page_title: Rochester Cathedral
section_title: Bells
hierarchical_section_title: Rochester Cathedral / Music / Bells
caption_attribution_description: English: The number 3 bell showing the dedication to the USS Pittsburgh. The bell diameter is 30".
context_page_description: Rochester Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary, is an English church of Norman architecture in Rochester, Kent.
  The church is the cathedral of the Diocese of Rochester in the Church of England and the seat of the Bishop of Rochester, the second oldest bishopric in England after that of the Archbishop of Canterbury. The edifice is a Grade I listed building.
context_section_description: Rochester Cathedral has a ring of 10 bells hung for change ringing in the English style. All were cast in 1921, some as memorials to men lost in the First World War or Great War. The heaviest bell is 30 long cwt 14 lb (3,374 lb or 1,530 kg) tuned to D.
  Although it is probable that the original Saxon cathedral of 604 had one or more bells, early records are scant. The 11th-century Gundulf Tower has architectural features which indicate bells were placed there from the start. In 1154 Prior Reginald made two bells and recast a third, existing, cracked one. Two further bells were obtained during the 12th century as mentioned in the Custumale Roffense of c. 1300. In 1343, Hamo de Hythe arranged for the central tower to be heightened and hung four bells called "Dunstanus, Paulinus, Itmarus atque Lanfrancus" (Dunstan, Paulinus, Itamar and Lanfranc).
  In 1635 the third was recast and in 1683 the fifth and tenor, followed by the treble in 1695. The fourth was noted as cracked in 1711 and a quotation obtained from Richard Phelps. The contract went the following year to James Bagley who also quarter turned the second: "the striking sides being much worn".  The 1695 treble was recast in 1770 and the 1683 tenor recast in 1834.  In 1904 two further bells were added at the time that the tower and spire were rebuilt.  Of the original six bells four were recast and two retained.  In 1921 all the bells were recast and augmented to the current ring of 10.  When bells are recast the original metal is reused with new metal added as required, therefore there is every reason to assume that the current bells contain the metal from all the original bells back to the time of Gundulf.  In 1960 the bells were rehung on a new steel frame by John Taylor.
  The service of dedication for the new bells was held on the 16 May 1921.  After prayers, the bells were rung for one minute, before the service resumed.  Following the service touches of Grandsire caters and Stedman caters were rung.  15 members of the cathedral band and 31 visitors all took turns ringing.  Because the bells are a memorial ring, including men who had died in the Great War, they were rung half-muffled on this first occasion.
  For many years the reason why the number 3 bell bears the inscription "U.S.S. Pittsburgh in Memory of 1920" was a mystery.  However a letter from James W. Todd, officer commanding USS Pittsburgh was published in the Chatham News on 17 December 1920.  In it he thanks the Dean of Rochester for various events during the two and a half months that the USS Pittsburgh was in dry-dock at Chatham.  He encloses a cheque for £52 10s to pay for the recasting of the bell and discusses the inscription.
caption: Number 3 bell with USS Pittsburgh memorial inscription (diameter measures 30 inches (760 mm))
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