Bell Tower, St.Mary the Virgin, Henham, Essex.
Posted by: 
greysman
N 51° 56.057 E 000° 14.702
31U E 310610 N 5757314
A small village church tower with a ring of six bells.
Waymark Code: WMJ9X4
Location: South East England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 10/16/2013
Views: 1
This is a mainly C13th and C14th church which has escaped much later alteration. Built of flint and stone it has an early C13th chancel, a C14th nave with a south aisle of circa 1300, developed from a late C13th south transept, and a west tower of circa 1325.
There are six bells in the tower of the church, four are old and the front two, the lightest, were cast in 1985 by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry Ltd. The oldest bell is the tenor, also the heaviest weighing 432.7kg, was cast in about 1480 by Thomas Harrys bellfounder of London. Bells 4 and 5 are presumed to have been cast by Miles II Graye whose family cast bells both in Colchester and in Saffron Waldon. The third heaviest was cast in about 1750 but the founder has not been identified.
The ring is cast in the note of Ab, is rung from the ground floor of the tower, and is rung regularly for Sunday divine service and Thursday evening practice. At other times the bells are rung for weddings, funerals and other events. Visiting ringers are always welcome.
The following information from Dove's website:-
Bell Weight(cwt) Nominal Note Diameter Dated Founder
1 2-3-12 F 23.75" 1985 Whitechapel Bell Foundry Ltd
2 3-0-24 Eb 25.50" 1985 Whitechapel Bell Foundry Ltd
3 4-0-22 Db 28.00" c1750 (unidentified)
4 4-3-1 C 29.88" 1636 ? Miles II Graye
5 5-1-24 Bb 31.63" 1641 ? Miles II Graye
6 8-2-2 Ab 35.50" c1480 Thomas Harrys
The tower also has a clock with a single face on the east side facing the main village street. It is inscribed with the Jubilee dates of Queen Victoria, 1887, and Queen Elizabeth, 1977. The hours are struck on the tenor bell.