Hatch bell foundry

Hatch bell foundry
Illustration of a foundry stamp of Thomas Hatch on a bell at Langley, Kent, cast in 1599
Operated	c. 1581 (1581)– 1664 (1664)
Location	Ulcombe, Kent, England
Industry	Metalworking
Products	Bells
Owner(s)	Hatch family

The Hatch bell foundry at Ulcombe, near Maidstone, in Kent, England, was operated by three generations of the Hatch family from 1581 or earlier until 1664. The bellfounders were based at nearby Broomfield from about 1587 until at least 1639. Joseph Hatch, bellfounder from 1602 to 1639, cast at least 155 bells, including "Bell Harry", after which the central tower of Canterbury Cathedral is named. Most Hatch bells were used in churches east of the River Medway in East Kent.