ST VEDAST, FOSTER LANE |
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DETAILS OF THE BELL |
Bell Weight Diameter
Note Cast Founder 1 5-2-16 30" D 1960
Mears & Stainbank 2 6-1-8 32" C 1960
Mears & Stainbank 3 7-0-23 34" B flat 1960
Mears & Stainbank 4 8-3-6 36" A 1960
Mears & Stainbank 5 11-2-17 40" G 1960
Mears & Stainbank 6 16-2-12 45" F 1960
Mears & Stainbank
INSCRIPTIONS |
tba |
FORMER BELLS |
These are the bells that were destroyed on 10th May, 1941. The weights are the scrapping weights. |
| Bell | Weight | Diameter |
Note | Cast | Founder |
| 1 | 5-2-12 | 30½" | C |
1672 |
John Darbie |
| 2 | 6-3-2 | 33" | B flat |
1671 |
John Darbie |
| 3 | 7-3-8 | 35" | A flat |
1672 |
John Darbie |
| 4 | 8-3-8 | 36½" | G |
1771 |
Thomas Mears I |
| 5 | 12-3-14 | 41½" | F |
1671 |
John Darbie |
| 6 | 15-2-24 | 46½" | E flat |
1726 |
Richard Phelps |
| Clock | 2 cwt approx. | 20¼" | 1706 |
John Waylett | |
| Disused | 3½ cwt approx. | 26½" | E flat |
1704 |
Samuel Newton & John Peele |
The former 4th, recast in 1771 was as follows: |
| Bell | Weight | Diameter |
Note | Cast | Founder |
| 4 | G |
1672 |
John Darbie |
| 1. | GLORY TO GOD ON HIGH. IOHN DARBIE MADE ME 1672. |
| 2. | FEARE GOD KING [Charles II Shield] IOHN DARBIE MADE MEE 1671 |
| 3. | GOOD PETER PICKERING CHVRCH WARDEN BENEFACTOR. IOHN DARBIE MADE ME 1672 |
| 4. | THOMAS MEARS OF LONDON FECIT. 1797 |
| 5. | IOHN VENPORT BENEFACTOR 50 POVNDS. IOHN DARBIE MADE MEE 1671 |
| 6. | THO LAWRENCE CHA SHVCKBVRGH CH WNS OF ST MARTIN ------ GVL SLEATH TH: BARRY CH WNS OF ST VEDAST ALIVS FOSTER. R:PHELPS FECIT 1726 |
| Clock. | THE GVIFT OF PETER PICKERING 1706 |
| Disused. | WM u SWANN u DAVID u ABBOT u CH WARDENS 1704 |
S NEWTON u I u PEELE MADE ME |
| It is not known how these inscriptions were arranged - particular on the tenor, which is given here in one line. |
HISTORY |
| 1552 | Record of 5 bells and a sanctus. | |
| 1671/2 | A ring of 6 bells was cast for the tower by John Darbie. | |
| 1697 | Church rebuilt. | |
| 1704 | A bell was cast for the church of St Matthew, Friday St. | |
| 1706 | A clock bell was cast, the gift of Peter Pickering. | |
| 1708 | Record of 6 bells in the tower. | |
| 1726 | Tenor recast. | |
| 1797 | 4th recast. | |
| Late 19th Cent | A commentator found "the whole ring in a disgraceful state, one of the worst belfries in the City". A clock bell was noted in the open part of the steeple and a disused bell (from St Matthew, Friday St) hung in the SW corner of the frame. | |
| 1882 | The bells were put into order by G.R. Banks of Kennington Lane. | |
| 1885 | 14th Aug | Church reopened after restoration. |
| 1887 | St Matthew's, Friday St was pulled down and the parish united with St Vedast. The bell was transferred to St Vedast and hung dead in the frame. | |
| 1941 | 10th May | The church was bombed and the bells were damaged. They all remained in the tower, badly cracked, and taken for recasting. |
| 1960 | A new ring of 6 bells was cast and hung in a new frame in the tower. |
