Bells of the City of Westminster


 
St Margaret of Antioch
 

Westminster, St Margaret of Antioch, Parliament Square


Details of the Bells

Bell Weight
(most recent)*
Weight
(As supplied 1834)
Diameter Note Date FounderRetuned
® 1 5-2-828¼" F♯ 1939 Gillett & Johnston, CroydonNever
® 2 5-3-2629½" E 1939 Gillett & Johnston, CroydonNever
® 3 6-2-831¹⁄₁₆" D 1939 Gillett & Johnston, CroydonNever
® 4 6-3-1832" C♯ 1939 Gillett & Johnston, CroydonNever
® 5 7-3-2434" B 1739 Samuel Knight, Southwark1939 Gillett & Johnston
® 6 9-1-8½36⅝" A 1939 Gillett & Johnston, CroydonNever
® 7 11-1-1339½" G 1739 Robert Catlin, Holborn1939 Gillett & Johnston
® 8 12-0-2741¾" F♯ 1773 Thomas Janaway, Chelsea1939 Gillett & Johnston
® 9 14-1-1916-2-1245⅜" E 1834 Thomas Mears II1939 Gillett & Johnston
® 10 26-0-2651¹⁵⁄₁₆" D 1939 Gillett & Johnston, CroydonNever

* Source of weight figures: Gillett & Johnston records
®  - Hung for full circle ringing

Bellframes

Frame Bells Year Maker Material Truss(es) Local
Layout
1 All bells 1739 Robert Catlin, Holborn Timber
6.D

The 1739 Ring of Eight

Bell Weight Diameter Note Date Founder Retuned Fate
Treble (of 8)D1739Samuel KnightNeverRecast 1939 by Gillett & Johnston
2 (of 8)C♯1739Samuel KnightNeverRecast 1939 by Gillett & Johnston
3 (of 8)B1739Samuel Knight1939 Gillett & JohnstonStill there
4 (of 8)A1739Samuel KnightNeverRecast 1939 by Gillett & Johnston
5 (of 8)G1739Robert Catlin1939 Gillett & JohnstonStill there (part of the SK set despite the inscription)
6 (of 8)F♯1739Samuel KnightNeverRecast 1773 by Thomas Janaway
7 (of 8)E1739Samuel KnightNeverRecast 1834 by Thomas Mears II
Tenor (of 8)D1739Samuel KnightNeverRecast 1761 by Lester & Pack

Augmentation and recasting in 1761

Bell Weight Diameter Note Date Founder Retuned Fate
Treble (of 10)F♯1761Lester & PackNeverRecast 1939 by Gillett & Johnston
2 (of 10)E1761Lester & PackNeverRecast 1939 by Gillett & Johnston
Tenor (of 10)D1761Lester & PackNeverRecast 1939 by Gillett & Johnston

History

1516 In the reign of Edward I, the church was rebuilt. The tower was at the west end and is said to have contained 3 bells. The foundation stone of a new tower was laid, which was also to be a porch. The three bells were augmented to five. One was given by Master Pomfrey, and for the second, gifts of money and metal were collected in the parish. The old metal collected was "by the Commandment of the worshipful of the parish, delivered to Williams Smith, founder, in part payment of the new bell, two brasses and a clapper)."
1527 Record of 5 bells in the Churchwardens' Account giving their weights: 500 lbs, 621 lbs, 906 lbs, 1010 lbs, and 1613 lbs (total 4702 lbs). There was also a saunce bell.
1565 The 2nd (of 5) was recast at the expense of Mr Fisher, the Churchwarden.
1592 A new ring was made by Valentine Trevor, but the bells were "very falsely and deceitfully made" [CW's accounts].
1593 The bells were replaced by Robert Mot. The Accounts state that the tenor was 2100˝ cwt.
1597 The 4th (of 5) was recast by Robert Mot. Some time in the next decade or so the ring was augmented to six.
1670 Two new bells were cast by Mr Darbie, costing Ł47.10.0. Trollope thinks this would have been John Darbie from Ipswich. He also believes that this represents an augmentation to 8, although in 1714, only 6 bells are noted.
1714 Record of "six large bells" [Paterson].
1739 A ring of 8 was cast by Samuel Knight just before his death. The job was completed by his foreman and successor, Robert Catlin (the 5th bearing his name).
1761 The tenor was recast and two trebles were added by Lester & Pack.
1773 The 8th (of 10) was recast by Thomas Janaway.
1834 The 9th (of 10) was recast by Thomas Mears.
1939 Six of the bells were recast and rehung in the old frame by Gillett & Johnston.

Articles

  • "The St Margaret's Society celebrates its centenary", Unattributed (The Ringing World) 22 July 1994


  • Love's Guide to the Bells of the City of Westminster Page updated: 15 April 2022