Facts about our bells

The founders
Thomas Mears 1, Charles and George Mears, Richard Phelps are all associated with the history of the WhiteChapel bell foundry. Other products from this factory include the Liberty Bell, Big Ben and the 7/11 bell. The foundry is also a record holder, in the Guiness book of records it held the title for the oldest continuously trading company in the world.

Richard Phelps, was an itinerant bell founder, who went where the work was and cast bells all over the South and East of England. To simplfy the transporting of the completed bell, he dug bell pits in fields close to the Church and constructed a furnace. The bells were then cast and with luck, and great deal of skill turned out at about the right tone and wieght. 

Our three Waylett bells were never been tuned from the day they were cast in the 'Bell' field close to the Church until all the bells were refurbished in 2009. The art of tuning has moved on from the days of a man with a chisel 'chipping' away at the bell until he got it 'right' or disappearing over the hill if he went too far!

So, if you paid for an old bell to be recast, or for a new bell, your name would be cast into it and survive for generations to come. Some bells celebrate family events, so the inscription reflects this.