Church bells ring for first time in 90 years

A set of Somerset church bells which have been silent for most of the past century have rung out once again.

The bell mechanism at St Andrew's Church, in Compton Dundon, fell into disrepair in the 1900s and, by 1935, the bells themselves were 'hung dead' in a fixed position facing down.

It meant it was only possible to ring the bells using a hammer to hit their sides, and so they instead fell silent.

But now, after a six-year campaign by villagers to raise £160,000, the bells have been brought back to life in a dedicated service.

"I think they weren't rung much after World War Two, and within living memory they haven't been rung at all," said Somerset architect Mark Taylor, who designed the new fixtures in the bell tower.

"The oldest bell dates from 1630, and there's no reason we won't get another 400 years out of it," he added.

The project saw five of the church's bells restored while two others were acquired from former churches in Lancashire and Sussex.

The two oldest, from 1630 and 1668, were originally cast in the village by local family the Austens.

A seventh bell in the church has been turned into a clock chime, after it was found to be "not so in tune with the others", Mr Taylor said.

Judy Skelding, chair of the bell appeal committee, said the group had been fundraising since 2019.

"Once the bells stopped ringing, people just got used to them not sounding," she said.

The group raised the money through a variety of sponsored events and applications for grant funding.

"People have been so supportive and have enjoyed the fact we are restoring part of the village tradition.

"We've had a lovely response from people who have never rung bells in the village and are now learning to do so," Ms Skelding added.

The bells have rung in a service by The Bishop of Bath and Wells, the Right Reverend Michael Beasley.

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