Sevenhampton bells ring again after over 50 years of silence
Community campaign revives historic church bells and launches fundraising for future restoration
The historic bells at St. James’ Church in Sevenhampton have rung once more after being silent for over 50 years, thanks to the efforts of local residents and supporters.
Led by Sevenhampton residents Mark and Teresa Birtwistle, along with organ expert Paul Mortier, the restoration project brought the church’s bell tower back to life through extensive repairs and cleaning.
The five out of six bells are now ringing, with notable resurgence during a Christmas carol service, while plans are underway to address the final bell and the long-term future of the bell frame.
After moving to Sevenhampton in September 2021, Mark Birtwistle began learning bell ringing with his wife Teresa and became interested in why the church’s bells were silent.
Investigations revealed a damaged, unsafe tower, with nesting material from birds piled several feet deep. Mark and Paul Mortier worked together to fix the roof, clean the mess, and reinstate bird screens to prevent further issues.
Their efforts led to professional assessments from bell hanger Simon Adams of Taylor’s, and after months of work, the bells were test rung for the first time since 1971.
“We know from graffiti in the ringing chamber that the last recorded date of ringing was 15th May 1971. Sometime after that, the bells were declared unringable,” Mark explained.
St. James’ Church now has five of its six bells ringing, offering joy to villagers during the Christmas carol service. However, restoring the final bell requires additional work, with Mark estimating it will take a further three months to complete.
Despite the success, the bell frame itself presents challenges. Made of wood and dating back to 1864 or earlier, it needs replacing to ensure long-term preservation.
“At this phase, the frame needs increasing maintenance to keep the bells ringing. The solution is to replace it with a steel frame, which is the modern way to hang bells and lasts for hundreds of years,” Mark said.
During the carol service, he announced a new fundraising campaign to raise money for removing the bells, replacing the frame, and rehanging them for future generations to enjoy.
The bells ringing for the first time after 54 years was warmly received in Sevenhampton. Mark described the immediate reaction in the village WhatsApp group as families stepped outside to hear the sound of the bells despite the windy weather.
“It was wonderful to see the community’s enthusiasm. People appreciated how special it is to hear the bells ringing again,” Mark said.
With a fundraising project now launched, the village is looking forward to securing the bells’ heritage for decades to come.