Chime time at St Mary’s Norton as bell installation is completed

Published: Tuesday August 27, 2024
A picture of the bells lined up in a row outside St Mary's church, with parish members gathered around and smiling at the camera
Parish members greet the bells back at the church after their restoration at Whites of Appleton Bellhangers, 6 August. (Simon Ridley pictured second from right).

For years, Norton’s bells had a reputation for being a bit off-key and tricky to ring. As volunteer project manager and experienced bell ringer Simon Ridley put it, “the bells have never been a satisfactory instrument, they were last restored in 1930 and increasingly became quite sour. Now, the bells are tuned up and improved, fit for purpose for at least another 100 years.”

The bell installation project at St Mary’s Norton has now wrapped up, marking a major upgrade to the church’s bell system.

Costing around £90,000 overall, the installation saw a dedicated team of 21 volunteers rolling up their sleeves to keep costs manageable.

Simon, who has 17 years of experience in managing restoration projects, said: “The bells were in a poor state, they sounded terrible and nobody wanted to ring them. However the parish saw its potential.

“Before the restoration, the bells sounded like a very rough piano. Now it’s like we have a Steinway.”

During the upgrade, the bells were whisked away to Whites of Appleton Bellhangers for tuning and new running gear. The old 4th bell, dating back to 1685, was retired to a new role as a service bell, while a new 4th bell from Garthbrengy Church in Wales — donated by The Keltek Trust — took its place.

The tower also got a fresh look with new lighting and power wiring, plus a sturdy steel foundation to replace the aging wooden beams from 1685.

The newly restored bells were inaugurated with a full peal on 25 August, lasting three hours and celebrated by a local crowd.

Simon commented: “It started as a project to fix the bells and it ended up becoming a community event. It brought together many people from the local community who otherwise might not have engaged with the church.”

St Mary’s is hosting a dedication ceremony on 27 October at 2pm to celebrate the project, joined by Bishop Robert who will bless the bells.

For more information about the project, you can contact Simon via email, or visit St Mary’s Norton bell ringing Facebook page.

A group of people of all different ages sharing a meal together

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