Bell ringers will be helping to celebrate the 500th anniversary of a special bell in Minchinhampton this month.
The Sanctus Bell, which has called the town’s faithful to prayer at Holy Trinity Church since 1515, is being rededicated by the Bishop of Tewkesbury, the Rt Revd Martyn Snow.
He will also dedicate the bell’s new chiming rope during the service, which takes place on Sunday 27 September at 10am.
The bell is rung twice a day, at 7.55am and 5.25pm, calling people to the morning Eucharist and to Evening Prayer. It is also tolled three times during communion services, when the priest holds up the consecrated bread and wine.
It was cast in 1515 by Thomas Lawrence of London and is believed to have started life as a chapel bell on the current site of the church in Bell Lane. It is inscribed with the name of a benefactor of the church, Dame Alice Hampton, who died on 27 September 1516.
The Revd Helen Bailey, Rector of Minchinhampton with Box, said: “The bell has been an important part of the history of the town and we hope that many from Minchinhampton will come to join us for this special celebration.”
There will be a quarter peal rung by the church’s bell ringers at 11.30am on the day to round off the celebrations.
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