Hockley's Historic Bells: A 400-Year Royal Connection from Charles I to Charles III
Discover a remarkable piece of Hockley's heritage as one of St Peter & St Paul’s Church bells celebrates its 400th birthday. This incredible milestone connects us directly to royal history, spanning centuries and reigns.
DID YOU KNOW that one of Hockley’s church bells celebrates an incredible 400th birthday this year! High in the tower of St Peter & St Paul’s Church are three historic bells, cast in 1626, 1657 and 1684, by Miles Gray, John Hodgson and James Bartlett.
And here’s a lovely way of putting those 400 years into perspective, the oldest bell was cast in 1626, during the reign of King Charles I, who had been on the throne for barely a year.
Four centuries later, that same bell survives in Hockley and Britain once again has a King Charles on the throne, this time King Charles III. 400 years of Hockley history, hanging quietly in the church tower.
