Until 1752 the 16th century tower contained 3 bells. In that year Joseph Mallows cast a new ring of five. An unusual cypher or cryptogram appears on some of the bells. For instance the old fourth (present seventh) is inscribed ‘j4s2PH 71664WSF2C3T’ (Joseph Mallows Fecit). With the enthusiasm of the then incumbent Rev Peter Bond the bells were restored to ringing order and increased first to six in 1974 then to eight in 1976 becoming the lightest octave in the county.

Strangely enough the first edition of Dove’s guide (1950) lists the bells as 5 10cwt. No mention of them is made at all in the next three editions. They are listed correctly (8 4-0-7 in D) in the fifth and subsequent editions. (Roger Peckham)