Burton Dassett church bells date back to 1686 and the reign of King James II
CHURCH bells dating back to the 17th century won’t be ringing over Christmas at All Saints’ Church, Burton Dassett but there’s a good reason why – they’re being given a clean bell of health.
However, this time next year the bells will once again ding dong merrily on high once they’ve been refurbished over the next few months.
Four of the six bells at the 12th century church have been removed for refurbishment. The other bells were refurbished in 2005.
The bells were installed in1686 during the reign of King James II and have been in the bell tower ever since.
“The removal of the bells and moving them from the church has all gone very smoothly,” said Graham Nabb, project manager. “The bells were on the back of a lorry and on their way to Loughborough for refurbishment by 10am. Churches are such an important part of our heritage and if you look around the countryside a church spire symbolises the English landscape.”
As is the case with all significant occasions the bells at All Saints are rung for weddings and for important national event such as the Trafalgar Day celebrations in 2005 to mark the 200th anniversary of the historic naval battle and for the Queen’s Silver Jubilee (1977) and the Platinum Jubilee (2022) and more recently, for the coronation of King Charles III.
From Burton Dassett the bells were taken to one of the remaining bell foundries in England, John Taylor and Sons of Loughborough, where the stocks and hangings will be refurbished by craftsmen before being returned to the church next March.
Church warden, John Anderson, said: “We applied for grants for the work and it involves their complete restoration including the fittings which are essential because they enable the bell to be rotated. The bells will be back in place for Easter.”
