A set of “notoriously difficult to ring” 17th-century church bells at All Saints Church in Litcham in Norfolk are set to undergo a major restoration.
The bells, housed in a 17th-century brick tower, have long challenged bellringers due to their tuning and condition. However, after years of dedicated fundraising the church has been awarded a £135,000 grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Plans are now underway to remove and repair the bells.
The comprehensive project, which will also refurbish the church’s historic clock dating from 1725, has a total budget of just over £160,000.
Tim Angell, the church’s bellringer and project manager, has been campaigning for restoration since 2008. He told the Dereham Times:
“We have six bells, four of which are listed as being of historical importance. They date back to shortly after the church tower was built in 1669.”
The work is expected to take around four months.
Angell said the bells have never been properly in tune and have always had a reputation for being difficult to ring.
“The last major work was carried out in 1914, when the fifth bell was recast, yet even then they were not properly tuned," he added.
There has been strong community backing for the project. In addition to the grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, funds have been raised by Litcham Parish Council, the Friends of All Saints Church charity, the Norwich Diocesan Association of Ringers’ Bell Restoration Fund, and other individual donors.
There is modest evidence that campanology – the practice of bellringing – is becoming more popular among younger people. Groups such as The Central Council of Church Bell Ringers’ Young Ringers Hub and the Young Change Ringers Association (YCRA), formed in 2021 “for young ringers, by young ringers”, are helping to promote the tradition.
Local resident Jayden Stebbings, 18, who was helping out on work experience at the church expressed his passion for the craft.
“From a young age I have been captivated by the sound and harmonics of the bells and the intricacies of bell control. My ambition is to work with bells, and this opportunity is incredibly beneficial,” he said.