they alternately strike the quarters, not only their arms, but even their heads moving at every blow."
1713		The 6 bells were recast into a new ring of 8 bells, tenor c. 20 cwt, by Richard Phelps.
1714		Record of 6 bells in the tower (Paterson).  This was clearly a mistake.
1727		The first peal of Double Bob Major was rung here, by the Ancient Society of College Youths.
1739		Two new clock bells were supplied.
1829		The old church was pulled down.
1830		The bells and figures were bought by Lord Hertford for ?200 and moved to what was then Lord Aldenham's villa in Regent's Park.
1831	27th July	First stone of the new church was laid. The architect was John Shaw. He died before it was completed, so the work was continued by his son. The 90 foot tower is surmounted by a pierced octagonal lantern raising it to 130 feet.
1832		The 8 bells from the old church were recast by Thomas Mears and hung in the new tower.
1833	31st July	New church consecrated.
1833		According to the Whitechapel Index Book, "an old London Newspaper" dated 1833 gave the weight of the tenor as 1908 lbs, i.e. 17-0-4.
1914		Tenor bell reported to be cracked.  It is unlikely that the bells were rung at all during the 20th Century.
1935		The clock bells and figures were restored to the church, with Mears & Stainbank facilitating the rehanging. Mr A. Hughes from Whitechapel who rehung them, reported them as been very poor bells.
1969		The 8 bells were removed from the tower and scrapped by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry. The tower was thoroughly cleaned, inside and out, and a single (stock Whitechapel) bell was hung on RSJs, rung with a lever clapper.
1970		Clock bells rehung and shotblasted by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry. They hang on wrought ironwork and have only the clubs of the figures and the hour hammer to the largest as fittings. They retain their canons but the cast-in staples are drilled out.
2011		A new ring of 10 bells was cast at Whitechapel.
2012		The new bells were consecrated in the nave by the Bishop of London on 14th March.  They were then hung in a new frame, by Whitechapel. The old service bell was removed from the tower, with its fate pending.

GALLERY

The clock bells and figures hanging outside the church.	The church before it was pulled down in 1829.	The church in 1829 (Thomas Talbot Bury)
The church in c.1910 (from Spitalfields Life)	Two peal boards on the wall of the old ringing in 2008.	The old ringing room ceiling in 2008.
The service bell that hung in the tower 1969 - 2012.	The single service bell in 2008.

Pictures of the installation of the new ring of 10 bells, 2011-2 Casting of bells 1-7 on Friday 25th November, 2011
The furnace is heating the bell metal.	The 7 moulds are standing ready to be filled.	The furnace empties metal into the ladle.
Impurities on the surface of the metal is scrapped off the top.	The 5th is cast.
The 6th is cast.		The 7th is cast.
Spectators.	Topping up some of the moulds.
The courtyard of the Whitechapel Bell Foundry.	The 5th, 6th and 7th cooling down.	Dickon Love, who conceived and led the project to install the bells.
Erica and Bernard Sisk from the church.	Lisa Nelson and Gareth Williams from Viridor Credits.	The new bell frame starts to take shape in the workshop.
The treble is cast.	The 2nd is cast.	The 3rd is cast.
The 4th is cast.	Andrew Middlicott with the 4th.	Ben Constant with the 5th.
Andrew Brown with the treble.	Kevin and Annette Hughes with the 4th.	Geraldine Forster with the 3rd.
All 7 bells now cooling down on the foundry floor.	Matthew Burroughs with the stamps for the Royal Arms that appear on all the bells, by specific permission from Buckingham Palace.	Matthew Burroughs and Lisa Nelson with the larger Royal Arms stamp.
The new Whitechapel Bell Foundry stamp, which had arrived a couple of days earlier.  This stamp doesn't appear on the front 7, but does on the back 3.	The Pugin gothic letter set for the inscription bands.

The bells are broken out of their moulds, photographed here on 29th November, 2011 (Photos Mark Backhouse, courtesy of Whitechapel Bell Foundry)

Bells 1,2,3 and 4.
Bells 5,6 and 7.

The tenor was cast in the morning of 16th December, 2011

The 8th, 9th and tenor moulds.	The tenor is cast.
Members of the St Dunstan's Guild Church Council warming up next to the tenor (photos Marc McDonald)
		The 7th.
The 6th.	The 3rd.	The 2nd.
The 5th.	The 4th.	The 6th.
The treble.	The 2nd.
	The bell frame taking further shape.  (The framesides for St James Garlickhythe are in the foreground).
Bells 8 and 9 were cast in the afternoon of 16th December, 2011
Matthew Burroughs, The Revd William Gulliford and David Powell (photo Marc McDonald)	(photo Marc McDonald)	The St Dunstan-in-the-West Bells Fund Trustees (photo Marc McDonald).
(photo Marc McDonald)	(photo Marc McDonald)	(photo Marc McDonald)
The 7th.

The tenor was tuned in the week ending 20th Jan.

	(Photo Nigel Taylor)

A visit to the Bell Foundry on 13th Feb 2012

	The tenor
The tenor	The newly tuned treble.	Frame foundation beams.

Progress in the tower with the building work on 14th Feb 2012

The crypt was used as a workshop to build the sound control panels.
	Building in the belfry.
		The intermediate chamber, which used to hold a clock mechanism.
The clock room.	The ceiling of the clock room, where the beams of the old 8-bell frame can be seen.	The ringing room.

	The ringing room.		The organ room.

The Bell Foundry on 23rd Feb 2012.

	Some of the bells on the foundry floor.  (Photo Neil Thomas)

Progress in the Tower, 7th March, 2012

	The frame foundations are installed.
		The ringing room.
The remains of the old frame in the crypt.

The Bells Arrive at the Church (13th Mar 2012)

David Powell, Church Warden & Parish Clerk	Dickon Love with the new bells.

The Consecration on 14th March 2012 by the Bishop of London (photos Clare Dyer)

The Bishop with Dickon Love.	David Powell, Richard Chartres, Dickon Love and William Gulliford

The Processions
	Welcome by the Guild Vicar, Rev'd William Gulliford.
	Dickon Love reads the lesson.	"Chantelle" - the choir.
The bells are sprinkled with holy water.
		Andrew Brown names the treble bell.
Ben Constant & Adam Greenley name the 2nd.		The bishop anoints the bell with the Oil of the Sick.
Geraldine Forster names the 3rd.
Annette & Kevin Hughes names the 4th.	Alan Regin names the 5th, on behalf of John Dunn from New Zealand.	Ian White from Viridor Credits names the 7th.
Shirley McGill, Master of the Society of Royal Cumberland Youths, names the 8th.	Jim Snyder names the tenor, telling the Bishop it is also to be affectionately known as "Great Dunstan".
The Bishop then anointed each bell with the Oil of Baptism.
	The incensation, while Grandsire Caters is rung on handbells.
The Sermon.
David Powell says a few words.		The Blessing

The hanging of the bells, 3rd/4th April (photos Dickon Love)

	The frame starts to be built.
The 9th on the ground ready to be raised, first through the porch ceiling ...
	... then through the organ room ...
	... through the ringing room (itself under construction) ...
... through the intermediate chamber ...		... into the belfry.
	Looking down at the 2nd at the base of the tower.	The 2nd in the ringing room.
	On 4th April, the tenor is the last to arrive.
	All bells now in.