Sidmouth Parish Church’s bells have been given a new lease of life, thanks to funding awards totalling £19,000.
The 10 bells themselves were not in need of repair, but the steel bell frame had been damaged by long-term exposure to salt-laden coastal wind and rain.
The restoration work involved removing the bell wheels, the associated woodwork and the gantry walkways, to enable access to the bell frame itself. The frame was then ‘rubbed down’, retreated and repainted.
It was funded by a ‘substantial’ award of £8,000 from the Sid Vale Association’s Keith Owen Fund, grants from the Devon Bell Restoration Fund and The Rowland Trust, and contributions from the bellringers themselves.
The complicated operation was carried out by Nicholson Engineering, a specialist bell hanger from Bridport.
Sidmouth Parish Church’s set of 10 bells is ranked as one of the finest in the country. The bells are are rung every Sunday, at events such as weddings and funerals, and on national occasions including the 80th D-Day commemorations in June.
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