Close-up of the "Wokingham lion" and the Edward III Groat on the Abbey bell
There are eight bells, the tenor weighing approximately one ton. The treble, second and tenor are inscribed by G. Mears and dated 1859, but the tenor, cast in 1670 by Bryan(?) Eldridge of Chertsey (maybe in itself a recasting of an earlier Chertsey Abbey bell), was recast by Mears at the expense of Angela Burdett-Coutts, of the famous banking family, and by her specially named "Shoshannim". No. 3 was cast by R. Phelps in London in 1730 and is inscribed to two benefactors, Arthur Onslow and Thomas Scawen. No. 4 is by Lester and Pack of London it is now used for ringing the curfew from Michaelmas to Lady Day (29 September to 25 March).
Manning and Bray's "The History and Antiquities of Surrey" (c.1811) records the fact that the curfew was rung, as now, at 8pm on weekdays but also on Sunday mornings at 8am on the largest (tenor) bell. The practice of the 8am ringing of the tenor curfew has been discontinued, but the 8pm week-night ringing is still exactly as described in the 1811 book with the exception that we now use the 8cwt Lester and Pack bell from 1856 rather than the 10cwt Abbey bell. This is primarily to avoid over-use of this precious medieval bell. No curfew is now rung on Saturday nights. It also states that "William Eldridge made mee" was the inscription on the 1670 tenor.
About the fifth it is likely that it is a bell from the ruined Chertsey Abbey cast in 1310 and recast circa 1380 following the collapse of the Abbey tower: it is inscribed in crowned Lombardic capitals +Ora menta pia pro nobis Virgo Maria. This bell did perhaps toll for Henry VI when in 1471 his murdered corpse was borne up river from London for temporary burial at Chertsey prior to removal to Windsor by Richard III. No. 6 was founded in 1712 by William Eldridge, a Chertsey founder, whose house is next to The Swan inn opposite the church and who had a foundry in Chertsey, possibly in Guildford Street: the seventh, the “Armada bell” was made in 1588 by Robert Mot of London.
Close-up of the "Wokingham lion" and the Edward III Groat on the
Abbey bell
The first word "ORA" of the Abbey Bell inscription
The inscription on the Abbey bell
The bells were re-hung on a new iron frame in August 1905 by Mears & Stainbank at the expense of Joanne Tulk of Cowley House, Chertsey - it cost over £300 in those days - and the bells were again re-hung on roller bearings in 1996 by Eayre and Smith.
You can listen to the bells here. This MP3 file is encoded at 112kbps, so if you have a modem connection, you will need to download the file first to play it.
An Eldridge foundry clapper
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 The Abbey Bell prior to the removal of its canons by Mears & Stainbank in 1905 |
| Bell | Note | Weight | Details | Cast |
| Treble | E | 5-2-24 | "Sing we merrily unto God our
strength" G. Mears founder London 1859 |
Whitechapel 1859 |
| 2 | D# | 6-2-0 | G. Mears founder London 1859 | Whitechapel 1859 |
| 3 | C# | 7-2-0 | "Prosperity to all our
benefactors especially Arthur Onslow Esq. and Thomas Scawen Esq. Knights
for this county" R. Phelps fecit 1730 |
Whitechapel 1730 |
| 4 | B | 8-0-0 | "James Berryman and William
Yeowell churchwardens 1756" Lester & Pack of London fecit |
Whitechapel 1756 |
| 5 | A | 10-2-0 | "+
Ora menta pia pro nobis Virgo Maria" Chertsey Abbey c.1380 (recasting of 1310 bell) (Wokingham) |
Wokingham c. 1380 |
| 6 | G# | 12-2-24 | "Gulielmus Eldridge me fecit
1712 TB. TS." William Eldridge, Chertsey, 1712 |
Chertsey 1712 |
| 7 | F# | 14-2-0 | "Robertus Mot me fecit
1588" The "Armada Bell" made in London in 1588 |
Whitechapel 1588 |
| Tenor | E | 20-0-14 | "Angela Burdett Coutts whom God
preserve named me Shoshannim at whose expence I was recast 1670
1859. Glory to God in the Highest and on Earth peace, Goodwill towards
Men" G. Mears founder London 1859 |
Whitechapel 1859 |
 No. 5 - The c1380 Chertsey Abbey Bell |
 No. 6 - The 1712 bell by William Eldridge of Chertsey |
 ... and the 1588 "Armada Bell" (No. 7, left) and one ton Tenor |
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