The Cohasset Carillon
   (formerly known as the Bancroft
     Memorial Carillon or the Jesse M.
     Barron Memorial Carillon)

*Location:

   St.Stephen's Episcopal Church
   Main Street opposite Depot Court
   Cohasset, Massachusetts, USA
   LL: N 42.24140, W 70.79081

Site locator map

*Carillonist:

   Dr.John P. Whiteside, Dir. of Music
   E: JPW.ssc@gmail.com

   1924 Katherine Augusta Stevens
   1924-30 Kamiel Lefévere  (1888-1972)
   1930-37 Edward B. (Ned) Gammons   (d.)
   1937-38 George Faxon   (d.)
   1938-85 Earl Chamberlain   (d.)
   1985-2009 Sally Slade Warner   (d.2009)
   2009-15 Mary J. Kennedy   (d.2015)

*Contact:

   St.Stephen's Church
   16 Highland Avenue
   Cohasset, MA  02025-1819
   T: 781-383-1083
   E: fredboston@msn.com  [music director]

*Schedule:

   Sunday 0940-1000 (before service);
   also Sunday 6pm in summer (guests).

*Remarks:

   The 1925 expansion to 43 bells made
   this the largest carillon in the USA up
   to that time.  New transmission
   installed during 1989-90 enlargement;
   at least 32 of the 35 G&J trebles
   removed were made available for sale,
   10 went into the Kerrytown Chime in
   Ann Arbor, MI, while at least some went
   to private collectors.  Original
   practice keyboard now at Norwood MA; new
   practice keyboard in studio north of
   choir room on 2nd floor.

*Technical data:

   Traditional carillon of 57 bells
   Pitch of heaviest bell is G  in the bass octave
   Keyboard range:     G E   /    G C 29
   Transposition is nil (concert pitch)
   There is one missing bass semitone
   There is an identical practice console
   The instrument was enlarged in 1990
     with 41 bells made by Taylor       
   Prior history:
     In 1928, the instrument was enlarged to 51 bells
       by Gillett & Johnston
       (6 bells remain from that work.)
       Keyboard range was:     C D#  /    C G   
       Transposition was down 5 semitone(s), i.e., from C to G 
     In 1925, the instrument was enlarged to 43 bells
       by Gillett & Johnston (an unknown number remain, probably 4)
       Pitch of heaviest bell was C  in the middle octave
       There were two missing bass semitones
     In 1924, the instrument was begun with 23 bells
       by Gillett & Johnston (an unknown number remain, probably 6)
       Pitch of heaviest bell was E  in the middle octave
   No auxiliary mechanisms known
   Tower details: 
     Height of console:                 10 meters above ground
     Height of lowest level of bells:   13 meters above ground
     Height of highest level of bells:  17 meters above ground
     Belfry openness:  50%
   Year of latest technical information source is 2023

The church Website summarizes the carillon on the History page.  There are extensive illustrated pages about the carillon, though the link to them from the home page appears to be missing (July 2006 - Feb 2008).

A local announcement of the 2023 GCNA Congress includes photos of the bells and keyboard.

The Kerrytown Chime in Ann Arbor, MI, received ten of the G&J trebles removed in the 1990 expansion.

Where the initial phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Gillett & Johnston bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.
Where the second phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Gillett & Johnston bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.
Where the third phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Gillett & Johnston bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.
Where the final phase of this work lies in the sequence of output of the Taylor bellfoundry, in this region and in the world.

Ranking among all North American traditional carillons by weight.
Ranking among all North American traditional carillons by size (number of bells).
Ranking among all North American concert class carillons by year of completion.

Other grand carillons with similar keyboard ranges.

The bass bell of this carillon is among all great bells in North America.

Index to all traditional carillons in MA.

Index to all tower bell instruments in MA.

   This page was built from the database on 14-Oct-24
   based on textual data last updated on 2023/06/22
   and on technical data last updated on 2023/06/22